Welcome to month one, and welcome to Royal Tunbridge Wells. I’m Ailsa, and over the next year I’ll be sharing my placement journey with you. Think of me as your unofficial guide to placement life, documenting the highs, the challenges and everything in between. Whether you’re considering a placement year yourself or simply curious about what life is like inside a marketing agency, I hope this series gives you an honest insight into the experience.
Just one month ago, I walked through the doors of Big Orange with equal parts excitement and nerves, unsure of what to expect from agency life. Fast forward four weeks and I’ve already discovered that placement is about much more than simply applying what you’ve learned at university.
First Impressions
Before starting my placement, I was eager to experience what working in a marketing agency was really like. The opportunity to work across different industries, clients and projects felt like the perfect way to learn and gain experience.
However, alongside the excitement came a lot of uncertainty. Having never worked in a professional environment before, I wasn’t entirely sure what would be expected of me. I wanted to make a good first impression and prove that I was capable.
If I’m being completely honest, one of the thoughts that kept running through my mind before starting was simply: “I hope I don’t mess this up.”
Looking back, I think many of those worries came from putting pressure on myself to get everything right from day one. As I settled into the role, I began to realise that I was more capable than I had given myself credit for. I also learned that nobody expects you to know everything when you’re just starting out, and that understanding helped me approach new challenges with much more confidence.
Expectation vs Reality
If my first month has taught me anything, it’s that there is a big difference between learning about marketing and actually working in marketing. University gave me foundations, but placement has allowed me to see how that knowledge is applied in practice.
One of the biggest differences has been seeing the direct impact of the work being produced. The content, ideas and strategies I contribute to aren’t just assignments that get submitted and graded, they’re real pieces of work that are seen by clients, published online and used to help achieve business objectives. Knowing that my work can generate genuine impact makes the experience feel far more meaningful and rewarding.
What has surprised me most is that marketing isn’t about constantly referring back to theories and models, but how you apply that knowledge in real-world situations. Being responsible for real projects and real outcomes has encouraged me to think more strategically about the work I produce.
A Month of Learning
One of the things I’ve enjoyed most during my first month at Big Orange has been the sheer variety of work I’ve been exposed to.
Working across four different clients has quickly shown me that there is no ‘one size fits all’ approach to marketing.
I’ve also had the opportunity to contribute to a range of activities, including blogs, social media, strategy and event research. One project that stands out from my first month is creating social media content for a premium manufacturing client. For the first time, I was creating content that had a purpose beyond a university assignment, which made the experience incredibly rewarding. Seeing the content progress from an initial idea to an approved piece of work not only gave me a real sense of pride but also reinforced that I was capable of producing work that met professional standards. As someone who started the placement wanting to make a good impression, that validation was incredibly motivating and encouraged me to approach future projects with greater confidence.
Growth Beyond Marketing
One of the biggest lessons from my first month hasn’t actually been about marketing. During my interview, Joe and Jess told me that I was going to make mistakes and, more surprisingly, that they wanted me to make mistakes. While I appreciated hearing that at the time, I didn’t fully believe it.
The more I think about it, the more I realise that reaction probably came from my background in dance. Dance naturally comes with high standards, discipline and a constant drive to improve, which over time made me quite a perfectionist. Starting my placement and accepting that mistakes were inevitable therefore felt slightly uncomfortable.
While every piece of work still goes through the appropriate approval process, I’ve been trusted to take ownership of tasks and work more independently than I initially expected. I’ve found myself learning how to solve problems, making decisions and backing my own judgement before seeking help. That doesn’t mean having all the answers, but it does mean I’m developing the confidence to trust myself and recognise that I am capable of more than I often give myself credit for.
Dance taught me the value of discipline and striving for high standards, but placement has taught me that growth often comes from moments of uncertainty. Some of the biggest learning opportunities have come from situations that initially felt uncomfortable. Rather than seeing mistakes as something to avoid, I’m beginning to see them as part of the learning process.
The biggest shift in my mindset this month has been recognising that doing my best doesn’t mean getting everything right the first time. Looking back on that interview conversation, I’m beginning to understand what Joe and Jess meant. Mistakes aren’t a sign of failure, they’re an opportunity to learn, improve and keep moving forward. More importantly, they’ve helped me develop something I didn’t expect to gain so early on in my placement (greater trust in myself).
“The biggest shift in my mindset this month has been recognising that doing my best doesn’t mean getting everything right the first time.“
Looking Ahead
Although my first month has taught me a huge amount, I know I’m only at the beginning of my placement journey. Looking ahead, I’m excited to continue building my confidence and developing the independence that I’ve started to gain over the past few weeks. I’m looking forward to challenging myself, taking on more responsibility and continuing to trust my own judgement when approaching new opportunities and experiences. If this first month has shown me anything, it’s that some of the biggest opportunities for growth come from stepping outside of your comfort zone, and I’m excited to see where the next few months take me.
Thanks for joining me for month one. There’s still so much more of this journey left to experience, and I can’t wait to come back here each month and tell you all about it.
Same time next month? I’ll see you then and I can’t wait to tell you what’s been happening here at Big Orange.