If you don’t already know, the placement search is all but a leisurely walk in the park. There is no “how to guide” which ensures a position with all the best perks. Perhaps, you may find the process easier or have all the right connections, but for most students, especially international students requiring work visas like myself, securing that ideal and effortless placement is simply not the case. Personally, the placement search ranged from feeling very stressful and disappointing to helping me understand more about myself and the career I actually wanted to pursue, rather than one that just pays the bills.

Me at my desk

Fortunately, I obtained my 30-week placement with a small yet prestigious Oxford based, digital and web marketing agency called Obergine – yes pronounced like the vegetable! I first came across the placement listing as I browsed MyCareerHub for the millionth time that particular week. Within an hour of seeing the available position and sending over my cover letter and CV, I had an in-person interview scheduled within a few days. Less than a week after that interview, I was offered the position of digital marketing intern and began working for Obergine shortly after.

My desk at Obergine

My placement so far has been extremely hands on, B2B focused, and all around enjoyable because of the welcoming company atmosphere. On a daily basis, I assist with client projects and complete various marketing tasks. Some of my responsibilities include managing and keeping up-to-date with Obergine’s Twitter account, preparing and understanding monthly data and web traffic reports, market research and material preparation for client pitches, content creation for blog development, and the occasional assisting with the developers.

The most interesting aspect of my placement has been advancing my skill set with several digital tools such as Adobe Creative Suite, Buffer, Moz, and MailChimp and using relevant marketing practices such as SEO, CRO, copywriting, content marketing, and gaining audience engagement. Ironically, the most difficult part of my placement has been overcoming the instances when I don’t know a proper technique, solution, or approach. It can be difficult feeling like you don’t know “everything” compared to more experienced individuals, but who actually does?

By far, the most enjoyable aspect of my placement is Thursday lunch! Every week someone chooses a new restaurant or beloved place in town to enjoy a meal together, as a company. Obergine is fortunate to be in the city centre of Oxford so everything is very easy to reach and super close!

From this placement, I personally have become more confident and resourceful in myself. It is tough living so far away from friends and family, but knowing this is exactly where I want to be keeps me highly motivated. Plus, I love travelling around the UK and Europe so it’s great having that opportunity to be somewhere new. Professionally, I have developed a wide range of technical skills and projects that I have proudly used to improve my CV and personal goals. For instance, I have seen my coffee blog and Instagram account, britsandbrew, expand organically through applying the marketing techniques I’ve learned and experienced from this placement. I anticipate this placement being the foundations for a career in digital media and content creation in the UK. It’s my goal to remain in this country and pursue more creative, potentially entrepreneurial projects. Follow me on Instagram or LinkedIn to stay updated!

By Claire Boucher

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