ABOUT THE SPLENDID FUTURES INTERN PROGRAMME

 
 

If you are looking to take your first steps into a career in Communications, our Splendid Futures programme offers practical experience of working in both PR and social media. The 6-month internship offers four paid openings, twice a year, giving you the opportunity to work on some of the world’s most iconic brands in the food, drink, retail, lifestyle, and culture sectors, getting hands-on experience as a valued member of our creative and passionate team. 

Some of the things you will experience: 

  • Daily analysis of a broad range of national, consumer and industry media titles and online/social content and trends so you learn to recognise opportunities for clients and build your media knowledge and contacts 

  • Drafting copy for communications, press materials and social content 

  • Pitching stories and content ideas for your clients to journalists and influencers 

  • Evaluating media coverage and using social analytics to help your team report results to clients 

  • Organising and helping to deliver media and influencer mailers, from planning and sourcing contents and co-ordinating deliveries 

  • Assisting with events, helping to plan, source suppliers and contribute to budgeting, and hosting guests at the event 

  • Taking part in creative brainstorms and learning how to generate ideas for the agency and clients 

  • Presenting your thoughts and ideas to the team, where your opinions and contribution will be given the attention they deserve 

  • Participating in the Junior Peer Group Leadership process in which we make sure every voice in the company is heard 

  • Always aiming to bring and express the real you in everything we do together 

We are committed to supporting your learning and skills development so that you get the best out of your Splendid experience. You will have a mentor to review your progress and provide you with regular constructive feedback, agreeing goals to assist your career development  

We are delighted that many of our interns are successful in securing a permanent role with Splendid. We are proud that over 25% of our current team started their career with Splendid Futures and now hold more senior positions. For this reason, we prioritise applicants who have finished studying, who are not committed to another job, and who are seeking a permanent role directly after the internship.  

We take our intern programme very seriously and see Splendid Futures as an important entry point for diverse and exciting new talent that will benefit the business, our culture, and the wider industry. 

 

What makes a successful Splendid Futures applicant 

  • Strong interest in pursuing a career in Consumer PR and social media and a good understanding of what both involve 

  • Genuine passion for food, drink and other lifestyle/cultural areas like music, travel, art, and entertainment 

  • A genuine interest in the media with a varied reading list of print and online editorial media, following content from influencers and preferred podcasts.  

  • Understanding and enthusiasm for how the most popular social media channels work, with some knowledge of how brands use them while being actively engaged on them yourself 

  • Excellent verbal and written communication skills 

  • Strong attention to detail and a commitment to producing high quality work 

  • Willing to take responsibility for actions and meeting deadlines with a can-do attitude 

How to apply 

The Splendid Futures programme has four paid intern intakes, twice a year. We advertise the openings around the start of the year and in the summer. Please watch the job openings section of our website here to find out when applications open. 

This role is open to those with and without previous experience in media relations, social media, content creation, events and/or production. Any work experience is useful but not essential. 

You will be based in our office in East London, so applicants will need to be able to attend the workplace throughout the week (although there may be an option for one day per week to be worked from home). 

We are keen to meet candidates from any background so please get in touch if your skills and experience are a fit.  

To support our commitment to recruiting people from diverse backgrounds, we have a blind recruitment process, and we ask that you do not include any personal information in your CV or cover letter.  

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“The Splendid Futures internship was a fantastic opportunity to learn all about the world of PR on the job, while also working with some amazing clients. I had an incredible mentor and with the help of lots of training and support I am now an Account Manager at Splendid, four years later.”

Sophie Barnes, Account Manager, Diversity and Inclusion Champion & Splendid Futures Graduate 

“I could not think of a better start for my career in comms than the Splendid Futures programme. It gave me an incredibly good grounding in the functions of both social and PR, with invaluable facetime every day with the leaders in the company. There is a great system of mentoring with daily check-ins and catch-ups to ensure that you are always progressing, and clear objectives to meet to be eligible for a full-time role following the internship. Most importantly, working with a team of likeminded interns means you will make some brilliant friends with a shared interest and common goals!” 

George Martin, Content Creative & Splendid Futures Graduate 

“Taking part in the Splendid Futures programme has given me the confidence and skill set required to succeed in PR and comms, as it pushed me to be creative, intelligent, and focused.  

Splendid listens and can tailor the internship to focus on the aspects of the role you want to do more of. This flexibility, as well as daily contact with a Splendid Futures mentor, was invaluable to me as a fresh from uni 21-year-old.  

I think the most important aspect that was clear to me from day one, was that I would be joining a team who never really stop having a laugh. It is hard to sum up without sounding incredibly cliche, but that sweet spot between challenging, rewarding work, and bucket loads of fun, is where you will find yourself everyday as a Splendid Futures intern. 

Having worked my way up to being an account exec, I look back fondly on my time as an intern, and one of the most rewarding parts of my job now is mentoring new interns, who find themselves in the same position I did just over a year ago.” 

Thom Robin, Account Executive & Splendid Futures Graduate 

“I would not be where I am today without the Splendid Futures programme. Fact.  

