Unbelievably, it has already been six months since I upped sticks to London and started on Sky's marketing graduate scheme. In many ways the time has flown by. It only seems like yesterday that I was sitting nervously in the Sky reception area, about to undertake a career-changing assessment process. I now go through that same reception area every day.
That said, in many other ways I feel like I have been working here for a long time. I think this is because of the huge amount I have learned about the company, and the extent to which I already feel a valuable part of Sky's workforce. It stands as a testament to how welcome I have been made to feel by everyone here, particularly those in my present team (Brand Media).
The feeling that time has gone quickly really hit home when I saw this year's marketing graduate applicants sat in the same seats I had sat in just a year ago. The new marketing graduate intake will be starting in August this year and my main piece of advice to them, and anyone else starting a graduate scheme soon, would be don't worry, be happy. Don't worry because while starting on a graduate scheme can be stressful, and you can often feel under pressure to impress immediately, it is important to remember that graduates are hired mainly for their potential so you are not going to be expected to run the company just yet. Be happy, because the first few weeks are when your colleagues will be forming lasting opinions of you, so it is important that you come across as positive and enthusiastic.
I'd also recommend that the new recruits use the first couple of months to learn as much possible and acclimatise to the new surroundings. Speaking to as many people as possible is a great way to learn (one thing I have learned is that people love talking about what they do) and you soon begin to understand how the company works and where you fit in.
The best part of my first placement has been the work I've done around augmented reality (AR) – a technology that allows users with a free app on their smartphones or tablet to scan a symbol on the poster and see the trailer for the programme. In particular, getting AR incorporated into the marketing campaign for Treasure Island on Sky 1 – the first Sky campaign to use this technology.
My job as a media planner is very varied and can differ day to day, however I would say my core responsibility is to understand, critique and improve media plans throughout their various stages (brief through to post-campaign analysis). On a day-to-day basis this involves constant communication between me, our media agencies and the campaign owners, to understand the status of the campaign. It also involves considering and feeding back the best and most efficient use of media to achieve a set of objectives.
I am just about to undertake my rotation and move into a new team. While my new placement will still be within the marketing department, it almost feels like I am starting a new job. As much as I will miss the team and role I'm currently in, I'm also excited about moving into a new role. I'm due to find out shortly which team I'll be joining but I know whatever the new role is, it will provide me with a completely different experience and a whole new set of skills. This is precisely the reason why I wanted to join a graduate scheme.
Alan Firmin is a marketing graduate and candidate on Sky's marketing graduate scheme
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