Nathan
Rubinelli-Giordano

Employer name: Nottingham City Council

Job title: Marketing and Communications Intern

How did you find / source your placement?

On InPlace (NTU’s placement portal).

What was the recruitment process like for this role?

I had to send my CV and a cover letter directly to my internship supervisor. A week later, I did a 15-minute video interview. I got a positive answer from the staff member and one month later I started my internship!

Did you get support from the Employability team during your search for this role? If yes, what support did you get and how did it help you?

Yes, the follow-up is great. As long as you don't find an internship, they will encourage and help you to find one.

They helped me to make a good CV and cover letter, I corrected my CV with CV360 which is a great piece of software, and I sent my cover letter to the employability team who helped me to correct it and make it more interesting for the employer.

What new skills and practices are you learning/have you learned from your work experience placement?

During my experience as a marketing and communications trainee, I have gained both professional and personal knowledge.

Concerning professional experiences, I learned how to approach companies for sponsoring requests and how to organise and promote events. I learned to manage and promote content on Instagram, how to use design software, and how to make flyers and social media posts. I learned so much that will serve me in the near future!

On a personal level, I learned how to better organise myself in relation to my work by prioritising tasks and taking my time to do them. I understood the power of communication on social networks and developed my digital marketing skills. I also learned to be dynamic and to work in a team.

My internship has been a real learning experience. The more you invest, the more you achieve.

What effect has the pandemic had on you and your placement, and how have you adapted your thought process / planning accordingly?

I had to go to the office twice a week and work three days a week at home. Two months after the start of my internship, the health measures became less restrictive, which allowed me to go to work four days a week.

The health crisis did not affect my way of working. It is true that working at home is less motivating, but when you have tasks to achieve with deadlines you have to work.

How do you think your placement will help prepare you for your graduate job/job search?

I think this internship gave me an insight into marketing and communication work and I feel more confident in this field. After my diploma, if I have the opportunity to work in marketing, I will take certainly take it! Before this internship, I was not very interested in marketing, so all experiences are good!

What advice would you give to NTU students applying for placements this year?

• The first thing is not to underestimate yourself and have confidence!
• Listen to all the advice of the employability team, they will guide you in your search and give you great help.
• Try to go to the office as much as possible, talk to your tutors and ask as many questions as possible.
• But above all, don't put pressure on yourself, it's just an experiment. Your employer is not asking you to be the next Elon Musk and revolutionise society. Just be yourself!