This month, we were delighted to welcome Eva Jafari to the GRA office for a two-week internship.
Currently studying at the University of Glasgow, Eva joined us to get a hands-on look at life inside a full-service digital marketing agency. From day one, she got involved in campaign planning, client research and influencer outreach, experiencing first-hand the fast-paced and collaborative environment that shapes agency life.
During her time here, Eva was eager to understand how digital agencies operate, and how strategy, creativity and culture come together in everyday work. We were really impressed by her curiosity, insight and thoughtful approach, and we wish her all the best as she prepares for her final year at university.
Below, Eva reflects on five key lessons from her internship:
From the beginning of my internship at the agency, I was warned that “no two days are ever the same at GRA”. With each day presenting a new task, challenge, and client focus, I quickly realised that this warning was not an exaggeration. Navigating the dynamic and fast-paced environment at GRA demanded flexibility and confidence. Being immersed in this pace from day one, alongside the collaborative and diligent team at GRA, taught me five invaluable lessons that have already begun to reshape my mindset as I approach the beginning of my professional career.
The significance of developing critical thinking skills
One of the most striking things I observed was how deeply embedded critical thinking is in GRA’s everyday operations. Sitting in on meetings and working closely with the team, whether this involved reviewing Google Ads performance and KPIs or contributing to social media campaign planning, I saw how they consistently reviewed their work, not just asking if it looked good, but whether it aligned with client objectives and truly delivered value. Constant reflection and evaluation were not just encouraged; they were embedded in their processes. While critical assessment and analysis are discussed often in academic settings, applying them in a fast-paced agency environment emphasised to me how important it is to step back, evaluate your work and ensure it is genuinely purposeful.
The importance of promoting a strong corporate culture
From boxing PR packages to compiling influencer lists, or completing competitor research on Google Ads, I learned the truth in “no two days are ever the same at GRA.” However, one thing stayed consistent. The unique and welcoming corporate culture that the team at GRA have cultivated is truly what made my experience. Having such a welcoming yet professional and focused energy in the background made me look forward to every day at the agency, with each task being underpinned with real purpose and impact.
Not only does this approach exist within their internal lines of communication, it extends into their relationships with each of their clients. At GRA, integrity forms the foundation of their approach to building and maintaining client relationships. Specifically, a standout aspect of this integrity was their decision not to take on clients that are in direct competition with each other. This taught me that success in the digital marketing industry is not solely derived from financial performance and client return on investment (ROI). Instead, it also stems from consistently upholding and investing in the core values that cultivate authentic and lasting relationships, an approach that drives the growth and trust recognisable at GRA.
Admittedly, I experienced some initial nerves before starting at GRA. However, seeing how the team communicated openly and creatively through social media channels such as TikTok and Instagram helped to ease those nerves. This external brand presence gave me a better sense of their collaborative culture and ethos, solidifying my impression of GRA even before I set foot in the office.
Learning to take ownership
From the outset, I was immediately trusted with a diverse range of responsibilities, from completing competitor SEO analysis and compiling influencer lists to designing emails on Brevo. This variety not only kept the work engaging, but also exposed me to the full breadth of a full-service marketing agency’s operations.
Initially, I found myself hesitant to trust my judgement, often questioning the quality and validity of my contributions when completing such tasks. Consequently, one of my biggest personal takeaways from my time at GRA was the importance of backing yourself and the work you produce. Jemma gave me some great advice: don’t invite criticism by doubting yourself in advance. Over time, that advice really stuck. By my final week, it was evident that I had a noticeably stronger sense of self-assurance in my ideas, decisions and overall contribution. I learned that presenting my work with confidence made a real difference in how it was received by the team at GRA and, perhaps more significantly, in how I felt about it myself.
Using AI strategically
With ever-developing advancements in AI technologies transforming the digital marketing industry, agencies like GRA are forced to decide how they approach AI and manage how they integrate it into their company processes. With their strategic approach to AI utilisation, GRA have differentiated themselves. By integrating specific AI tools such as fireflies.ai, they have enhanced efficiency for their clients without compromising the integrity and nuance of their work. Witnessing this approach first-hand, I learned how AI tools can be used to streamline operations rather than act as replacements for the execution of strategy.
University and part-time work skills do translate
My time at GRA powerfully demonstrated how transferable experiences from my university studies and part-time role at Waitrose are. Concepts and theories covered during my years of business and social policy studies suddenly became multifaceted as I was working in an environment where they were actively applied when discussing clients in meetings or simply in passing conversation.
For instance, while transcribing client interviews to inform advertising content, I found myself applying techniques from the qualitative research methods modules I studied at university, something I had not anticipated would be relevant in an agency context. My time interning at the agency underscored that, while you can invest heavily in academics, the ability to operate effectively in an environment like GRA is equally, if not more, valuable for your professional and personal development. This challenged assumptions I had prior, enforcing the idea that academics and practical work experience are not mutually exclusive, but rather complementary.
Similarly, completing the internship alongside my part-time work at Waitrose offered a notable comparison between two contrasting organisational environments, differing vastly across dimensions such as structure, size and strategy. Upon reflection, experiencing both simultaneously helped me understand not only how different work cultures and organisational structures influence team dynamics and expectations, but also where I thrive.
As I near the end of my university career, all I have learned working with the team at GRA will undoubtedly play a crucial role in guiding the kind of environments and values I look for in my career moving forward. I left GRA feeling far more confident about what lies ahead, and I am incredibly grateful for the team’s warm welcome, constant encouragement and unwavering support throughout my internship. Their guidance and encouragement have set a standard that I’ll carry with me as I look towards the beginning of my professional career.
