BOURNEMOUTH MEDIA SCHOOL › 2007 › 10 › ... · Account Manager Account Executive Account D irector Orinoco Account Director Senior Account Manager Producer Account Manager Junior

Jessica Mistry

Work Placement – Graphico New Media

29th May – 28

th September 2007

BOURNEMOUTH MEDIA SCHOOL

BA (HONS) INTERACTIVE MEDIA PRODUCTION

PLACEMENT LOG BOOK

2006/07

STUDENT NAME: Jessica Mistry

COMPANY NAME: Graphico New Media Ltd.,

Newbury, Berkshire

www.graphico.co.uk

Jessica Mistry


29th May – 28

th September 2007

CONTENTS

1. Company Profile

2. Description of your Work

3. Self Appraisal Form

4. Self Analysis Tasks

5. Company Appraisal Form

6. Student Feedback Form – Personal and Professional Development

7. Student Feedback Form – Placement Evaluation

“Jess has all the skills and knowledge I would expect of a new media graduate already. She

understands the needs of clients and can express this clearly both verbally and in written

correspondence.

I’m sure in a years time, she will be welcomed back to be our 3rd

Interactive Media Production

graduate in the company”

Andy Burgess, Mobile Producer - Graphico

Jessica Mistry


29th May – 28

th September 2007

COMPANY PROFILE Graphico New Media is a full service digital agency, with an impressive profile of big

international clients such as Bacardi – Martini, Sony BMG, Carlsberg, London Eye, Pepsi and

First Great Western to name a few. They have been an independent company since 1990

until the summer of 2007 where they were bought by the Digital Marketing Group. Graphico

employees 72 permanent staff as well as numerous temporary contractors. In a recent survey

by NMA, Graphico was ranked top 6th as most respected agency by its peers, the only one

being outside of London. As well as this, Graphico have moved up the NMA Top 100

agencies from 45th in 2006 to 27

th in 2007.

When Graphico pitch for new business, they

always provide financial and client references so

that new clients know that Graphico are

financially stable and what they are like to work

with. This is one link in the chain to ensure that

Graphico are successful in winning new clients.

Once new business or more business is secured,

Graphico are always in contact with their clients

every step of the way from new briefs through to project delivery. Each client has a central

hub of contact around them which is made up of an Account Director, Account Manager,

Producer, Technical manager and a Creative Manager. Graphico always ensure that the

financial process of the project is always made clear to the client, so there are no big

surprises if things do go over or under budget. When the project is complete, Graphico are

usually within 20% of the original project cost. As well as keeping the clients happy, Graphico

knows that employee morale is also important. When I first joined Graphico, I got a distinct

impression of friendliness and helpfulness - four months on, my first impressions still aren’t

wrong.

Graphico earns respect of peers 27 September 2007

Graphico has been voted 6th most respected agency by its peers in a recent industry survey and the only one among them based outside London. Published by New Media Age, the 2007 survey also categorised agencies by discipline with Graphico's ranking among the marketing agencies rising from 45th in 2006 to 27th in 2007. "The respect of one's peers is a huge accolade" said Graphico CEO Mark Bennett. "It reflects the calibre of work we do and how we go about it and says much about the people who work here. We are delighted".

