My Internship with the blur Group

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.

The field behind the blur Group, Exeter HQ

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. 

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. 

Mud Runner Oblivion 2014

This year myself and 3 friends took part in Mud Runner Oblivion 2014 which was a 10K mud run at Eastnor Castle in Herefordshire which involved a lot of music, food, tents, obstacles, water slides, rivers, logs and of course MUD!!!! Lots and lots of thick, gloppy mud which was our best friend. 

To give you an idea, a video belonging to another contestant from 2012 - Minus the amazing water slide at the end:

This competition was just amazing. It was a real team effort helping everyone get out of the mud, even people who were stuck along the way. People dressed up, wore brightly coloured cloting, wigs, tutu's....epic atmosphere!

Even when it rained, it was so refreshing.

With the immense live music and DJ who was playing fab music as we passed the finish line, all the people who we saw camping, having drinks, BBQ's, celebrating with their medals, all the kids, tents etc....

I am camping next year for sure!!!!!

As well as the Mud Runner Oblivion, there is the classic, the ice breaker and the junior for those kids who want to get involved but need something a lot less challenging. Fun for all ages!! 

Follow the red balloon

Coke Wants You to Float Away to Happy Land on Another Impossibly Sweet Ad  Follow the red balloon ByGabriel Beltrone

Coca-Cola have recently released their new advertising campaign which takes a rather different technical approach. 

In this advert, they have used the power of animation. Usually, we expect to see Coca-Cola through the ages or a big lorry with Santa Claus plastered all over the front of it, you just know it is Christmas when that happens!

In this advert, Coca-Cola have used their brand colour and ingeniously came up with the idea for the viewers to follow 'the red balloon'. This red balloon is flying higher and higher, going up the levels of a several story high block of apartments, following the heart wrenching stories which affect people emotionally some point in their life, moving home, moving in, moving out to university...Coca-Cola have recaptured these events in animation.

And it works! The power of brand image

Good work Coca-Cola, such a great idea- Let me know what you guys think in the comments! 

At blur, we have B2B children

Business services made simple. blur Group dashed this spoof video out, from idea to YouTube, in 9 working days by using the Global Services Exchange at http://www.blurgroup.com

Thanks to Amazon for the inspiration

Surprise, surprise

For the past couple of months, my mum, dad and I have kept quite a huge secret from my brother. Goodness knows how any of us pulled it off but the reaction we got was awesome! 

So what I decided to do, was to decorate my brothers room. He lives in this little box at the back of the house which never gets the sun, is cold, plain and just horrible. He deserved something better to come back to when he came home from Uni. And I did my room up, so really i thought it was only fair that i did the same for my little brother.

This time I had parental approval...except the colour choice wasn't great with my mum, especially as she said my brother wanted blue, but me being me I had an idea which I knew would be PERFECT and boy did it pay off!!!  

This time I am going to show you in pictures. But i basically had to strip the room, the old wardrobe, drawers etc. Take the curtains down, all the stickers and posters (they were EVERYWHERE!!), fill holes, scrub the wall, paint the wall, paint the borders, put a curtain rail up which i had to drill to size.

My brother is OBSESSED by Film. He is amazing at it himself, so passionate. He is going to go far with it. So i thought i would do a film based room. He also loves cities so i combined a film/city theme. With burnt orange and black.

We changed the wardrobe, drawers, curtains, bed covers, pillows, photos etc. All little interior bits which I thought were PERFECT for what i wanted. I was very picky but it paid off.

So here is the finished product. Please leave comments about what you think etc. And take a look at his video reaction. I apologise for my squeaky voice but my nickname is Squeak for a reason haha. 

Before... 

Paint time...

The finished room...

The place i call my home

These are a few photos of where I live. I live right on Dartmoor on the Dartmoor national park. We had this beautiful day so I decided to take some photos which came out so perfect. Dartmoor just isn't the same without the sunshine, so thought i would make the most of it!

My new Internship at the blur Group

On Monday 10^th March 2014 I started a 3 month internship at blur Group HQ in Exeter. I was extremely excited to be given such a tremendous opportunity as the company is growing by the minute and I actually get to be a part of this. I am located in their newest HQ office in Exeter, Devon which is about an hour away from my hometown. This is the chance to show what I am made of and help to spread the word of mouth as they are a fantastic company who have grabbed this business opportunity with both hands! 

The blur Group... 

blur Group is a Global Services Exchange company. An international company with offices in Dallas, London, California and Exeter which is where I will be based for the 3 months. It is a growing company which is disrupting the way people do business; the way companies sell services a global technology company that is reinventing commerce.

