Grace Logan, Year 1 BA Public Relations and Media.
During my first year at university, I applied for a freelance role in social media marketing for a chiropractor based in Uplands, Amy Carter. I was initially encouraged to look for work experience by a relative who works in public relations, who explained how valuable practical experience can be when applying for jobs after graduation. She told me that when she hires people, she always looks for candidates who have already tried to apply their skills in real situations. That advice stayed with me, so when I saw the opportunity advertised through the Media and Communications department’s placement emails, I decided to apply. The department regularly sends students information about freelance roles, internships and apprenticeships, so I looked through the options and chose the one that interested me the most.
Social media marketing appealed to me because it is such an important tool for businesses today, and it also allows creativity alongside strategy. In this role, I was responsible for creating social media content for Amy’s business, primarily for Instagram. This included producing short-form videos such as reels, designing carousel posts, and helping to develop content ideas that would both engage the audience and provide useful information for potential patients. For example, I created a Q&A highlight where I came up with questions that patients might commonly ask a chiropractor. This allowed Amy to answer them directly and helped make the page more informative for people who might be considering booking an appointment. One reel I created performed particularly well, reaching around 5,000 views. The video was aimed specifically at office workers in the Uplands area and focused on common posture problems that occur when sitting at a desk for long periods. The reel included simple tips people could use to improve their posture during the working day and prevent potential back or neck problems. Creating content like this helped me understand the importance of tailoring messages to a specific audience and thinking about what information would genuinely help them.
Through this experience, I was able to apply many of the ideas I have been learning during my degree, particularly around communication, audience awareness and digital media. However, I also gained practical skills that are difficult to learn in a lecture setting. Managing real social media content, analysing what performs well, and thinking creatively about how to present information were all valuable parts of the process. Overall, I gained a great deal from the placement. It gave me confidence in my ability to work with a real client and helped me develop both creative and professional skills. It also showed me how much there is to learn when working in digital marketing and communications. I would strongly encourage other students to take advantage of opportunities like this while they are at university. Gaining experience early, especially in the first year, can make a huge difference. It allows you to build skills, learn from real situations and feel more prepared for entering the workplace after graduation.