Jessica Mistry


29th May – 28

th September 2007

CLIENT ACCOUNT TEAMS

BOARD OF DIRECTORS

Group Account Director

Amazon

Account Manager

Account Director

Junior Producer

Senior Producer

Yukon

Account Manager

Senior Producer

Account Executive

Account Director

Orinoco

Account Director

Senior Account Manager

Producer

Account Manager

Junior Producer

Nile

Producer

Account Director

Producer

Account Manager

Danube

Senior Account Manager

Account Director

Junior Producer

Junior Account Executive

Producer

Developer

DEVELOPMENT

Technical Director

Senior Web Application Developer

Web Application Developer

Technical Manager


Contractor

Hosting Administrator







Developer

Front End Developer

Security Analyst

Junior Developer

Front End Developer

Technical Manager

Front End Developer

Media

Media Planner

Media Manager

Media Director

Mobile

Account Executive

Mobile Developer

Mobile Producer

Mobile Manager

Head of Mobile Development

MARKETING AND PR

Marketing Manager

Marketing Manager

ADMIN

Receptionist

Accounts and Administration Manager

Accounts Assistant

OPERATIONS

Systems Administrator

Operations Manager

Operations Director

QAT

Tester

Testing Manager

SPECIALISTS

IA and Performance Analyst

Business Analyst

Information Architect

DESIGN

Creative Director

Creative Manager

Brand Communication Director

Creative Copywriter

Senior Designer

Designer

Designer

Senior Designer

Designer

Designer

Creative Copywriter

Senior Designer

Developer

Director CEO Director

Jessica Mistry


29th May – 28

th September 2007

DESCRIPTION OF YOUR WORK Company: Graphico New Media Ltd. Position Held: Junior Account Executive Department: Client Account Teams: Team Danube Date: Tuesday 29

th May – Friday 28

th September 2007

Bacardi.com Bacardi host regional club nights and hold dance arenas at festivals called B-Live and one of my main responsibilities has been looking after and updating the Bacardi.com B-Live mircrosite. Every time a new event is lined up (by a PR agency who work with Bacardi) I add it to the site. The site is made in Flash and to add content you edit the XML that feeds into the Flash. I received informal training to learn how to use the XML and by the end of my placement was teaching others how to update the site. Each event has a DJ-line-up section, a Made to Mix (serving suggestions) section, a photos section, a reviews and more section, an experience (audio and video) section, send to a friend feature and a competition section. For each I had to liase with people at the PR agency to get content for the site, then pass it onto Corporate Social Responsibility at Bacardi for it to be approved before it could be edited by myself and put on the site. I also helped source and edit content for the Bacardi widget. You download this application onto your desktop and it keeps you informed with all things Bacardi. There are two widgets, one for the consumer and one for the employees at Bacardi (which isn’t available on the site). There is a content management system (CMS) which is a tool that I received training on how to use and upload content to both widgets. Within the second two months at Graphico, I had a small part to play in developing Bacardi B-Live’s media partnership between Don’t Stay In and Virtual Festivals. These two media partners helped to promote the B-Live events through the summer and I supplied content to them as well as acting moderator on the Don’t Stay In site. I have nothing but positive things to say about Jess. She’s enthusiastic, willing to learn and a team player!

Alex Gellard, Senior Brand Manager - Bacardi The picture below is of the Bacardi.com site in which you can see how my work on the B-Live site and the Widget fits in.

Widget

B-Live

Jessica Mistry


29th May – 28

th September 2007

Jessica Mistry


29th May – 28

th September 2007

Bacardi At Event This summer, as well as hosting regional club nights, Bacardi have hosted B-Live dance arenas at some of the major festivals including Isle of Wight Festival, T in the Park and V Festival. Within the B-Live tents, there are wide AV screens with Bacardi branding, line-up news, photography, videos, ticker information and drink prices that sit behind the bar. My role as a moderator was to find suitable images to put on the screens that the photographer brought in from the arena, check text messages that we coming in, put them on the screen and also change the announcements and ticker on the screen. My role at the festival sites was to sit behind the scenes at the Bacardi tent and moderate content to put on the screens that were placed around the bar. This added to the premium brand that Bacardi uphold. I also dealt face to face with the Bacardi clients and help explain how the system works and answer any questions that they had.

I have worked with Jess predominantly on the Bacardi At Event

Festival Projects. I have seen her approach every task she is

given with enthusiasm and a desire not just to do it, but to do it

well. This is true even when the tasks were boring and

mundane. I have found her to be very proactive, looking for

ways to help. Her suggestions are useful and well thought out,

and she is a very capable individual. We have had no

hesitation in having her

deal with important clients, and she has developed very

good relationships with them, finding just the right mix

between friendliness and professionalism.

