From placement year to permanent position for marketing student MJ

We caught up with MJ to find out more about her placement and what she got up to in her year working at Brandwatch.

MJ’s placement was so successful she’s now been offered a permanent position at Brandwatch!

What was your placement like?

Brandwatch has been such a pleasure to work for, and I’ve learned so much in such a short period of time.

My team has really allowed me to dive in and be curious, ask questions, take on responsibility and grow. Brandwatch’s company culture fosters creativity and growth, and I’ve gotten to learn about Brandwatch’s social listening and social media management platforms – which honestly are vital to being a marketer.

What were your responsibilities on placement?

I got to dig into so many parts of the team and partner with the paid media team, email marketing team, account-based marketing teams, and global marketing teams. Whether it was working on a slide deck to present to my supervisor, or getting to create a webpage to send to an account or potential client!

How did you find your placement?

I found this placement on my own, and was intrigued by Brandwatch as a brand but also their social listening platform!

I interviewed for a bunch of placements and made it to the final stages for a few of them. I ultimately chose Brandwatch because of how innovative their company and products are, but also because every person I spoke to in the interview/hiring process were so lovely and friendly.

How did your course prepare you for a placement year?

I think some of the modules that focused more on group presentations and marketing plan creation really gave me practical skills – but I also attribute a lot of preparation to the course leader Rodrigo Lucena, who was such an invaluable resource. Not only did I learn so much in his module, but I was able to get feedback from him in regard to placements.

Tell me about your greatest accomplishment on your placement year.

My greatest achievement was getting to be a part of the team for our London masterclass event – I got to meet a bunch of Brandwatch employees from all over the world and many of our current clients. It gave me such great insight into the company and what’s in the future for Brandwatch, but also the opportunity to see many of the other roles within our marketing focus, and plan for my future.

My team even surprised me with flowers on the stage, and it was great to see such a big company giving recognition to me, an intern!

What would you say to another student who’s considering doing a placement year?

I would give two tips of advice:

One: Don’t give up. It can be really discouraging constantly applying for placements and some of the interviews can be intense. I remember one of them being around three hours of questions! Don’t give up, if you really want a placement and are determined to get one, you will.

Two: Don’t forget about the dissertation. I originally thought that a placement replaced the dissertation part of the course. While doing a placement you really have to utilise your time management skills and keep in mind that at the end of this you need to formulate and write a dissertation, too.

How do you think your placement year will help you in finding a job after uni?

I think as an international student having UK work experience is paramount, and this also was my first experience in a marketing role (as I went directly from my undergraduate degree to a master’s degree).

My placement at Brandwatch has been so beneficial for me and my team, I’ve learned far more than I could’ve imagined and I’ve gained such valuable real life work experience. I’ve strengthened my time management skills, my collaborative skills, and my abilities as a marketer.

I’ve actually just signed an offer letter for full time permanent employment with them, which is very exciting!