SP Diaries #17: Robbie Sheaves, Intern

Here at Socially Powerful, we welcome plenty of new faces every few months.

Our successful internship program sees newly graduated students test out the marketing industry for six months, before potentially joining our office.

These six months are full of learning, growing, and team work.

Let’s see what Robbie Sheaves, one of our current interns, had to say about the program and his learnings.

WHEN DID YOU START WORKING AT SP?

I started working at SP in September 2024.

WHAT IS YOUR ROLE?

Currently I am working as an intern with SP but hopefully at the end of my internship I will be taking on the role of a Junior Account Executive.

WHAT DOES THAT ENTAIL?

I’ve been doing a lot of research, supporting our strategy and creative teams by contributing insights to help them shape proposals. But what’s been really exciting is the chance to work in a creative environment for some fascinating clients, being given the opportunity to help brainstorm ideas as well as present them to clients. 

On top of that, I’ve taken on some account management tasks for existing clients and have even helped run ongoing campaigns. It’s been a really exciting and rewarding experience so far!

WHAT DOES AN AVERAGE WEEK LOOK LIKE FOR YOU?

Generally, I will start the week by offering my help to any project leads or account managers who need it. As a result, the week can vary depending on what comes through for me, but there’s always something to do and no two weeks are the same. 

This is great for me as it allows me to get my teeth stuck into something new almost every week, which is brilliant when you’re trying to learn. At the end of the week I’ll have a catch-up with my line manager and go over everything I did that week.

WHY DID YOU CHOOSE SP/ WANT TO WORK FOR THEM?

I chose to work at SP because I actually worked for them briefly over Summer in 2023 before my final year of University and I loved it. The culture of the office and the people were a big selling point for me. But generally I think the idea of working at an independent company really drew me in as I liked the idea of working closely with my peers and enjoy collaborating with lots of different people around the office. 

WHAT DO YOU LIKE ABOUT WORKING AT SP?

The office culture and the people here are one the best things about working at SP. However, one of the best things I’ve found since I’ve been back is how much responsibility they have given us as interns, giving us the chance to really get cracking but also using it as a platform to let us make mistakes and show us how to fix it. For me that really helps me learn and grow, by not being worried about making a mistake and knowing that if I do, someone is there to help me.

WHAT DO YOU LIKE ABOUT WORKING WITHIN THIS INDUSTRY?

I really enjoy the ability to work across such a huge variety of clients and markets, meaning I can gain a lot of experience working in and outside of my comfort zone. There isn’t a day that goes by where I don’t learn something new.

WHY DID YOU CHOOSE THIS INDUSTRY TO GET INTO?

I studied a marketing degree at University, so the industry was always on the cards for me. I think the most appealing thing about working in marketing is that it is always changing and developing which keeps it interesting. Every week I can come into work and find something completely different in front of me.

WHAT’S THE MOST VALUABLE THING YOU’VE LEARNED ACROSS YOUR CAREER SO FAR?

The most important thing I’ve learned so far whilst working at SP is that everything we do is about telling a story. If you can tell your client an interesting story, they’ll fall head over heels for you. 

WHAT’S THE BIGGEST CHALLENGE YOU’VE OVERCOME AT SP?

The biggest challenge for me has to be that I had my previous role for nearly 7 years (since I was 16!). So I had a really strong knowledge of pretty much everything. However, coming to SP meant I was the newbie again and it was a bit overwhelming feeling like I had to learn everything all over again.

But the people who I have worked with have been really great, letting me learn at my own pace and guiding me when I need it, which has really reduced the pressure I was feeling when I first started.

HOW HAS YOUR CAREER PATH/VISION CHANGED OVER THE YEARS?

Until I actually started University I wasn’t really sure what I wanted to do with my career, I jumped around from one thing to the other but after doing my course I knew that marketing was the route I wanted to follow. Having worked in sales for many years I really enjoyed using my personality and creativity to convince people, and marketing seemed like the next best challenge.

WHAT ADVICE WOULD YOU GIVE TO SOMEONE STARTING OUT IN YOUR ROLE?

For someone starting out in my role, I would really recommend just getting your teeth stuck into as much as you can. The best way to learn is by doing, so whenever a chance comes up to help out with something you’ve never done before, take it.

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