Despite only being with us for a short time, Jess has

become a valued member of the team, and we certainly hope we will be seeing her again.

John Penrose, Technical Director - Graphico

Jessica Mistry


29th May – 28

th September 2007

Bacardi Mobile I was given the opportunity to project manage three mobile projects that were due to be delivered all on the October 1

st 2007. These mobile campaigns mainly were aimed at

students, and we were giving them a chance to win festival tickets for next year. As a thank-you/ small prize we were giving away ringtones (which I had to help sort licensing for) and wallpapers for your mobile phone. Though these three separate projects ran along side each other, they each had their own brief and requirements which meant I had to deal with everything from budget, to deadline, to organising the technical side and speaking to the clients and other agencies. Bacardi Video During my stay at Graphico, I asked for the opportunity to edit a 20 second trailer video from the video footage that was shot at T in the Park festival. This was during out of office hours and gave me the chance to do a bit of creative work. You can view it on the CD that is presented with this log book. Presentations I have had to assist in preparing for numerous presentations, agency reviews and competitor analysis reports. Martini I have had a small role within the Martini global site and this was to organise and implement all the different translations into the site using a CMS which I was trained on.

Jessica Mistry


29th May – 28

th September 2007

MTV MySpace Campaign I have also assisted Team Media throughout my stay at Graphico. I have been managing an MTV MySpace campaign which involved me being a creative copywriter in coming up with copy for the weekly blogs and bulletins. Each week, a new challenge would be set by MTV for their entirely user generated content Best Ever show, which means anyone could be the best at anything from moustache twiddling to flaring to animation to best bedroom raver ever! I also managed MTV’s MySpace page which included sourcing new friends, mailing and adding them, accepting friend requests and replying to emails, resulting in a 107% friend increase on the site. On top of this I assisted in a very successful viral campaign which received over 115,000 views in total across many viral sites.

Please visit www.myspace.com/mtvbestshowever to get a feel for the work that I have done. Jess has been invaluable over the last 4 months particularly with her work on the MTV Best

Show Ever project. She has produced excellent creative copy for the bulletins / blogs weekly,

contributed to the maintenance and content of the MySpace page and has also been involved

in a very successful viral video campaign.

Her work has always shown enthusiasm, creativity and attention to detail. She’s been

fantastic at getting everything out on time and she’s been a real pleasure to work with.

Anna Brown, Media Planner - Graphico

Jessica Mistry


29th May – 28

th September 2007

Jessica Mistry


29th May – 28

th September 2007

Blog

{May 29, 2007} Good Vibes ;) Well today I started my work experience at Graphico New Media in Newbury, and despite being 70% excited and 30% nervous, I had a brilliant day. I had a general induction with an operations manager called Simon, and he showed me around the two buildings. I can’t for the life of me remember any of the 80+ names I was introduced to today but I definitely got good vibes from absolutely everyone. There are three other ladies in the office that I was in, Amy, Donna and Stacey and they all seem up for a laugh and genuinely very friendly. I also sat in on a meeting this afternoon, and listened into everyone’s conversations and just got excited about what was about to come over the next few weeks or so. I had a moment to myself and just thought, my God, I’m actually here, I made it! Yay! If today is anything to go by then I am going to have a fantastic summer…hopefully possibly

more after I graduate, if I can impress them enough Watch this space… Comment: joe (flintham) says: hey jess

glad to hear it’s started well! good luck joe

{May 31, 2007} Learnt some new things already! The third day has come and gone, and I have already learnt how to upload new content via XML. A contractor called Chris sat down with me for a little while and taught me XML whilst using it on a real life project, so I was working and learning at the same time. It really helped me because the coding I was doing I could see contextualised changes in the front end side of the site. I feel that I have learnt more over these past couple of days than a month at uni!…well a bit of an exaggeration but I really connected with what I was learning. And it wasn’t as if I was being shown how to do it, I was working together with my demonstrator problem solving the code. Really useful stuff. Everyone’s working really hard and it’s longer hours than I expected, due to tight deadlines etc, but even I came in early through choice this morning as I wanted to get some things done. Just listening to conversations around the office and in meetings makes me realise how closely the project managing things I have done in uni relate to the industry. It puts my mind at ease anyway and gets me excited to know that I am in the right place and ready to take on anything that comes my way.

