November 1, 2021, by Postgraduate Placements Nottingham

The right placement is just around the corner

Simran Harichand reflects on her Researcher Academy placement.


As a proactive, energetic and positively opportunistic person, I felt cheated out of opportunities when I arrived in the UK in the middle of a national lockdown. And then I met an alumnus who introduced me to Researcher Academy Placements. She highlighted how experience with a UK-based company would add value to my CV and my skills, considering I am an international student. With the motivation to make the most of my time, I applied to multiple placements only to face rejections. Are rejections part of life? Yes. Do they still hurt? Yes. If I put in words the over-dramatic thought process I had then, I applied for a placement with Talk Networking feeling like I had nothing to lose.

When I interviewed for the role of a Marketing Researcher and Strategist at Talk Networking, I instantly felt a connection with the Managing Director. I felt like finally someone saw potential in me and in the skillset I brought to the table. To my delight, I was chosen as the candidate to take on that placement. Taking into account my area of interest and skills, my placement was tweaked to revolve around Social Media and Content Marketing.

“In today’s competitive world, it is not enough to have just a degree. You need that extra something, that special experience that will help you stand out of the crowd.”

At Talk Networking, I was given a clear direction and immense support, accompanied with 100% autonomy over the creatives for the social media strategy. Initially I felt like an imposter, like I had been given the authority I didn’t know what to do with. But this was exactly what I needed: a boost of confidence for me to prove to myself that I am good enough. By the end of the placement, Talk Networking’s LinkedIn and Instagram organic followers increased 32.6% and 374% respectively.

This placement helped me develop numerous skills that I continue to use. I learnt about social media platforms, how important content is, how to tweak content to attract the right kind of audience, and how to prioritise everyday goals. As a networking company, Talk Networking gave me a platform to build my own network. I honed my interpersonal skills by attending some of the networking events and learnt in detail about the business networking business. Lastly, it gave me a self-esteem boost and helped me believe in myself and my work.

In today’s competitive world, it is not enough to have just a degree. You need that extra something, that special experience that will help you stand out of the crowd. This placement is my extra something. And it can be yours too if you make the most of Researcher Academy Placements.


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Posted in Placements