Tag Archives: pr

Amy, Management and Consultancy

Advertising Marketing and PR, Geography, Management and Consultancy, , , , ,

Amy, Geography student, was interested in a career in Entrepreneurship after being inspired by the work of entrepreneurs, such as Casey Neistat, CEO of Beme. Through the Career Mentoring Scheme, Amy was matched with the Founder of City Mixology. This mentor has worked as a Corporate Lawyer for Slaughter and May before progressing into PR and Marketing and then working with start-ups. He has worked in London, New York and Tokyo, among other key business cities.

“The Career Mentor Scheme is the best extracurricular activity I have taken part in this year.”

Amy achieved her personal objectives of setting up a Linkedin profile, completing applications for Law vacation schemes and setting weekly goals as a means of time management. She also improved her personal development skills, widened her networking opportunities and increased her knowledge of sector entry requirements.

Amy shared her experience:

What were your highlights of the scheme?

Meeting my career mentor in person was a highlight of the scheme; it gave an opportunity to continue conversations face-to-face which had only been conducted over email previously.

Being able to increase my confidence in formal communication on a professional level from emails and phone calls, to meeting in person has definitely been a highlight over the whole scheme for me.

Despite not being successful in obtaining a law vacation scheme, being able to submit multiple applications and cover letters to magic circle law firms and making it through the initial stages of application in some cases has been a huge achievement considering my complete lack of experience in the sector beforehand.

What did you find most useful from the mentoring experience?

Being able to receive first hand insight into my chosen sectors (law and entrepreneurship) was immeasurably useful. It is so different to simply reading about that particular career, I am now able to fully appreciate both the pros and cons associated with the sector. It has helped me narrow down my career path moving forward.

Perhaps most useful, has been the transferable skills I have gained from the scheme. I now have fully functioning LinkedIn and RiseTo profiles as well as hugely improved CV. I am now able to conduct formal and professional emails, phone calls and face-to-face meetings – these skills have vastly increased my confidence and will be extremely useful in future professional settings.

What message would you give to a student thinking of applying for the Career Mentor Scheme?

The Career Mentor Scheme is the best extracurricular activity I have taken part in this year. It helps to start you on your career path well before graduation is even on the horizon and has provided me with numerous transferable and valuable skills which I can apply into everything from everyday situations to more formal interactions and interviews. It is an extremely rewarding way to spend your time and gives the opportunity to network and boost employability skills.

Christina, Advertising, Marketing and PR

Advertising Marketing and PR, English, ,

Christina, an English student, wanted to go into Advertising, Marketing and PR. By participating in the Career Mentor Scheme she was matched with a PR and Communications Manager at the Cass Business School, City University London. This mentor was leading a team looking after the PR and communications activities for Cass Business School in the UK and internationally.

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The partnership improved Christina’s confidence and enabled her to take an internship. It also helped her prepare for the next steps after graduation.

How do you feel the mentoring process has enhanced your employability?

Through this mentoring process, I was able to undertake an internship in PR over the summer holidays, through my mentor’s contact. It was a fantastic experience that has definitely enhanced my employability. My mentor helped me work on my CV and go through Cover Letters I sent off to various employers. I really enjoyed this scheme, and I feel that my confidence has improved.

What did you find most useful from the mentoring experience?

I cannot say what the most useful element of the experience was because everything was so helpful. I gained work experience, networked making new contacts, and understood the PR industry much better.

Why should students apply to have a mentor?

Everyone should apply. It is a fantastic way to learn about your respective industry , make the contacts and gain the confidence needed for the future.

 

Paige, Charity and Development Work

Business and Management, Charity and Development Work, Computer Science, , , , , ,

During her second year Paige, Computing and Management student, was matched with the Communications and Project Manager at Oxford Brookes University.