{June 01, 2007} Hectic, but good! What a week! I can’t believe a week has gone by already, I suppose the bank holiday hasn’t helped. I’ve been really busy and the time has flown by, which is the way I like it as time goes quicker when you’re having fun, lol! It’s been a good week as I’ve heard most people don’t do much in their first week or so at work placement and I have been quite busy, it feels like I’ve just slotted right into the company. I was doing admin type stuff today which wasn’t great but Amy apologised and said that I’ll get to do better stuff when they’re not so busy and people can actually sit down with me. Also, they know that I want to move around the company and see what other people do, so it’s all good.

Jessica Mistry


29th May – 28

th September 2007

{June 16, 2007} “Bloody Hell, you’ve only been here two weeks?!” This was the response I got when Amy asked me what date I started work at Graphico. I took it as a compliment, as I’ve made a good enough impression on them and worked long hours for me to fit right into the company. We’ve been so busy, and the hours are just flying by. Last weekend was absolutely fantastic as we went off to the Isle of Wight festival to do some interactive things for a major client of theirs. Don’t know much I can say, but it was so good I can tell you that. To top that, we’re all jetting off to T in the Park in Scotland in July and also

doing V Festival in August…told you I was going to have the best summer ever. I also realised that I’m learning a lot on the job, and it’s put me at ease that I don’t have to know all the skills when I go into a full time job. Amy said to me that every company that you go to vaires and so you have to learn things thier way. I don’t know if I mentioned but I’m working as a Junior Account Executive, soud very fancy! I should be able to move around the company and shadow a couple of people over a few days, just so I can get the most out of my work experience and see how a company is structured. Sorted!

{June 18, 2007} Flowers! Beginning my third week at my placement company and I got flowers sent to me from my

lovely boyfriend for my birthday! I was so embarrassed….but in a good way

{July 02, 2007} My summer is booked! As of last Tuesday, I am pleased to announce that I am offically allowed to stay at Graphico for the rest of the summer. Apparently everyone loves me, and there were no negative feedback comments, so at least I’m on the right track. This means I don’t have to get a summer job in something I really don’t want to do like stacking shelves or cleaning (been there, done that, it wasn’t nice and it’s time to move on!). I’m off to T in the Park to do some more moderation on Thursday. I’m so looking forward to it, I just hope it doesn’t rain the whole way through. It’s gone a bit quiet for me in the office at the mo. I mean I have stuff to do, but I’m waiting for so many people to come back to me with bits and pieces, I just don’t know where the day goes. I am starting to think that I would like to become a producer or an account manager, now that I have been exposed to these roles. Before Graphico I was quite interested in design, but I’m far from being the best creative type. I’ll just stick to what I do best, and that’s organising stuff! Bye for now!

{August 21, 2007} So tired I went to V festvial over the weekend with work, and now I’m shattered. It was a good weekend until we had to leave, just could’nt get all our equipment off the site. No one would help us, and we had to wait about 12 hours to finally get our equipment into our car. Anyways all home and clean now. At work, I’ve been given a mini project to organise which is quite cool. Its working with mobile so it’s an interesting area to get into. Also good news, I might be staying on part time to while I’m at uni woo!

