Things I learned about this month: SEO, the 3 perspectives, tenders (not chicken), controlling ideas, Skype and hummingbird cake.
I had hoped to learn a lot during my 4-week internship with Idenna Creative, and whilst I did gain some top-level industry knowledge, my biggest takeaways were a little more unexpected.
My internship was funded by the University of Bristol’s SME Internship scheme, designed to benefit both students and small and medium sized enterprises – I gain invaluable experience with a real-world business and Idenna receive 140 hours of my work, a win for everyone involved!
As a graduate, sometimes the working world appears impenetrable, like you’re back to being a wide-eyed fresher but with a lot more to prove than whether you can down a pint. In the months leading up to my internship, I’d envisioned leaning over a shoulder to watch a computer screen, nodding mindlessly whilst attempting to digest whatever sacred marketing lore was being bestowed upon me. I’d woken up quaking at the image of a group of overtime-working, suit-clad staff members, all with their favourite mug, woe-betide if you chose the wrong one…
As it turns out, the team at Idenna are actually quite normal, if there is such a thing, and the first lesson I learnt during the internship was not to let any anticipatory imaginings impact my confidence in my capabilities – in all the scenarios I’d envisioned, I’d failed on some account before I’d even written a word.
Perhaps my perception of what an internship could offer was a bit dated, but I’d made sure to leave a space in my mind that my duties could mainly involve making tea. I realised rather quickly that this was an opportunity which was far more exciting, and quite a lot more challenging.
By the end of my first day, I had rewritten some website copy for one of Idenna’s clients. By the next, I had been taught how to schedule social media posts and worked independently on proofreading and uploading content for another of the company’s clients. I was involved in team meetings and briefed on tasks much the same as the others, and by the halfway mark, I was feeling a lot less like I was roleplaying being an adult, and more like I actually was one. I now have some substantial creations I can put my name to – a website page, blogs, press releases, and more than enough social media posts to fill a feed.
I also learnt pretty quickly that dogs in the office were a regular occurrence, and meeting the various pups was a highlight of my internship. I even created a series showcasing the office dogs for the Idenna social media channels.
Meeting the team was, of course, great too. Ria, Idenna’s incredible studio manager, had kindly organised for me to have a one-to-one chat with everyone during my first week. What struck me most was how many people had evolved in their roles over time, beginning as a copywriter, before managing clients, having a go at graphics or learning what it takes to be a producer. As a Liberal Arts graduate, this was music to my ears – a place where liking lots of things was not only celebrated but encouraged!
On occasions during university, surrounded by students with straightforward career paths, or at the very least studying a singular subject, I had found it tricky to remain confident in my course choice. To discover that a working environment like Idenna exists is exciting! Somewhere truly multidisciplinary with a management team that values the multifaceted skills of each individual.
Not only has Idenna equipped me with invaluable industry skills, but they have set the standard for any future employment, with their exceptional work ethic, opportunities for self-development, attention to client relationships, and just all-round good will. I have felt completely supported by the team and genuinely encouraged to learn, helping me push past self-doubt and squeeze every drop of experience from my internship. They even surprised me with a homemade cake to celebrate me receiving my university results!
It’s been a brilliant few weeks and I’m incredibly grateful to have secured this experience through the SME internship scheme. My only complaint would be that Idenna has set the bar ridiculously high – I will now always be expecting an office with dogs and cake.
Luanna – Idenna Intern