This mentor is experienced in Advertising, Marketing and PR, Charity and Development Work, and HR. Her previous employment includes HR Emergency Coordinator at Oxfam and Internal Communications Adviser at Oxfam. Since 2010 she has been working at Oxford Brookes University.

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Paige revealed more details about the ways in which the scheme helped her.

What were the highlights of the scheme for you?

I thoroughly enjoyed the work shadowing opportunity. It gave me great insight into the working day and job sector and I felt that I learned more on that day than if someone simply told me about it.

What did you find most useful from the mentoring experience?

The work shadowing and insight into my chosen profession were most useful. It was helpful to find out the pros and cons of the chosen profession and the work shadowing opened up some more job options that I hadn’t previously considered.

What message would you give to a student thinking of applying for the Career Mentor Scheme?

Throw yourself into it. By doing so you will gain the most from it.

Her mentor said:

“[The highlight for me was] helping to shape my mentee’s thinking around her career direction” 

Laurel, Media, Publishing and Journalism

Drama, English, Media Publishing and Journalism, , , ,

During her second year English and Drama student Laurel successfully applied to be mentored by a freelance journalist and PR consultant. Her mentor guided Laurel into the Media, Publishing and Journalism sector for a period of half a year.

This mentor has a wide variety of professional experiences. She started as a reporter for the Falmouth packet weekly newspaper and then for the Harrow Observer. She then moved on as a Chief Sub-Editor at Travel Trade Gazette to then become a freelance feature writer for women’s magazines, writing for Prima, Business Travel World, Easyjet Inflight, Mother & Baby amongst others.

Laurel found being mentored extremely useful and shared more about the experience with the Career Mentor Scheme team.

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What were the highlights of the scheme for you?

It was so interesting to hear about my mentor’s experiences and to receive advice about the field of journalism. I learned lots of new things and feel like I also improved my own skills. Meeting my mentor in person was the highlight as it enabled me to put a face to the name and get to know her better. She set me different tasks, gave me lots of feedback and answered all my questions about the industry of journalism; it was a really enjoyable day.

What did you find most useful from the mentoring experience?

I received guidance from my mentor on my CV and applications, which helped me secure a work experience placement with a magazine in London this summer.

What message would you give to a student thinking of applying for the Career Mentor Scheme?

Taking part in the Career Mentor Scheme has greatly improved my confidence. It was extremely useful to learn from an industry professional; I am hugely excited by the things I have learned and look forward to putting them into practice in my future endeavours. There’s really nothing to lose!

The highlight for her mentor was:

“Felt I helped, and she secured two work placements at the end of it!”

Rosie, Advertising, Marketing and PR

Advertising Marketing and PR, Geography, , ,

Rosie participated in the Career Mentor Scheme in her final year of studying Geography. She was interested in getting into the Advertising, Marketing and PR industry and was thus matched with a Strategy Director at BBH London.

This mentor graduated from Exeter with an English Literature degree in 2005 and has gained a variety of experiences at a number of organisations, including working as a Planner at Lowe for 3 years, as Head of Planning at Edelman for 20 months and then as a Planner at Anomaly. In 2013 he started as a Senior Planner at M&C Saatchi, where he spent over a year and then moved on as a freelance planner at Nonsense London.

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Rosie informed us of the way the Career Mentor Scheme helped her.

She achieved various job hunting objectives, amongst which finding work experience, and personal development objectives, such as getting help in improving her CV. She also increased her knowledge of the entry requirements for the Advertising, Marketing and PR sector and learned more about what the good and bad aspects of the profession are.

Were there any other objectives you achieved?

Better understanding of different levels/sizes of marketing/advertising agencies.

What were the highlights of the scheme for you?

Meeting with my mentor in person, whilst emailing was an effective form of communication, meeting was a more personal experience.

What message would you give to a student thinking of applying for the Career Mentor Scheme?

It is definitely a rewarding and worthwhile experience. It is very straightforward to apply for, and there are many potential benefits to gaining a first-hand insight into your industry of choice.