Jessica Mistry


29th May – 28

th September 2007

SELF APPRAISAL FORM

Name: Jessica Mistry Company: Graphico New Media Ltd. Supervisor’s Name: Amy Hoare

Communication Capabilities

Written Communication Expressing myself effectively in written forms of communication A B C D E Interpersonal Relating appropriately to people in conversational settings A B C D E Oral Expressing my ideas and views in a clear confident, articulate

and logical manner A B C D E Speaking out clearly and concisely in groups A B C D E Arguing Present an argument, pursuing it effectively, challenging points

of view expressed by others and, when necessary, agreeing to differ

A B C D E Persuading Convincing others to comply with my objectives A B C D E Responsiveness Adapting quickly to changing circumstances / being flexible A B C D E Decision-making Comfortable in making judgements and taking responsibility for

them A B C D E Negotiating Bargaining or discussing with a view to reaching an agreement A B C D E Sensitivity Communicate effectively with people of different age groups and

cultures A B C D E Co-operating Working productively within a group or team A B C D E Intellectual Capabilities Analytical Synthesising and summarising information A B C D E Creativity Generating new ideas or conceiving existing ideas in new ways A B C D E

Jessica Mistry


29th May – 28

th September 2007

Organisation and Setting down a systematic sequence of activities and carrying Planning them through effectively A B C D E Researching Gathering information in a systematic way to establish certain

facts A B C D E Handling details Working with a substantial volume of information without losing

track of items A B C D E Problem solving Identifying and diagnosing problems A B C D E

Willingness to generate solutions and to evaluate alternative solutions A B C D E

Personal Attributes Physical stamina Withstanding fatigue, hardship and illness A B C D E Self-management Managing own time and effort and using available resources

effectively A B C D E

Achieve a sense of proportion, preserving a sense of humour, and maintaining a balance between work and play A B C D E

Planning Evaluating competing priorities and planning ahead A B C D E Teaching Helping others to learn how to do or to understand something A B C D E Counselling Helping others to define their problems or face up to their

difficulties A B C D E Managerial Motivating others A B C D E Supervising, managing or directing the work of others A B C D E Achieving Identifying objectives and achieving them A B C D E

Jessica Mistry


29th May – 28

th September 2007

SELF ANALYSIS TASKS

Task 1

My main strength throughout my placement, and one that I pride myself in, is my

organisational skills. I will automatically prioritise my work load as soon as it gets

unmanageable and also write a list on things to do so that nothing gets left out. This has been

particularly important for this job as a Junior Account Executive as you are managing a lot of

projects and doing little bits and pieces here and there. Another strength of mine has also

been communicating clearly through email particularly to clients. I understand that they have

a lot manage as well as my peers so I try and ensure that every email I write is clear to

understand without having to refer back to previous emails (if necessary). I also aim to

respond to every email, telephone call and request that I get even if it means over loading on

work. I enjoy working under pressure and being constantly active and it feels like I have a

productive day when I get a lot of things on my list done.

Something that I also pride myself in is my attention to detail. I think this is important, even

though a task may take longer, because it can save confusion at a later stage in which in the

industry can lead to costly mistakes. This reflects in some feedback that I received from a

client that I was dealing with on the mobile projects, which said that I was very thorough with

my work.

Task 2

One of the main areas that need developing is my oral communication, especially on the

telephone. I get incredibly nervous when talking to important people i.e. clients I don’t know,

about a subject that I’m not too familiar on. Once I have spoken to a person or met them a

few times then my confidence grows with them, but I know that as an Account Executive I

cannot afford to be nervous when meeting clients for the first time.

Jessica Mistry


29th May – 28

th September 2007

To try and develop this, I must always remember to speak slowly and clearly, thinking about

what to say before hand. If ever I get stuck with words I must also remember not to ramble

on, which may cause confusion to my listener. I should practise speaking on the telephone,

perhaps answering phone calls in our office from people I don’t know to build my confidence

level up.

Task 3

When I get back to university I must manage my time effectively with all my deadlines. I plan

to implement this by writing all my deadlines in a diary and then work backwards through

each deadline to see when I need to get what part done and by when. This will make sure

that I spread my work out evenly, therefore not causing too much pressure around deadlines.

If things do get out of hand then I must make sure that I prioritise my work and not spend too

much time on things that aren’t so important.

I should be very proactive about being ahead of schedule where possible and start thinking of

ideas as soon as possible. I should explore all avenues of problems that might occur and try

my best to avoid them. To make sure that I get the best results possible, I must be very open

and honest about my project and dissertation and listen to any suggestions that may add

value to my work.

