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Marketing and Advancement Internships: Advice from our past and current Interns

3 June 2021

10 mins

We are looking for passionate and talented Loughborough University graduates, final year students as well as those looking to undertake a placement year to join our award-winning Marketing and Advancement team.

Successful candidates will gain valuable experience working in a fast-paced, motivated team who go above and beyond to deliver stand-out marketing for a top UK University.

Does this sound like you? Well, before you start putting together your application, we asked a few of our current interns to give you their top tips for applying for a role, a brief overview of what they’ve enjoyed most about their year, and a few lessons that they’ve learnt along the way!

Leanne McCarthy

School Marketing Intern (Social Sciences and Humanities)

English BA Graduate

“My role as Social Sciences and Humanities Marketing Intern has included helping plan, co-ordinate and deliver marketing content and activities, developing copy for on and offline channels, preparing and coordinating photo shoots, and maintaining the school website to ensure relevant information is created, added and kept up to date. I’ve really enjoyed the variety of activities this role has offered, as well as communicating with a wide range of staff and students – it’s been nice to see Loughborough from a different perspective and keep in contact with some of my lecturers!”

Top tips for applying?

Make sure to include any valuable voluntary roles or experiences you have had during your time at Loughborough – these show enthusiasm towards learning and developing personal skills and are no less important than paid work!

If possible, collate examples of previous content you have created and submit this with your application to demonstrate your abilities (e.g., blog/ news articles, social media posts, photography/ design).

Most memorable moment

Preparing and coordinating photoshoots! It was lovely to be able to assist in the creative direction of content which will be used both online and in print.

What have you gained from your internship?

Although this year has been slightly different due to working at home for a significant portion of time, this has also come with the benefit of making me much more adaptable! Liaising with a wide variety of people, from students and graduates to University business partners, support staff and academics, has also greatly benefitted my communication skills and confidence.

How will your internship benefit you in the future?

Having a year of experience in a marketing role will undoubtedly be a huge benefit to making myself more employable in the pursuit of future career endeavours. I also have a much stronger sense of my personal interests and strengths, which will help not only in knowing the kind of roles I would enjoy, but the kind of roles that would best suit my skills.

A lesson you will take away from this year

Be open to new opportunities, have confidence in sharing your ideas and opinions, and don’t be scared to ask for help or advice – especially when you have the benefit of very supportive colleagues around you!

Ella Cusack

Student Recruitment Marketing Intern

MSc Marketing Graduate

“I am the Student Recruitment Marketing intern and have thoroughly enjoyed my internship within the Central Student Recruitment Marketing team. One of the things I enjoy most about my role is the how much variety there is – no two days are the same as I get to work across undergraduate, postgraduate and London recruitment marketing on numerous different projects. I have also had the opportunity to lead on projects and learn through doing which has been an exciting and new process for me.”

Top tips for applying?

My advice for applying would be to really tailor your application to the job description. Make sure you explicitly state how your experience, skills and qualifications that would help make you a suitable candidate for the role and how you best fit the job description. Also, let your passion for marketing and Loughborough University shine through! The more passionate you are about the role, the better job you will most likely do.

Most memorable moment

It is definitely hard to pick just one memorable moment and there have been many! One of my most memorable moments is being given the opportunity to take the lead on a recruitment event with the International Office. I learnt a lot through this experience and was able to work with and learn from a lot of different people. Another highlight is developing a number of ‘Spotlight series’ on social media for London, showcasing all of the support services on offer to the London campus!

What have you gained from your internship?

I have gained a lot of important skills from my internship but one of the main things is confidence in my marketing ability. I have had the opportunity to put forward my own ideas and take ownership of certain projects which has not only increase my confidence but given me a chance to delve deeper into my own creative mindset. 

How will your internship benefit you in the future?