The idea of a global services exchange was developed in 2005 where by the blur Group was created in 2007. The company was set up by CEO and founder Phillip Letts.   

The Global Services Exchange makes buying and selling of services easier, quicker and more cost-effective. It currently trades across 141 countries, allowing businesses to work with the best service providers across the globe. 

blur Group’s online s-commerce platform uses a simple four-step process – brief, selection, management and payment - to deliver projects. This streamlined, online approach is what sets blur Group apart. They have around 37,400 experts who provide different services within Art, Design, Technology, Accounting, Legal, Media, Innovation or Marketing.  

These create the 8 communities of which is my job to make sure experts are talking and collaborating. Making sure that the experts are regularly using the communities. I help Katy my mentor write up customer success stories and promote the company using our social networking sites.

 The new blur 4.0 preview... 

blur Group are currently trying to get as much feedback as they can before the launch of their new public pages. 

The feedback they do receive will be used to give the experts the most enjoyable, comfortable, positive experience which will in return create more business opportunities and ultimately more projects will be submitted. 

Anyone can provide feedback; positive, negative, big or small...anything is better than nothing. Not just experts but any person can provide this feedback so please spread the word. All you have to do is click the grey feedback tab on the right of the screen. The website is compatible on all devices and mobile platforms. 

Follow this link below to get to the preview....

www.preview.blurgroup.com

I'm a graduate for a reason: Strong willed, motivated and refuse to take in government garbage!

Well, a lot of things have been happening in my life in such a short period of time. Due to my sheer determination and desire to succeed in life, I wasn't going to let the negative periods I was going through get me down, if anything it made me stronger and ever so more determined!

When I started University, I was so excited about the prospects and paths my degree could take me down. I loved art and I was always very studious and loved doing assignments and writing. So combining everything I decided to study Advertising. 

Little did I know that once I finished University, I would be hit by the economic downfall. The idea of unemployment scared me as I felt that I couldn't get my life started until I was at least close to getting on the career ladder which I felt as if I was a million miles away! I have had two part time/full time jobs which really helped prepare me for the world of work, but couldn't offer me the ability to create the life I wanted for myself.  I had no problem working in an everyday job, but it wasn't what I wanted to do so why should I let the Job Centre, the area I lived and my financial situation stop me...like hell was I!!!!!!! 

Newly graduated, unemployed and poor...

As well as being a new graduate, unemployed and poor, I lived in an area which had no career prospects in Advertising or Communications unless I travelled to Exeter (which is a buzzing up and coming city full of opportunity) or moved away from home which I would need enough money for rent and a deposit which I didn't have. I was prepared to go anywhere if there was a job or a company willing to take me on. 

Job Seekers...Feel like i have finally hit rock bottom...

As much as I didn't want to as I have always been used to earning my own money I had to sign up to Jobseekers. This already made me feel low, as if I had let myself down. However, little did I know things were going to get me down even more. 

Every two weeks I had to get a 45 minute bus into Plymouth to meet with my Job Centre adviser. They started with some background knowledge. Lets just say if you went to University, forget even mentioning it! They don’t care. It doesn't matter to them! They make you feel as if you’re worth nothing, as if university was a waste of time. When it came to talking about my CV, the exact words they said, the type of advise these robots are told to provide by our lovely, empathetic government was “Don’t tell the employer you went to University, I might advise you to take it off your CV as it will scare prospective employers”.... 

I WAS SHELL SHOCKED...CRAZY, UNBELIEVABLE!!!! No wonder they are always in the news and not in a good way! And no wonder the country is in such a mess with people who actually want and need help being treated like they have just come from prison, I think if you've been done for murder you would get more respect, help and better advice than a graduate!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! 

Two more examples of how graduates were treated by the Job Centre... Dumb down CV, what an absolute piss take!
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2513276/Jobseeker-told-delete-degree-CV-Jobcentre-scare-potential-employers.html 

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2439989/Job-centre-staff-told-unemployed-graduate-told-dumb-CV-remove-degree-work.html 

I described the type of qualifications I had (BA Hons in Advertising) yet the type of jobs they wanted me to sign up to were care nurse jobs...and their reasoning was that I can get extra qualifications!!!!!! They don’t take into consideration anything you tell them about what you can do, who you are, what you want to get out of it! 

