An agency’s culture is so important – it represents what it values and sees as important. It’s not something that is built in a day and it doesn’t simply come from hanging a set of values and catchphrases on the wall. It’s cultivated and nurtured by the people. An agency’s people are the lead cast members of the culture; they shape it through their attitudes and behaviours.
Learning to adapt and doing so quickly
Joining a new workplace and trying to integrate into a new working culture is not always easy, you have to understand the surroundings and simply ‘dive in’. As an intern it can be even harder as you might not have the interpersonal skills that allow you to easily adapt. However, at rbl, something just felt different. From day one, the environment had a positive, family-feel about it. I felt part of the team instantly.
As a strategic brand agency, rbl has a dynamic and fast-paced culture where working hours are often not long enough. But even if schedules are tight and days are hectic, everyone is always keen to help each other and offer support to find the best solution together. The success of rbl is expressed by the genuine collaboration of people that are purpose-driven and committed to what they do.
A varied role
My experience has been amazing. I immediately found myself an active player in several projects supporting the team on the creation of strategic reports for clients. One of the beautiful things about being a strategist at rbl is that your tasks (especially during the research phase) are not just confined to the office but include external activities such as workshops and interviews – making your job active and diverse.
Creating lasting memories
One of the projects that I will never forget was when I found myself conducting research interviews with the public. This project really pushed me as I’d never experienced anything like this before – I was asked to wear a brightly coloured tabard and walk around Birmingham and Leamington Spa asking people their views and opinions about engineering as a profession. In the beginning this scared me as I was nervous and embarrassed about approaching strangers and wasn’t sure who would want to speak to me. In the end I found it was an interesting and enjoyable activity that helped me overcome my fears and be more confident, it also gave me some funny ice-breaking stories to tell people and friends – and of course my tabard wearing became an ongoing joke within the office.
I will miss working at rbl and the people who welcomed me as part of their family. It was truly a pleasure.
A new opportunity
We’re looking for an enthusiastic Junior Strategy and Client Services Executive to provide support to our strategy, client services, creative and operations teams. You’ll be working on brands such as the Commonwealth Games, Commonwealth Sport, Motorsport UK, NFU, University of Warwick, Severn Trent, to name but a few. If you’re interested, visit our careers page for full details.
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