Earlier this year (23), The Cusp welcomed Maya Blackmore as an intern Marketing Officer in collaboration with Career Boost at Swansea University. At The Cusp, we are dedicated to providing outstanding internship experiences that are rich in substance and quality. We believe in creating extraordinary journeys of self-discovery and empowerment. Today, we have invited Maya Blackmore to share her insights about her recent internship experience with The Cusp. Maya will take us through her journey of honing essential skills, embracing a culture of continuous learning, and contributing to meaningful marketing initiatives. Here’s what she had to say…
The Cusp: Did you acquire any new skills during your internship?
Maya Blackmore: Definitely, I gained soft skills in the form of improved workplace communication and commercial awareness, more professional skills such as how to put together marketing tendors and pitches, social media analysis and the processes and strategies which go into structuring a marketing campaign and company launch and blog writing. I gained technical skills in word press and Canva as well as experience with organisation platforms such as Trello and slack.
TC: You met The Cusp through a pitch at the iBroadcast Pitch, would you do that pitch differently after your experience?
MB: Iād use a more structured approach to my market and platform research and give more evidence for why Iād chosen to take the approach and strategies that I did.
TC: Has your perspective on marketing and business changed after your experience with The Cusp?
MB: Without a doubt, prior to university I worked as an associate accountant, and it just wasnāt for me. This experience made me hesitant to enter a corporate setting again as I felt I wouldnāt be heard; Iād struggle to progress or just not enjoy the environment or work. However, The Cusp changed this perspective. I learnt how to integrate my personal and professional personalities which is something that I struggled with prior. Itās also shown me that working in business can be enjoyable and prosperous if you find the company and team which suits and supports you as both an individual and a professional. I always try to keep my options open as you never know what opportunities will or wonāt arise but Iām currently looking for a role in business or marketing for after graduation.
TC: Were there challenges in your internship, and if so, how did you handle them?
MB: There were challenges entering an industry which I had minimal experience in and with a start-up and any company really. Thereās so much to do that it can feel overwhelming at points. However, Louise was really supportive and encouraged confidence and open communication, so I learnt quickly how to ask for clarity and how to prioritise my workload, which are skills Iām incredibly grateful to have learned this early in my career.
TC: In what ways has your internship influenced your career path and personal development?
MB: The internship definitely cured my fear of corporate life and Iām aiming for a role in business after graduation. It helped me realise that I need a fast-paced role to keep me engaged and improved my commercial awareness.Ā From a personal perspective itās really helped with my imposter syndrome and given me more confidence in my abilities, helping me to realise that Iām valuable enough to set boundaries in my work, which is something Iāve always struggled with.
TC: What advice would you give another student thinking about going down the āCareer Boostā route?
MB: Go For It!! Studying at university is the optimal time to explore all possible career paths whilst gaining both soft and technical experience. Iāve carried out internships, programmes and courses via career boost and theyāve all helped me grow in different ways from professional communication and confidence to media and commercial skills to leadership and teamwork development. The programmes a no brainer for both employability and personal development. Youāll never run out of things to discuss on your CV or in an interview if you optimise the opportunities available.