July 26, 2022, by Rebekah
My placement at B-Global
by Wesley Perkin Donson 3rd year Politics and International Relations student
Whilst studying for my Politics and International Relations degree, I was interested in gaining some vital experience in a variety of fields, namely marketing and consultancy. I was then made aware of the NAA placement which would allow me to undertake a placement from a range of industries, from which the opportunity at B-Global stood out to me most as I would have an opportunity to work in marketing for an organisation with a purpose which really resonated with me.
B-Global is a membership organisation that has been launched specifically to support entrepreneurs and business owners in the Black, Asian and other minority communities. Aiming to help people from minority ethnic backgrounds in Nottingham and the surrounding areas who want to set up or grow their own businesses. They work with local councils, industry partners, and the East Midlands Chamber of Commerce to put helpful resources within easy reach of our members so that they can make their enterprises a success.
Over the 10-week placement, I worked one day a week, aiding my team of 3 in the marketing department, taking control over their social media accounts on LinkedIn, Instagram, and Twitter. As well as that I was tasked with the construction of a cultural calendar and aiding the production of promotional materials.
The application process was quite straightforward, consisting of two rounds, an initial application process which required me to fill out a form and answer some questions as to why I would be ideal for the role and why it interests me. This was followed by a formal interview by the various members of B-Global which lasted around 20 minutes, this was probably the hardest part of the process however I was told later that day that I was successful and would be starting my placement with B-Global. The careers team prior to the interview offered me great support throughout the process by having a dedicated page on Moodle filled with advice and documents to help prepare for an interview.
The role itself was an insightful experience of what it is like to work in a marketing department of a company, being part of a larger team all working towards the same goal. There were also some difficulties we as a team managed to get round, showing the amount of flexibility required to work in a marketing department as things can change every week, however we had to remain on top of it. This placement has really helped me to hone my professional communication skills as I was working in a team of 3 and had to communicate effectively to ensure we all understood each other and the tasks at hand. I believe I managed to showcase my professional communication as tasks were understood and completed to the set standard for example with my role to construct a cultural calendar, this was done through effective communication as I had gone back and forth with my team to establish the parameters of the job required.
As well as communicating professionally in my team, I had to communicate with superiors as well as external organisations such as UoN societies, which I managed to do as I contacted societies through social media to approach them about partnering with B-Global and offering the multiple services B-Global offer. This was done successfully as 4 different societies took me up on my offer and have decided to network with B-Global. If I did not communicate professionally this goal may have never been achieved. This is arguably my biggest achievement from the placement as I was able to co-ordinate with various societies at the university and build a link between them and B-Global for future use as students could also benefit from the various schemes B-Global offer to residents of Nottingham.
Overall, this was a very enjoyable experience and one which honed my skills in a professional setting, thus I do recommend it to anyone wanting to get a taste of what it is like to work in marketing and local governance. You are essentially working in a stress-free environment where you may make mistakes, however you are supported throughout thus able to grow on the job. Good Luck!
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