Eight Weeks in the Life of an Intern

Eight Weeks in the Life of an Intern

As cliché as it sounds, eight weeks at Vested have flown by. From participating in training sessions and attending events, all the way to having “away days” by the British seaside, it has been exciting. Having had little exposure to financial PR and marketing, we were thrilled by the team’s willingness to show us all the ropes – and more. Welcoming us with open arms, the team were ready to answer all of our questions, encouraging us to be curious about clients, the industry and opportunities beyond our day-to-day tasks. 

The First Few Weeks

We sped through the first few weeks, meeting each Vestie to get an understanding of their role and the work they do for their clients. We were introduced to platforms such as Qwoted, Muck Rack, Forward Planner, and Signal – a few handy tools in the Vested toolkit to excel within the industry. We had the annual Summer Away Day to look forward to in our second week – a trip to Whitstable. This was a refreshing change from being in the office, and a time for team-bonding and making memories together!

Our Expectations 

Joining Vested, we didn’t know what to expect. With it being a new environment for both of us, we didn’t set any expectations. We began to understand the flow of the business more as time passed. We started to develop goals of what we wanted to learn more of to ensure we could make the most of what was on offer.

Day-to-Day

The flexible working environment meant we could work-from-home on some days, and come into the office on other days. Waking up early to head into the office was not easy at first, but it became second nature as we got into a routine. Having worked at larger companies, coming into a small agency was a refreshing change as it was more hands-on and fast-paced, with new tasks and deadlines to work on every day. 

The connection between the Global offices was appealing to us because it broadened our understanding of how the PR and Communications industry operated in different regions. The collaborative environment meant that our knowledge of the larger industry was able to grow quickly. 

Day-to-day tasks involved media monitoring – keeping up to date with the news and mentions of various clients, finding opportunities on Qwoted for the team to pitch to experts, and learning more about the marketing and branding side of the industry. We were fortunate to support the team in hosting events in the office. An event that stood out to us was ‘Finding Your Voice to Drive Positive Change’, hosted by Vested in partnership with Financial Narrative. The biggest takeaway from the event was that if you’re passionate and focused, you can drive positive initiatives while managing your time effectively to still be excellent at your day job. 

VestedED

Throughout the weeks, we had training sessions with colleagues who had a range of expertise. One of our favourite sessions was ‘New Business’, which was run by Danny. He gave us a thorough overview of the processes involved in pitching to new businesses, and how to build meaningful client relations, to name a few. 

Another insightful training session was an ‘Introduction to Mortgages’ with Millie. This session taught us the basics of the mortgage market, including the key participants in the market as well as an overview of the types of products available. The session helped us to understand how market volatility in particular can impact the mortgage industry, both from a borrower and lender perspective. 

Top Takeaways

One of the key aspects we learned was the significance of understanding the social and political climate, and how that feeds into the financial narrative. The weekly UK and global editorial meetings were an opportunity for an open discussion about current affairs from different parts of the world. In addition, we learned how a good working culture, especially for us as young professionals entering a corporate environment, shapes your experience. The inclusive and collaborative culture has not only helped us grow professionally, but also personally, with all the wonderful guidance we received from the team over the eight weeks. 

Parting Words 

As you’re starting out, it’s normal to sometimes feel like you don’t really know what you’re doing. However, our advice to future Vesties is to be curious. Ask questions, and make use of the team around you, and know that they are there to support you. Remember, no question is a silly question!

A huge thank you to Vested UK and The Taylor Bennett Foundation, for an unforgettable eight weeks! And a special shout-out to our wonderful line managers, Lizzie and Gian Marco, for their support and guidance during our internship.