Emma is a Digital Experience Manager at Hillarys Blinds in Nottingham, where she has worked for the past 12 years. Emma graduated from the University of Lincoln in 2007 with a degree in Psychology and Marketing. During her studies, she completed a Step internship with Broadcast Media Service.
Emma wanted to get into marketing, but she wasn’t sure if she would suit the role. She did not want to take a placement year off university, so she turned to internships.
“Once Step helped me to secure my internship at Broadcast Media Services (BMS), I realised how different the world of marketing was to the world of retail. I realised I could actually do it!”.
As a Marketing Assistant at BMS, Emma had a range of responsibilities. They included designing leaflets and highlighting available opportunities and services with potential customers. Emma feels this experience propelled her career forward and unleashed her potential.
“I was driven by the new levels I had to reach, and I developed both my confidence and presentation skills during this opportunity. I definitely think the impact on my CV helped me land the role at Hillarys, as the professional experience was vital”.
In her current role at Hillarys, Emma is responsible for the online customer experience.
“My team and I manage the website and ensure a good experience for our customers. We are responsible for increasing the conversion rate of the site – essentially trying to get as many of the customers, who visit the site, to go on and book an appointment.”
As an advice to future interns, Emma had this to say:
“If I was to give any advice to up and coming graduates and potential interns, I would say get experience. When I seek to add to my team, I always look for experience in candidates. I would particularly recommend places like Step for seeking out opportunities – the boost an internship will have on your CV is always worth it. I would also say to try and get references as and when you can.”
Emma