As we move forward from the last two years of the pandemic and lockdown and the resulting challenges and changes in industry, we have been fortunate to have a placement student with us who chose to spend her year here in the ASG offices.

We wanted to take a moment to hear from Keeva Rooney about her experiences and her plans for the next steps in her professional journey.

Can you tell us about your decision to apply for placement at ASG?

I’ve been pursuing a BSc Business Management Degree at Queens University and as part of that I needed to undertake a year of experience and decided to apply to ASG. At the time, I had not decided what my professional focus would be and was keen to get as much experience as I could to help me narrow down my future career. I had an interest in advertising and marketing so I was delighted that my application to work at ASG was successful and I embarked on a placement that was relevant.

Now, after the experiences I’ve gained and the insight into the industry, I’m completely confident that it’s the direction for me. Going into my final year, I’m going to continue working part time with ASG and knowing that I have a position with the company when I graduate has further emphasised just how positive this last year has been.

Were your expectations met in your placement?

I didn’t have fixed expectations of my placement and started it with a very open mind. I did have a sense that it could be a very corporate environment and was expecting a 9-5 desk job but I quickly found that ASG is a far more sociable place to work. The industry in general is more sociable and interactive and I’ve loved having the opportunity to meet with clients, and to work closely with the ASG team, soaking up as much knowledge as I can.

What do you think you’ve gained from your time at ASG?

I know that I’ve changed a lot over the last year. When I started, I had less confidence in myself, whether it was to meet deadlines, to speak to clients, or to make decisions. Over time, working with the team here and feeling more comfortable with the work we do, I know I’ve grown hugely in confidence. I follow my own intuition more, and the process of attending client meetings and being part of all aspects of a project has given me so much more practical knowledge of the business.

I also realise how much I’ve gained from having been in the office this past year. Many of my friends have had placements that due to COVID have taken place remotely so they’ve not had the experience of working face to face with colleagues and clients. I feel that I have learned so much more from having the in-person experiences both in regards to the ASG team and the clients we work with.

Have there been any stand out moments?

A real stand out moment for me was to have been involved in a full tender process that we ultimately won. Working through the research stage and designing a media plan to fit the brief was really interesting and the reward of success felt doubly satisfying knowing what I had contributed.

Another of my highlights has been to work on the BPerfect Chroma Cover foundation launch. We had face to face meetings with the clients and we put together the campaign via outdoor advertising, a TV ad and a bus wrap which I felt so proud of when I saw it driving around! It’s quite surreal seeing something you’ve worked on from start to finish brought to life.

Any advice for other uni students who are looking to gain some experience?

I would say to just go for it. Jump into everything and even though it might feel intimidating at first, it’s the best way to gain the most experience and knowledge in a short period of time. It helps you to really identify what you want to do and to build up confidence along the way. Learning on the job is invaluable and I’m so happy I had the chance to build up my experience and my confidence through my placement at ASG.

For more information about joining our team view current opportunities here.