This summer, we had the pleasure of welcoming Saadia Pathan for a strategy and digital internship in our London office as part of our ongoing partnership with Creative Access.

Our collaboration with Creative Access continues to be a source of pride, providing opportunities for emerging talent to gain experience and make their mark in the creative industries.

In this month’s Employee Spotlight Q&A, Saadia reflects on her highlights, the surprises along the way, and her advice for future Creative Access interns eager to explore the world of communications.

What’s been your favourite project or task you’ve worked on in your internship this summer?

My favourite task this summer was working on the Birmingham Sports Quarter Social Content Strategy. I created social content ideas for the BSQ Instagram and LinkedIn pages, researching Birmingham Sports Quarter, and learned how to relay the same information to separate audiences across different platforms, and use that to make engaging post ideas was a fun blend of strategic and creative thinking. I enjoyed exploring different post formats like videos, images and articles, which gave me the freedom to come up with a variety of ideas. Beyond this project, I really enjoyed being involved in research and brainstorming across different client briefs.

If you had to describe your internship in three emojis, which would you pick?

What’s one new skill you’ve picked up that you didn’t expect to?

A skill I learnt was how to use Hubspot for marketing. Although I learned lots about the different work and roles in the agency, Hubspot was something I wasn’t aware of before this internship.

What’s the most surprising thing you learned about working in an integrated PR and comms agency?

I was surprised by the variety of clients, work, and teams involved. As a PR and comms agency, I expected Grayling to be very corporate and reactive, but there’s a lot of creative, cultural, and strategic thinking behind campaigns that comes from multiple teams and individuals adding their input. It’s not just about crisis management, as there’s a huge focus on collaboration and positioning the agency to win new business.

What’s it like working in the London office?

Working in the London office makes for a different experience every day. Some days it’s calmer, some days it’s louder (in a good way), but there’s always something going on that you can learn from, and the people are wonderful! When you’re feeling tired, there’s always a fun pick-me-up either in the form of sweets, the biscuit jar, fresh fruit, or the never-ending supply of diet coke. There’s also a balcony around the office, which, when combined with the fact that we’re on the eighth floor, provides for a lunch spot with a lovely view of London on sunny days. I’ve also had a really good time exploring the Holborn area, which has some great food spots and green areas!

How has your time with us influenced your view of strategy, digital, or marketing as a career path?

I’ve realised my view was quite narrow in terms of the type of work you can do in these roles, and as I’m studying marketing, that’s the kind of career path I thought I’d go down. However, now I realise there are things I enjoy in the strategy and social field too so I’m happy to explore all of it in the next few years. Overall, I was quite sure that I knew what I liked and disliked, and was set on one pathway, but now I’m more open to other options.

What advice would you give to other students thinking about applying for an internship through Creative Access?

I would say that it’s easy to be close-minded or picky when choosing internships to apply for. Try not to hold preconceived notions or assumptions about what a role or industry might be about, because you might find out that a role you didn’t think you’d like, turns out to be different to what you thought and vice versa. If a role seems interesting, just go for it, even if you don’t have any experience or education related to the field, as valuable experiences like the ones offered by Creative Access are hard to come by! Also, the amazing community you find through Creative Access is a much needed reminder that there are other people from similar backgrounds trying to make their place in the creative industries just like you, which makes trying for an internship worth it in itself.

What’s one thing that stood out to you about how our agency works?

A thing that stood out to me was that although the nature of the work being done at Grayling means the environment is very fast paced, there’s a nice focus on taking time to catch up with each other and be social, which is important in a collaborative environment.

How would you describe Grayling’s culture in three words?

Social, Welcoming, Inspiring.

What’s next for you as you head back to university, and how will you take what you’ve learned here into your studies?

As I go back to university I’m focusing on being consistent and hopefully graduating with a first (wish me luck!). As it’s my final year, I’m also looking to make the most of it by spending time with my friends and enjoying Uni life. Something I’ve learned here and can take into my studies is how to research and brainstorm creative ideas, and the sort of criteria to apply when evaluating them.