“Love... did you hear me say that I just GRADUATED WITH A DEGREE from University” 

Unless I carried on with my studies, I think a degree tops any extra qualifications to become a care nurse, apart from the fact that I didn't want to care, I knew I wouldn't provide the best care and that it wasn't what I wanted to do! No wonder the elderly and disabled are being treated the way they are (Speaking from experience of having a dementia suffering grandma who has just been put into a home, an animal gets better treatment!). So I decided to become my own boss, take things into my own hands as I felt that was the only way I would get what I wanted, took everything on board, I played them at their own game. I did search for jobs in all honesty, part time jobs but nothing came up. I got NO help from the Job Centre. No one really understood the area I was qualified in. They hadn't a clue! So that meant I had to search everywhere all on my own. All they gave me were care nurse; reception jobs etc....no thanks. 

I've done my time working in an everyday job, i want a career...

I've just spent 8 years working, not one but two everyday jobs, I've done my time, I've now graduated and I want to use my skills and my degree! Make use of the £40,000 debt I got myself into over the 3 years of studying.
I didn't have the money to move away and pay rent which is why I gave up my full time job as a lifeguard to move back home and look for a career. 

All of this just made me ever so more determined! 

I spent copious amounts of hours searching job sites and company vacancies. I looked for paid, unpaid jobs near me. I applied for hundreds of jobs in Marketing, Advertising. I was getting loads of rejection letters but the worst part was the silence! You spend hours sometimes filling in applications and tailoring covers letters, yet the amount of no replies I got was disheartening. Even a rejection is better than nothing. I applied to several Graduate schemes and placements at Advertising agencies and brands. Nothing! Got nowhere. I decided to review where I was going wrong. I felt that I had great qualifications, much needed skills such as IT (Photoshop, Illustrator, Flash especially) plus all the skills learnt from work. The way I decided to change my CV whilst I was working as a lifeguard, my housemate who was a graphic designer taught me how to use Adobe Illustrator so I used it to design my CV. I decided to make it stand out, show people I was different....but still no results! 

No relevant experience equals no chance!

I narrowed it down to the plain and pure fact that I had no relevant experience. With this in mind, I felt like I should try getting this experience. I applied to several paid internships. There was nothing.  I was even considering going abroad and getting work somehow. There was this really great website called inspiringinterns. I really wanted to apply but I decided to keep looking for now and have that as a great back up. I was coming across amazing opportunities in and around London. However, they were expenses only internships. I didn't have the money to pay rent and move away to any part of the country, let alone London. It really bothered me as I just kept wishing there was more down in the South West, or that I knew someone who I could stay with for a few months near London. 

So I kept looking and I came across this AMAZING website called internwise.com. You type in a location, an area of expertise and specify paid, unpaid etc. So I typed in Plymouth =nothing. I typed in Exeter and to my shock and surprise there was a Digital Marketing and Social Media internship with a company called the blur Group. To be honest, I hadn't a clue who they were but reading through the job post, it was so suited to me, it felt like it was made for me. So I did my research on the company and thought it was perfect. 

So i applied to the blur Group...

So I applied. It was an expenses only Internship. It meant I had to travel 90 miles a day but it was worth it. I even completely changed my cover letter so it focused more on the website I designed, my skills, my degree, my blog etc rather than my past jobs. 

About a week later, I received a reply saying that I would receive a call for a telephone interview about the Internship and a time that would suit me. So I replied with a time for a telephone interview. 

During the telephone interview, it was very relaxed. They asked me questions about why blur? And what do I feel I can contribute? About me? Where I see myself in 5 years time? I then got asked to do a task. I had to complete a 600 word blog about whether blogs will be the only worthwhile social media source in the future. About a week later, I got an email....

I GOT THE INTERNSHIP!!!!! 

I was ecstatically happy. Absolutely terrified but I was so happy! Even though I wasn't getting paid, it was a step onto the career ladder which would mean the only way is up. I was jumping for joy! Not only that but I got told that there is a paid job at the end. So I knew I had to work my best and do the best I can so fingers crossed I impress and get offered the job. 

So it just goes to show that all the down times and low points in my life, were only temporary. Having determination, thinking outside of the box and just not giving up is the way to go.
Oh an surprise, surprise on how much the government actually care about graduates and helping get graduates matched to suitable jobs, not just any job...I was told I had to come off job seekers straight away even though I was getting an income of £0, had no savings due to past circumstances and I had bills to pay yet you hear stories of people who get £60,000 P.A worth of benefits, and still aren't satisfied and don’t want to work! Mum of 11 on £60,000 benefits per year

I actually want to work and I don’t get any financial help. Thank god for my caring family who realise that this is the only way I am going to get a career, have taken over my bills for me. I could not thank them enough. I am going to make it and I am going to really make something for myself to pay back everything my family have done to me and the support they have provided me.

Just keep going!!! Do not give up else they win and you don't!