Three words to describe your placement – Eye opening, invaluable and enjoyable

Most interesting part of your placement? – Attending proposal meetings with well-established clients and understanding how different people use different presentation techniques

Hardest aspect of your placement? – Managing my anxiety when doing an hour and a half commute in the crowds

Most enjoyable aspect of your placement? – Being part of a fun and hardworking team

What have you learned that you never thought you would have this year? – That I have the capability to achieve much more than I thought and the amount of work that can be done within a full working day

What gave you the most satisfaction during placement year? – Creating planning work for an important pitch to a large telecommunications brand which my managing director personally thanked me for

Two tips for future placement students – 1. Start applying for placements in advance and if unsuccessful try to turn it into a positive by actively engaging with feedback to develop yourself. 2. Be proactive in the work place, volunteer for extra activities or tasks even if they are not necessarily part your job role making the most of your experience

One example of how BU supported you during your placement – The placement drinks gave us an opportunity to engage with other placement students and gave us the opportunity to support one another through the sharing of experiences

How have you changed both personally and professional? – I have developed in confidence, both within the workplace speaking to senior people and externally when presenting my ideas to clients

https://www.linkedin.com/in/katiedennis/

From the supervisor, Ben Fillery, Planning Director

What was it about your placement student that secured them the position with you:

Katie was very confident in both her telephone and 2^nd interview without being arrogant. She was calm when presenting back her interview task which was important as this role requires a lot of client facing interaction. She also was very enthusiastic about understanding what motivates consumers which is an essential skill to have in planning.

What has it been like having your placement student on the team:

Fantastic! I don’t see Katie as being a placement but as a fully-fledged member of the planning and strategy team as does the other departments who interact with Katie. She takes direction exceptionally well and embraces her work related tasks with a smile and a positive ‘can do’ attitude.

Any advice for students wanting to apply for a placement at your company:

Research the company you are applying for. Have an opinion on why you want to work here. This should come from the heart. Don’t make the mistake of saying what you think the employer wants to hear as this will come across as false. We are looking for a good cultural fit with the placement so being false won’t do us or the candidate any favours. Be positive and have an open mind. The world of work is very different to student life. And don’t ask about holidays at the first interview!

If you have had previous BU students in the past, what do you think makes them stand out from other students:

Good foundation in marketing theory, a gregarious outlook, an appetite for understanding people and a willingness to work hard.