My Time at Show+Tell by Charlie Knockton

My Time at Show+Tell

During the University holidays I was regularly told by family, lecturers and the occasional old man in the street that four months off in the summer was ample time to coordinate some work experience.  I thought it would also help answer a question usually posed by Grandparents… “What do you want to do with your life, you can’t wake up at 11am forever” – my Granny doesn’t seem to surface before then in any case so I find it a perplexing why such a question/statement was directed my way.

I was studying marketing so wanted to gain experience in a creative agency environment, clearly the most glamorous of settings to share with family friends children, who already have a life mapped out for them…no I do not want to wear a suit and tie to work in the bank.

After applying to a magnitude of well-known agency internships in London, yet never receiving even a response (manners cost nothing), I decided to stay local and got in touch with the kind folks and dog at Show+Tell in Harrogate.

After speaking with one of the Directors, who is arguably one of the kindest humans on earth, I was offered a 2 week placement that could progress if they thought I was up to the task, they kept me on for the summer – Hurrah!

I was automatically given interesting responsibilities that were of weight, such as researching for events and website copywriting, rather than the expected make a cup of tea or create an excel chart.  This made me feel like a valued member of the team and gave me a triumphant insight of how a creative agency actually works.  Every question I asked was answered, regardless of how trivial it may have seemed, and I worked with the senior staff from day one which greatly helped me develop my team-working skills, something University is not attuned at teaching.

Much like elephants never forgetting, Show+Tell looks after their clients as if they were panda cubs hot from the womb, and thus the most important things on planet earth.  I noticed that every client is treated as an individual with their needs and requirements specifically tailored to them, rather than the other way around.

If it wasn’t for my time at Show+Tell I am sure I would still not have a clue about a career, perhaps I’d be working in McDonalds.

Alas, this is not the case, thus a thank you, as large as the distance to Jupiter directed towards everyone Show+Tell, the most friendly and supportive working environment I will have the pleasure of working in!