Life Of A Digital Marketing Apprentice
I am a digital marketing apprentice at one of the largest media agencies in the UK, and I will be taking you through how I got here and what to expect working in digital marketing.
Application Process
As someone straight out of college after finishing my A-Levels, I was very unsure about my future. I knew university wasn’t something I wanted to do, so scrolling through the internet I found Apprenticeship Nation’s website. I spent a long time reading through each course, every job role open and what they entail. Once I had sorted out my options, I decided that Digital Marketing was a sector I could see myself working in.
I applied through the Apprenticeship Nation’s website, who were very helpful in recommending jobs that suited my roles and ambitions. I was lucky enough to land an interview with one of these, a media agency. I was very nervous but I made sure to research my role thoroughly and be myself in the interview. I was ecstatic to find out I got the role a couple days later!
Working in a media agency
As someone who had never had a job before, it was a very huge contrast to being in school. You have a lot more independency, and a lot to handle even from early on. Despite this, the support around me was amazing; my manager and my team ensured I never felt I couldn’t ask for help, and had regular check-ins with me. As an apprentice, you are not expected to know anything when you start, so do not feel bad if you are stuck on something, which is something I had to learn coming into this role.
Working as an apprentice in digital marketing meant I was exposed to many different areas of this sector – PPC, Social Media Marketing, E-commerce – it was amazing to get a taste of every type of marketing, and it really helped me understand what I would like to get into as my career progresses.
I also found the course that I was studying towards really helped in my day to day role, something I was not expecting. It was nice to see familiar things that came up in my role in my exams, and vice versa.
Advice
If you are someone looking to enter an apprenticeship, here are some tips:
- Do not be afraid to ask questions. As someone who is relatively reserved, this was a hard one to break out of. However, the best way to learn is by asking lots of questions, and you will see your progression soar once you do. The people around you expect you to ask questions about something you are unsure about, so do not think you are wrong for asking them.
- Prepare for the interviews. Take the time to read all the material that is available to you about the role and what you will be doing. You will much better when you know you are well prepared, and can handle any question the interviewer asks you. It is a good idea to look some interview tips online if you are unsure on how to conduct yourself in an interview too.
- Build your network. You will meet many people during your time, it is a great idea to make valuable connections. Your network of contacts may be invaluable to you someday. There have been many times I found myself reaching out to these contacts to provide support I could not get elsewhere.