I have thoroughly enjoyed my internship and would say it has definitely laid the foundations for me to go on a pursue a career within marketing. I have had the opportunity to gain knowledge and experience in a number of different areas including social media, website management/CMS, CRM, blogs and news articles and so much more! All the skills and experience I have gained through this role will definitely be applicable to my future career!

A lesson you will take away from this year

One lesson I will definitely take away is to ask for help if I am unsure of something. Everyone at Loughborough is so lovely, really helpful and very approachable and they are all willing to give you opportunities to gain experience in a number of different areas. I will also take away the message that no idea is a bad idea and I now know how to have confidence in pitching my own ideas to people!

Hannah Preston

Student Recruitment Intern

Sports Management Graduate

“The student recruitment intern supports a range of outreach and recruitment initiatives to help raise awareness of Higher Education and Loughborough University. I have been able to represent Loughborough at virtual UCAS and Higher Education fairs and had the opportunity to talk to prospective students about applying and studying at university.

I really enjoy the role as you get to work on various projects across the team, which means that every week is different. You develop a wide array of skills that will not only benefit you in the role itself, but in your future career.”

Top tips for applying?

My top tip for applying is to make sure that you can demonstrate how you meet the criteria on the job description and then evidence this in your application. You could use examples from when you were on a committee at Loughborough or from any paid employment you may have. Also, make sure you show your passion for Loughborough throughout the application process.

Most memorable moment

I currently work on an outreach initiative which requires me to be a mentor to a handful of students. One of the students was having difficulties deciding between two different degree choices. Over a number of days, we had multiple important conversations about what job they may want to do in the future, what their favourite A-Level was, and what they could see themselves studying for 3+ years. After discussing the matter from a few different perspectives, the student made their decision and seemed very happy with the course they had chosen. This experience gave me a real sense of the importance of student recruitment and outreach.

What have you gained from your internship?

I have been able to really enhance and develop my skill set while being in the role. For instance, one thing I wanted to work on during my internship was my written communication. Throughout the year I have worked on numerous projects where I have been given the opportunity to really challenge myself which has enabled me to improve this skill tremendously. Having opportunities to develop different skills in a setting where if you get stuck there is always someone there to help and support you has been very beneficial to me.

How will your internship benefit you in the future?

When I graduated, I wasn’t sure on which career path I wanted to pursue. This internship has been beneficial in relation to helping me realise what I enjoy doing and what areas of work I am truly interested in. My team have been incredibly helpful in ensuring that I get the most out of each project and that I develop or learn new skills that will benefit me in the future.

A lesson you will take away from this year

At first, I was a bit nervous to share my ideas; however, I soon learnt that putting yourself out there and bringing your thoughts forward can spark collaboration from other people and develop your original ideas to become even stronger.

Alex Stephens

Web and Digital Intern

Sports Science Graduate

“I was the Web and Digital Intern at the University from September until February. My role was really diverse, from helping with the day to day running of social media channels to helping create videos and web pages. It gave me a lot of experience in so many different fields of digital marketing.”

Top tips for applying?

Shout about the great work that you have done already and what skills and ideas you can bring to the role. But remember it is an internship so you do not need to know everything straight away.

Most memorable moment

My most memorable moment was being on a shoot with the video team recording a welcome video with Hall Wardens. It was one of the only times I got to go on campus. It was so nice to meet part of the team in person and do hands on work.

What have you gained from your internship?

I have gained invaluable professional experience. From working with CMS systems to creating graphics and writing blog posts the role is so varied you pick up loads of skills.

How will your internship benefit you in the future?

The internship has already benefited me! The experience I gained from the role allowed me to apply for a full time role working in social media. It gave me a great look into how to work with other teams and clients whilst delivering tight deadlines.

A lesson you will take away from this year

A lesson I will take away from my time as an intern is to always be listening. All of the marketing team at Loughborough have amazing knowledge and experience. Be a sponge and take in all that they share!


If you would like more information about the Internships within Marketing and Advancement, click here. To apply, click here.

The application deadline is the 18th June.

Good luck!

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