When I have each of my six tutorials, I must plan ahead of what needs to be discussed in

each tutorial so as to not waste any time and listen carefully to what the tutor says. I then plan

change my work based on the comments made as soon as possible so that the changes are

fresh in my mind.

Jessica Mistry


29th May – 28

th September 2007

SELF APPRAISAL FORM

Name of Student: Jessica Mistry Name of Company: Graphico New Media Ltd. Company Address: Old Bath Road, Newbury, Berkshire, RG14 1JH Dates: From Tuesday 29

th May to Friday 28

th September 2007

No. of weeks: 18

Rating Comment

The Individual

Appropriateness of appearance A B C D E

Cooperativeness A B C D E

Self confidence A B C D E

Self discipline A B C D E

Work Tasks

Level of interest in job A B C D E

Level of application A B C D E

Quantity of output A B C D E

Quality of output A B C D E

Accuracy A B C D E

Motivation

Self-motivation A B C D E Jess has worked more

Commitment A B C D E than her required hours

Initiative A B C D E on a continual basis as

Cooperativeness

A B C D E well as worked weekends

when necessary.

Communication Capabilities

Oral Communication:

with Juniors A B C D E

with Peers A B C D E

with Seniors A B C D E

Written Communication: Jess has begun on the

formal A B C D E later stages to put

less formal A B C D E proposals together for

Listening ability A B C D E clients and early signs

Sensitivity to non-verbal signal A B C D E suggest an Account

Public presentations A B C D E Manager in the making!

Jessica Mistry


29th May – 28

th September 2007

Intellectual Capabilities

Analytical ability A B C D E

Quality of opinions A B C D E

Quality of recommendations A B C D E

Originality A B C D E

Clarity of thought A B C D E

Management Potential / Aptitude

Leadership qualities A B C D E

Planning and organisation of work A B C D E

People A B C D E N/A

Breadth of thinking across

organisation

A B C D E N/A

Understanding of responsibilities

and demands on management

A B C D E N/A

Ability to motivate

A B C D E N/A

Overall impression of the student’s

contribution

Final Grade A B C D E

Jessica has been a fabulous addition to the team, which has been reflected in the extension to her placement and in her remaining with us part time during her final year. Employer’s additional comments Jess has become really valuable in her attitude and efforts to every task and in her manner dealing with clients. Her confidence and office manner has improved dramatically throughout her placement and she has been a true member of our team. Signature of Company Supervisor: See original document in the appendix. Position in Company: Senior Account Manager Date: 20/09/07 Company Stamp:

Jessica Mistry


29th May – 28

th September 2007

STUDENT FEEDBACK FORM – Personal and Professional Development

Name: Jessica Mistry

Company: Graphico New Media Ltd.

1. The Course

(i)

Level C

Images

The images unit made me more aware of digital images and how to edit them correctly. For

example I learnt how to use Photoshop which I needed to edit images for the Bacardi website

in the B-Live section. Though I used an equivalent to Photoshop in my placement, the

workshops in Photoshop taught me what all the different tools did so I could transfer that

knowledge across.

Narratives

More than anything, this unit taught me how to work with a group effectively and how to get a

project out on time. It taught me how to plan my time effectively taking into consideration

other people’s time scales. This reflected in my placement towards the end when I was

managing three mobile projects and had to be aware that even though the client wanted

things done as soon as possible, we didn’t necessarily have the resource to carry everything

exactly to schedule which the client was made aware of.

Audiences

This unit helped me to define specific audiences and their needs. It made me more aware of

people’s interests and how each audience respond to media in a different way. Through the

research I had done for my animation project on children, I came across an interesting article

on the BBC’s commissioning website based on audiences of different categories

(http://www.bbc.co.uk/commissioning/marketresearch/) I used this research in my placement

as to aid a presentation I had to help to put together.

Summer Project

I enjoyed the summer project, as we had to collaborate with other students across different

courses. I learned that people with a variety of different skills come together to create one

project, much like on my placement. There aren’t just designers and developers, there are

project managers, technical specialists, account directors that all have their input on one brief.

