Nine months ago, I walked through the doors at Venn as a Marketing Executive with plenty of enthusiasm but very little hands-on marketing experience!
I'd graduated with a degree in Business Management and Economics, so I understood the theory. University gave me a solid foundation in business strategy, marketing principles and data analysis. It taught me how to think critically and understand the numbers behind decisions. What it didn't teach me was how to apply all of that in the real world, and that's where Venn came in.
Learning by Doing
One of the biggest things I've learnt over the last nine months is that there really is no substitute for experience.
From my very first week, I was trusted to get involved with real client work. Of course, I didn't know everything, but that never mattered. There was always someone willing to answer a question, explain something differently or give me the confidence to have a go.
Looking back now, it's hard to believe how much I've learnt in such a short space of time.
SEO, content strategy, technical SEO, client reporting, website optimisation, paid campaigns, AEO, analytics... the list goes on.
Every week has brought something new to learn, and that's one of the things I enjoy most about the role.
Confidence Comes From Experience
If you'd asked me nine months ago whether I'd feel comfortable presenting ideas to clients or leading strategic conversations, I'd probably have laughed.
One of the biggest changes hasn't just been what I've learnt professionally, but how much more confident I've become as a person.
I've learnt how to communicate with clients, manage projects, present ideas, ask better questions and trust my own judgement.
That confidence didn't appear overnight. It came from being given opportunities, making mistakes, learning from them and having a team around me who genuinely wanted me to succeed.
A moment that really stands out was leading a video shoot for ETL. I was responsible for interviewing more than 25 members of their team throughout the day, something I never imagined I'd be doing less than a year into my career. Looking back, it was one of those moments where I realised just how much my confidence had grown.
A Promotion I Never Expected So Soon
One of the proudest moments of my career so far was being promoted from Marketing Executive to Performance Strategist after just six months.
It wasn't something I expected when I first joined.
For me, it showed that hard work, curiosity and being willing to get stuck in really do get recognised.
Three months into my new role, I'm still learning every day, but now I have the opportunity to take on more responsibility, work more strategically and have an even bigger impact for our clients.
Finding What I Enjoy
One thing I've really appreciated is the chance to discover what parts of marketing I genuinely enjoy.
When you first start your career, it's difficult to know exactly where you'll fit. Marketing is such a broad industry.
Over the last nine months, I've been exposed to so many different areas that I've been able to figure out what excites me most, while continuing to build new skills in areas I'd never considered before.
One of the first ideas I put forward was bringing our social media back to life. That eventually evolved into our Social Hub, where we regularly get together to create content and give people a genuine insight into life at Venn.
In fact, a lot of the content you'll see across our Careers site has simply been filmed on my iPhone. It's a reminder that good ideas and a willingness to get involved often matter more than having the fanciest equipment.
Having the freedom to suggest ideas and then actually bring them to life has been one of the most rewarding parts of my journey so far.
Opportunities Beyond the Office
Working at Venn hasn't just been about sitting behind a desk.
I've had opportunities to travel to London to attend events, meet clients face-to-face and experience parts of the industry I never imagined I'd be involved in so early in my career.
Those experiences have helped me grow professionally, but they've also reminded me that building relationships is just as important as building technical knowledge.
The People Make the Difference
As cheesy as it sounds, the people are what have made these nine months so enjoyable.
I've made some amazing friends, shared plenty of laughs and created memories that I'll genuinely look back on.
Having supportive colleagues makes such a difference, especially when you're starting your career. Everyone wants you to succeed, and that creates an environment where you're not afraid to ask questions or challenge yourself.
And it's not always about work. One of my favourite memories has to be our team bowling night, where I spent most of the evening telling everyone how good I was... only to finish second from last. Safe to say I've not been allowed to forget that one.
My Biggest Takeaway
If there's one thing I've learnt, it's that your attitude can take you much further than you think.
Education is important, and I'm grateful for everything my degree taught me as it gave me the foundations I needed.
But ambition, curiosity, resilience and believing in yourself are what turn those foundations into a career.
You don't need to know everything on day one.
Ask questions. Get involved. Take opportunities when they come your way. Back yourself, even when you don't feel completely ready.
