Hello, my name is Bryony and I’m the newest member of the Makemedia team.

Having finished my degree at Brighton Uni in International Events Marketing I, like many graduates, spent most of the summer trawling through websites looking for the perfect job to make my huge debt all worthwhile. I lost count of how many job applications I made and was feeling very disheartened by the lack of response from most of them. I was just about ready to give up hope when I stumbled across an exciting Marketing Assistant Internship (hosted by the Sussex Internship Program) here at Makemedia. From looking over the website I got the feeling it would be a good company to work for.

Why should you take on an intern?

• Interns provide fresh ideas and enthusiasm!
• It’s a great, low-risk  way to meet potential employees and see how they would fit into your company
• Around 70% of interns are recruited after their placement through the Sussex Internship Program – showing how valuable interns are.
• The Sussex Internship Program will support the graduate financially (low risk to your business) and saves you time by selecting the best candidates for you to consider
• You will be helping a student gain valuable experience (good karma)

Makemedia previously used the Sussex Internship program to recruit a Junior Developer intern who was permanently recruited becoming a valuable member of the Makemedia team. Similarly, Makemedia have also worked with a postgraduate student on a final project – who is now our Marketing Manager.

How do you get the best out of your intern?

I was attracted to the opportunity to pick up new skills and develop existing ones but at the same time being encouraged to develop my own ideas. I’ve worked with Laura to develop marketing, with the production team to improve processes and have even become a prominent member of an internal team developing the 3D stadium explorer – my favourite project! To me it was clear Makemedia obviously understood the definition of internship was not:

In-tern-ship
-Noun
1. Makes tea & Coffee, and carries out general office housekeeping
2. Completes any boring or unappealing task other staff members cannot be bothered to do!

Although I am happy to make refreshments every now and then, Makemedia provided me valuable support and mentorship to develop my skills and experience, in turn kick starting my career. At a difficult time, internships enable graduates to break the vicious cycle of not being able to get a job without experience but not being able to get the experience without a job.

Advice to graduates

My advice to graduates looking for an internship would be to select your internship carefully – some businesses use internships as cheap labour. The Sussex Internship Program offer a range of internship roles based in companies in the local East Sussex area and research other institutions and the companies themselves for internships they offer.

Sussex Internships are financially supported. For me this was a major plus point – however much you want to further your career paying the bills is always an issue!

I predicted my internship would prove a positive step away from me returning to the depressing prospect of the dole queue…and I was right! Makemedia offered me a part time job starting straight after my internship. I am enjoying working for Makemedia and I really appreciate the chance they gave to me to prove myself.