PDP1

Writing the reflective essay at the end of my first year really helped me to see how much I had

developed and the areas that I needed still to develop. It picked out my weak areas so that

when I went on my placement, I tried to make sure that these weren’t so much of an issue.

For example, I know that I lack in confidence when I meet new people and as my role as an

account executive I shouldn’t really let this affect my job, as it is very client facing. This did

develop over the summer on my placement in which my colleagues have noticed a vast

improvement.

Jessica Mistry


29th May – 28

th September 2007

Level I

Authorship

I built an online community in my first term which utilised my HTML and PHP skills that I had

learnt. It made me more technically aware so that when I was taught how to use XML for the

Bacardi B-Live site, I felt at ease editing and uploading it.

Media Theory Options

For my Non Linear Narratives media options I was taught about how different platforms of

media carry different ways of putting information across. I found this helpful to be more aware

of a variety of platforms as in my placement I not only dealt with websites but video, widgets

and mobile.

My other media option was Media and Participation, where I learnt about why people create

persona’s of themselves online. I used this in my placement where I had to assist in the

maintenance of a MTV MySpace campaign and source people to add to friends of our page

based on their profiles.

Interactive Media Production

This unit also helped me to understand group dynamics and how people working together

from a variety of skills can come together to make one project. This was reflected in another

project that I assisted on which was helping to gather and edit content for the Bacardi widget.

I had to work with a number of people so I could get exactly the things that I needed for the

widget.

Professional Studies

This unit taught me about pitching for business and winning those pitches. It also taught me

the pressure that goes into winning a pitch. This was reflected in my placement as Graphico

went through a similar process and I got to see a similar pressure that they went through and

the waiting game that they had to play to see if they had won the business. I was particularly

close to seeing due to my role as a Junior Account Executive.

PDP2

This part of PDP helped me to prepare my portfolio and CV in order for me to get a placement

at my company. The lecture on how to write a great CV was particularly useful as it gave me

some pointers that I may have overlooked. For example, we saw that email bombing

companies just didn’t work, so concentrated on phoning my potential placement company and

just being persistent with them until I got an interview.

Jessica Mistry


29th May – 28

th September 2007

(ii)

What would have been good to learn in the course is about all the different types of roles

there are in the interactive media industry rather than just the design and development roles

that we are exposed to i.e. Information Architecture, Brand Communication Director, Account

Manager etc. I think this would be good to slot into the Professional Studies unit that we did

just before our placement so that even if students do go into a small company with not so

many roles, it will give them more of an understanding about the overall process of a project.

One good way that this could be implemented is that there are several main roles within the

industry that each student/ several students have to prepare a case study on i.e. what they

do, how they fit into the company, salary etc and at the end they present it to the rest of their

seminar group so that everyone gets to learn about the different roles in the industry. I think

that this would be useful as it gives the student more option of what they would like to do after

university.

2. The Learning Experience

My summer long placement has been an extremely valuable learning experience for me. It

has made me more focused for the third year by learning what it is like to be out there in the

industry and actually doing a job that I have learnt to enjoy. I worked at Graphico New Media

as a Junior Account Executive and was really apprehensive, as I didn’t know what to expect

within this role. Within a week I was settled in and doing roles which suited my character like

organising content for websites and widgets and for other people. The placement has opened

my eyes to what other roles there are out there and before my placement I only thought that I

could only really go into design or development, but since my placement I would really enjoy

being an account manager or a producer. Since my team was made up of myself, two

producers, a senior account manager and an account director, I have worked closely with

them to understand the different roles that they play and their relationship to one another.

I definitely think it depends how much you want to put into your placement will determine how

much you get out of it. For example, I willingly stayed on after hours or even went in early so I

could finish off bits and pieces so that I could start fresh the next day. It also put me at ease

because I realised that you don’t have to know everything about how the company works as

you learn a lot on the job and it varies for each company that you work for. My placement has

really opened my eyes to the industry and was even invited to a networking function over the

summer (which I unfortunately couldn’t attend). Just listening to conversations around the

office and reading articles on the internet, made me aware of Graphico’s place within the

media industry and made me excited and grateful that I am a part of it.

