by Rebecca Price
This month we say goodbye to our very first Community Content Intern Rebecca Price, most of you will know her as ‘Beccy’ in the Community. When she first started working here at the blur Group, the Community was in the process of being revamped so everything was rather new to not only Beccy but the whole team. Katy Roberts acted as her mentor throughout the three months she spent here with us at blur’s HQ in Exeter.
Previous to working at blur, Beccy recently graduated from The University Of Worcester with an upper 2:1 bachelor of honours degree in Advertising. She shares with us her experience of working with the blur Group in hope of inspiring future interns and recent graduates.
My nervous system was working overtime
I can’t believe how quickly three months has gone!On the 10th March 2014 I started my three month internship here at the blur Group. I remember the night before I started, I couldn’t sleep at all, I was so nervous. Driving to work was interesting. An hour long journey seemed to fly by, all I could think about was what if no one likes me, talks to me, what if I can’t do anything Katy asks me to do, I have no experience, what If I come across as stupid... My nervous system was in overdrive.
When I heard about the blur Group moving to Devon I was really excited. I thought it was an opportunity I couldn’t let pass. A new, exciting, developing company, full of people who have previously worked in the Advertising, Marketing, Media and Technology industries on a global scale.
Talking to colleagues here at blur, they loved the idea of moving out of the busy hustle and bustle of city life to move down to the coast where you’re surrounded by beaches, moorland and nature. Luckily for me I am from Devon, a small town situated on Dartmoor National Park called Tavistock, on the border of Cornwall about an hours drive south of Exeter.
Building my Curriculum Vitae is really important to me. I have worked in retail and leisure jobs since I was 17, performed first aid, saved lives yet starting here at blur was the most scared I have been. I think because it was so different to what I was used to, surrounded by professionals who have been in their field for years, it was really the first stepping stone to what I hope will be a fantastic career.
The field behind the blur Group, Exeter HQ
blur epitomises the word ‘fun’
During my time at blur I have met some really interesting characters. I didn’t realise how much fun professional life can be, blur Group opitimises the word fun! I thought it would be all smart dressed, women and men in suits etc. Boy was I wrong. It was a very fast paced environment, breaming with funny, energetic characters.
I was advised to dress comfortably as this is when you will work your best. blur Group would rather you produce the best work possible, than to feel uncomfortable and not work your best. Obviously when we had photographers, experts or customer’s come in then we would be informed and would usually dress smart and wear our blur T-Shirts.
Every Friday is blur T-Shirt day and every other Tuesday we had a pizza lunch where our CEO Phillip Letts would talk to the whole team about changes, developments externally and internally so we were all informed of the businesses progress and plans. This would even involve our other offices from Dallas, California and London via webcam.
Everybody got involved, departments mixed at lunch time whether it’s sitting down and chatting, playing fooseball, going for walks outside or staff days out Paintballing - That was my blur social highlight! Minus the bruises…
Lets get down to business…
I really did enjoy the work side of my internship. When I first started I had so much help and support from Katy my mentor. Due to her bubbly character and outgoing persona, I think it really helped me to adjust and fit in. She was always so positive and never let anything get her down! Always there to help me too. Then with Olivia joining the Community team and the arrival of Michael, we all worked hard together. It was lovely to see the team grow!
At first I was given a lot of content to translate and write up into eye catching blog posts that the readers would love. Interviews that Katy had previously done with Experts. I will always remember having to come up with unusual titles, the laughs we had coming up with ideas. In the end it just felt like second nature.
Katy really encouraged me to bring out the best in myself. The moment I will always remember was when I had communicated with an Expert in the Community, one of our larger enterprises‘Centigrade’ had agreed for me to create a showcase around them and their achievements. I was set a target to go through the whole process from start to finish. Starting with the interview...
This meant contacting the company and asking them a set of questions... A phone call, me...As terrified as I was, Katy gave me the confidence to go through with the call. My heart felt as if it was no longer inside of my body. But I conducted a very firm, confident interview. Finishing up by turning all of the research and information from the interview into a finished showcase [Available to read on request].
As well as the writing, I thoroughly enjoyed communicating with blur’s 40,300 professional experts. Encouraging them to pitch. Talking to them, getting them to engage with us and looking through all the amazing work was another highlight. Especially when Katy and I spent hours going through all the work for the lightbox project for the release of blur 4.0.
Life is all about developing as a person
I felt as if I was very under confident before I started working at blur Group. I have always been determined to succeed and not let myself and the people around me down, sometimes putting too much pressure on myself. Finishing University and stepping out into the real world is really scary. I had no experience in my profession all I had was a degree - Even though I knew I wanted to study and work in Advertising. I felt I had developed great skills in the past, much needed skills but I had no relevant experience.
Anyone at University or about to finish university, I would really recommend you to get as much experience you can. Whether it’s paid, unpaid, anything is better than nothing. Working for blur Group has set me up for the next stage in my life. If anything is too easy, you won’t appreciate it as much as something you have had to work hard for. This goes for anyone really.It is so easy to finish University and end up in a rut, use everything as a means to an end. Work, earn money to get experience- blur took a chance on me and I hope that it is one that they feel has paid off! I have learn’t loads and met so many great people.
The next stage of my journey
I have created some great contacts working here at blur. Thanks to Katy, Cath and Laura for helping me figure out my next steps. I have a lust for travel and design so I am not going to take no for an answer and am going to work my hardest at cracking the Advertising industry!
If you don’t know how to do something, get out of your comfort zone and find out how to do it!
If you have a talent, don’t ignore it - Run with it!
Whatever you do, don’t give up or give in! It’s hard but you will get there, I intend to.blur Group are a great, modern, innovative company full of energy and expertise. A great place to work, I have thoroughly enjoyed my three months here so thank you for having me be a part of your amazing journey.
