My experience interning at Yours Sincerely

by Beth Evans

I first met Dom and Amy in a coffee shop in Bristol during which we chatted and got to know one another. Keen to learn but having had no previous experience in the industry, it was in this meeting that I first began to understand the PR and marketing world and how Yours Sincerely were forging their place within it.  What attracted me to Yours Sincerely was how they are combining traditional PR/comms with an understanding of the digital landscape and wider marketing discipline, as well as the variety that was offered by working for an agency. I knew a role at Yours Sincerely would give me invaluable insight and experience in the industry. Later that afternoon, they offered me the internship and we decided on dates throughout the summer that suited both them and me – from that point forward,  flexibility has always stood out as a key value of Yours Sincerely.

My first day immediately felt like a natural fit. I knew Yours Sincerely, in their new container box office, was an ideal place for me to start my career in this industry.

What first struck me was Dom and Amy’s passion and enjoyment they got from their work. This was encouraging to someone who had recently left university, somewhat apprehensive of what a real life 9-5 job entailed. But I learnt early on, work is something you can love, and every morning I would come into the office excited for what the next day would bring.

I was quickly chucked in at the deep end. Rather than making teas and filling in excel spreadsheets, I was given tasks which were challenging but also closely matched to my abilities. For example, social media was something I was familiar with on both a professional and personal level. As a result, building client social calendars allowed me to understand how businesses can utilise social media platforms to publicise their business, create a brand identity and engage with customers.

Apart from social, everything else was outside my previous experience – attending client meetings, writing thought leadership articles and award submissions, liaising with journalists, and seeking out appropriate networking events and conferences for clients. However, thanks to the management – as well as my ability to learn fast – I got into the swing. I instantly discovered PR was a natural fit to my skill set, and digital marketing would involve more training, but one I was determined to get my head around. 

What I have enjoyed most about working for an agency is the variety of clients and businesses I have been able to work with. I have had to learn the core values, business models, marketing strategies and work culture of clients – giving me a true insight into how agencies collaborate with companies to grow their brand and to deliver results. Amy initially told me agency side is a good place to start and I couldn’t agree more. 

My advice to other interns is to be proactive in your search for work experience – Yours Sincerely had yet to advertise an intern position, but my email to them got the ball rolling. If you have an idea of a career you want to explore, put yourself out there knowing that even if there is no immediate opportunity, you may hear back later. Yours Sincerely is a great place to work – honest, driven, and people-focused – the work culture is extremely important to the business. I am now looking to sign a more permanent contract with Yours Sincerely excited about what the future will bring.