Working within a team of experienced people, I not only got to know how to do a job but I

learnt the tips and tricks of how to do a job better for the next time around i.e. advise of what I

would or wouldn’t do again. I also got to see how my team fitted in with the rest of the

company and what each part of the company did to help one project or one client. I got to

meet new people that by the end of the summer they were familiar faces that I had no

hesitation talking to or asking questions in which they were more than happy to respond.

I think it was particularly valuable that I got to work on three mobile brief projects acting as a

producer. It made me see a whole project life cycle from bringing the project in to executing it

ready for deadline. This was in the last few weeks of my placement and really was a perfect

Jessica Mistry


29th May – 28

th September 2007

way to end the placement, as I felt really involved with the company. After completing the

projects, I understood how vital communication was to make sure everybody understands

what is going on and what they have to do, this is something that I will be sure to use in my

final year.

I also felt like I developed personally over the summer as my confidence grew by being put in

a situation where I couldn’t afford to be nervous and had to act in a professional manner. This

is a big achievement for me in that I know I have the skills to run an important project and

work with the people that can make it happen.

(vi)

My placement has heightened my employability for the future since they have offered me a

part time job to run alongside my final year at university. I have also been told by the

managing director that it would be crazy not to take me on after I finish my degree. Beyond

this though, I think to get a job at such a high profile company and having the attitude that I

have now about working in the new media industry, has set me up for a good career after I

leave university.

I am more aware of the industry since working at Graphico and also have been picking up on

tips and tricks for interviews since colleagues have assessed the qualities of interviewees for

the company.

(vii)

I have drawn on my placement experiences in my personal development planning log, as I

am keen to showcase the best of my ability in everything that I do.

Additional Comments

I think the work placement is extremely valuable if you decide to put 100% in to get maximum

results. I have found that it focuses you for your final year and opens you up to possibilities of

employment after you leave university.

Jessica Mistry


29th May – 28

th September 2007

STUDENT FEEDBACK FORM – Placement Evaluation

Name: Jessica Mistry

Company: Graphico New Media Ltd.

1. Departments in which professional placement was carried out.

Client Account Team, Team Danube 2. Identify the methods used to communicate your work objectives to you (for example, oral, written instructions, from one or several people) and assess the effectiveness of the techniques used. I was given one to one briefings more major work or sat in on project meetings which I could ask anything that I was unsure of. For smaller tasks I was sent clear emails detailing what I had to do. Anything that I was unsure of, I just had to ask. The first method of communication was effective as it allowed for open discussion and a chance to write things down for a call to action. The second method was also affective because everything was documented so I just had to refer back to the emails to find a bit of information that I needed. 3. Comment on the extent to which you were left to your own resources, were given detailed guideline, or were given some guidance, and assess the effectiveness of the main approach adopted. I was left to my own resources on a few projects – the Bacardi mobile projects and the Bacardi B-Live microsite. I learnt a lot about these projects and how to go about them and only asking if I needed some clarification. I was given guidance on a few smaller tasks like putting presentations together which I felt I needed help on because it was hard to understand exactly what was needed from me. I think it is most effective when someone gives me some guidance and then let me carry on with it so I can work things out for myself and learn this way. 4. Were you given any training? Yes No If yes please give brief details. I was given brief informal training on how to use content management systems to upload content to websites and also informal training on the XML scripting language. 5. If another student takes the same placement next year:- a) What personal qualities should they possess? They should be keen, helpful and have a lot of confidence. b) What professional skills would be important?

It would be helpful for this type of placement to know a bit about project management and how to talk to clients.

6. Would your host company be interested in taking on a placement student next summer: Yes No Name of Contact: Michelle Mitchell, Group Account Director Date: 9

th October 2007

Signature:

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