Behind the scenes at Crocstar
Four and a bit years ago, I started as an intern at Crocstar, a content agency with offices in London and Derby.
At the time, I was also working as a sales assistant at a major supermarket chain and desperately wanted to do something I was actually interested in. So the thought of interning at a creative agency was exciting.
But way back then, I had no idea how much Crocstar would shape me and my career – I thought it was a nice little addition to my CV. Thankfully, it was so much more.
Steady progression
One of the best things about working within an agency was how my career developed. It was a steady progression, so I never felt too out of my depth.
I started to go to more client meetings (something I was initially super nervous about), then after getting to know the client, I handled meetings on my own. This then developed into being the point of contact for clients that were ‘mine’. It felt good to have responsibility and it helped me raise my client game.
The best team
Before Crocstar, I could never understand why managers treated their staff unfairly – I’d always think: we’re the ones making you look good! In retail, it always felt like ‘us and them’, which for me, created an unpleasant atmosphere.
Because the people at Crocstar are amazing (and partly because it’s a small team), I was treated as an equal and with respect from the start. I was so used to following orders and pre-empting the moods of others, this new ‘being nice to staff’ took me a little while to get used to. People actually listened to my ideas here? Wild.
So millennial – a colleague just asked me if I had a pen drive and I had to ask what it was. YOU MEAN A USB STICK RIGHT #OverheardAtCrocstar
— Shannon (@shazzzzakhan) August 22, 2017
No two days are the same
I’ve been kept on my toes through the years, in which I’ve:
written a radio script for East Midlands Trains
met Isy Suttie (Dobby from Peep Show – she did the voiceover for the script)
spent the day filming with a gas service engineer
interviewed the people of Derby about their favourite doughnut
made a Snapchat filter for Bustler street food market
helped the Department for Education with a content design project
filmed, edited and produced a cocktail masterclass
This is part of the reason I’ve loved working at a creative agency so much – the sheer variety of work: it’s different each day. And although there are projects that continue for a few weeks, there’s always something that crops up (yes, sometimes at 3pm on a Friday) that needs doing ASAP.
This fast-paced, agile style took a little getting used to, but after a month or two, I loved it.
Skills for the future
Everything I’ve learnt at Crocstar is a skill that’ll help me in my life and career in the future.
I started as a 21-year-old introverted, not-so-sure of myself intern. I’m leaving as a confident, 25-year-old (that experiences fewer not-so-sure of myself moments).
Now, I’m heading to Nottingham University to do a PGCE in secondary English. Because I’ve been lucky enough to have a brilliant education both at school and in my career – I want as many other individuals to experience this too.
Although it sounds like a total career change, a lot of what makes me think I can succeed is the teaching I’ve received (and consequently put into action) at Crocstar.
If you’re looking for your next marketing role at a company that values your input - or want to work with an agency that really cares about what they do, give Crocstar a call.