Working at Walk-in Media on a placement year

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I joined Walk-In Media as a Planning and Strategy Assistant on a Professional Placement year. This was a massive change to any work or studies I had previously experienced, and the idea of entering a job with minimal understanding and knowledge was very daunting. However, Walk-In Media welcomed me with open arms and ensured I was set up for success with various introductions and training sessions in my first month. This allowed me to gain a good foundation understanding of all the different teams and capabilities, and day to day tasks. I haven’t looked back since!

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What I have learnt so far?

I have learnt how to use many different platforms and tools such as AdIntel and YouGov, whilst I developed a better understanding of the daily client communications and tasks that are involved in a planner’s job. I have had the opportunity to get involved with a variety of clients and pitches which has been an amazing learning experience and has helped me understand the life cycle of clients within an agency.

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I have grown in confidence since working at Walk-In Media and I only have the team to thank due to their confidence in me and the ongoing support they have patiently and happily provided.

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Challenges I faced and overcame

It was a totally new and alien world to enter. This was my first job in an office let alone a media agency and with the industry being such a fast-paced environment it was easy to get swept up in panic with more than a touch of imposter syndrome. However, I quickly found my feet thanks to my team being so encouraging with regular check-ins and clear instructions. I also had to challenge my self to speak to clients with confidence, again with my manager’s encouragement, it gave me faith in myself.

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Another challenging aspect was the lack of knowledge around the terminology and abbreviations used. To overcome this, I was advised to create a glossary that I could refer to. To this day, I still do this and continue to add to it.

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What I am looking forward to?

I have really enjoyed my past six months and the learning opportunities I have had. I look forward to continuing to grow my understanding of the media industry and my confidence in the daily tasks of a planner. I never thought I would feel this but going back to university is going to be hard, I feel very settled and excited about the new world I’ve joined and I do not relish the idea of leaving at the end of the summer.

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Written by Milly Collins