Last year, University of Kent student Emily Young undertook a two month Marketing internship at BJF Group, we asked her a few questions to find out more:
What are you currently studying at University?
MSc Marketing (part-time) at the University of Kent.
What made you decide to do an internship?
I wanted to do an internship to improve my skills, and to increase my employability by gaining valuable experience in the marketing field.
What made you choose BJF Group for your internship?
I chose BJF Group after discussing alumni with one of my lecturers. The Marketing and Business Development Manager at BJF Group – Carl Lincoln – came up in conversation, and it was suggested that I should reach out to him to see if he had any advice, or even work opportunities. I reached out to Carl on LinkedIn, and after a phone call, Carl was keen on the idea of having an intern come in for a couple of months to work alongside him.
What were your first impressions of BJF Group?
I was very impressed by BJF Group due to their continued growth, especially during and since the COVID-19 pandemic. For a SME, I was impressed at the progress made and revenue generated by the company in a comparatively short 15-year lifespan.
What were the key activities that you were involved with during your time at BJF Group?
Working in the Marketing and Business Development team, my main responsibilities were social media postings, event organisation for the Kent Construction Expo, and website re-design. Other activities included assisting with photo shoots during site visits, competitor website research, updating the job vacancies on the website, creating the employee social media policy, and preparing for the internal rollout of the new BJF Group company values.
How would you sum up your two months working at BJF Group?
My two months working at BJF Group have been full-on from the start. With only two days per week for two months, the time quickly passed, so I had to get stuck into projects very quickly. My days were certainly varied, with a combination of planned ongoing tasks and on-the-day jobs to do. Carl has been a fantastic line manager, whom I have enjoyed working with from both a professional and personal point of view.
What would your advice be to others considering an internship at BJF Group?
You definitely have to be prepared for a variety of tasks. If things don’t go to plan on a given day, be prepared to move your schedule around to accommodate new tasks with higher priorities. With a company of this size, you will be involved in different aspects of the business, and can really see how your work is making an impact.