It is truly unlike any other internship. The team gets you involved straight off the bat, whether that is joining creative brainstorms, drafting content or press materials or supporting on content shoots, you will immediately get stuck in. Daily check ins with your mentor will give you the chance to seek out opportunities to try new things and identify areas in which you want to gain more experience. For me, this was getting the chance to work with social media listening tools to identify audience insights which, in turn, inspired a personal passion for insight and strategy. Since then, I have been able to carve a role for myself, working my way to become a Content Strategist, a role which I had not previously considered. In fact, this role was not part of the Splendid team structure, until I shared my interests and ambitions during my Career Review process. The investment in your growth and development is clear from day dot of the internship and it really is designed to set you up for a long-term career. Plus, you get to work with some iconic brands and a wicked team.” 

Chelsie Tang, Content Strategist & Splendid Futures Graduate 

“The internship has prepared me well for a career in PR, as every step of the way I felt like a valued member of the team, assisting in any way possible and this has empowered me a lot. Every week you learn or do something new, so it is never boring, and by using different skills regularly I have felt massive progress in all areas of my professional career. 

Having the opportunity to work in varied teams, with different managers, working styles and client needs has been integral to my development. Learning how to work together to reach a common goal can be difficult as we are all individuals with our own needs and working styles, but once you take the time to truly understand this and each other, it is amazing to see how well a group of people can band together and get the job done.  

I would say that having the opportunity, freedom, and control to build relationships with clients and media has been both fun and eye-opening. It is always nice to get recognition for the great piece of work your team has done or even gratitude from journalists for providing them with the information they need for their next piece. These little wins make it all worth it.  

I found it very beneficial to have a team of interns to work alongside. Having other people who were also going through the same learning curve as I, who could also relate to how I felt, was incredibly reassuring.  

The mentoring programme was (is) great! Having someone who is dedicated to you and your learning is incredibly helpful. I was never made to feel stupid if I had a question, PR related or not (and I had many). Having your mentors book time in your diary for daily catchups made me feel that they genuinely cared – even if after a while I had nothing to say during these meetings as I was getting on well, it was nice to know that your mentor would always have this time set aside for you. I never once felt like a burden.” 

Marni Edwards, Junior Account Executive & Splendid Futures Graduate  

Having left a career in teaching, I was entering the world of communications with little to no experience. I had dipped my toes in copywriting and events organisation, but PR required new skills and mindset. The Splendid Futures programme provided me with structured training across a fantastic client list and helped me to develop skills I still use today. 

The Futures programme has continued to evolve over the years with new training modules, based on feedback from past Futures members, benefiting both interns and Splendid. If you are looking for a way to get into PR & Social comms, we would love for you to join us on the Splendid Futures programme!” 

James Vaughan, Senior Account Manager & Splendid Futures Graduate  

“The Splendid Futures programme was an amazing experience which has set me up perfectly for a successful career in comms. One of my favourite aspects was having a personal mentor who really helped guide me throughout the internship and made sure that I was achieving the best. It is also a great social experience as you are part of a collective of interns who I am still very close with now. I was so glad to have been offered a job as a Junior Account Executive at the end of my internship and I would highly recommend the programme to anyone curious about life in PR/Social.” 

Kiran Sidhu, Junior Account Executive & Splendid Futures Graduate 

“From day one of setting foot in the Splendid offices it was clear I would be learning from a hugely passionate, knowledgeable, and creative team, who were also up for a lot of laughs along the way. Immediately I became a core member of that team, and alongside two other interns, got stuck into an array of tasks, from pitching to media to participating in creative brainstorms, with no two days being the same. 

Guided throughout the internship by a mentor, a few months flew by, and I was offered a permanent role as a Junior Account Executive. Four years later and it is safe to say my initial perception of Splendid was right. Passionate, creative, collaborative, and downright fun. The Splendid Futures programme is a great place to kick off a career in PR and social media, and be given the opportunity, like many of the previous interns, to flourish into confident and competent executives and managers.”  

Tara Chesterman, Account Manager & Splendid Futures Graduate  

Top tips for those starting a career in PR from Splendid Futures graduates, Tara & Marni: 

 

Tara: Starting a career can be daunting. Most of us have a couple of weeks’ work experience, or a few internships under our belts by the time we are looking for full-time employment, but it can still be difficult to know what we want to do, or what we will be good at. School and University undoubtedly teach us many skills, but unless you are one of those lucky few with a clear path planned, it can be tricky to decide which direction to take. 

I didn’t know much about PR coming out of a psychology degree, but I sensed it was fast-paced and dynamic which excited me. So, I made the decision to apply to the Splendid Futures PR Internship, to get some valuable experience in the world of PR, but also because Splendid looked like a fun place to work. 

Here is a brief guide with advice for those starting a career in PR, which we hope will be useful to anyone looking to apply to the Splendid Futures Programme or starting out in PR in general. 

Marni: Ask Questions. No matter how “obvious” you may think the answer is, or how silly you think you may sound, you must remember that it is fine to not know. People are happy to help and would prefer you ask so you are all on the same page!  

Tara: Teamwork is everything. Being a team player is essential in PR as you are constantly in communication with your colleagues. As a junior member of the team, your main job is to support others but, on the flipside, if you ever need support with a task yourself, there will be plenty of people that can help if you ask. Rumour has it that Splendid has ‘the longest bench in east London’, which we often gather around for team discussions. It is one of my favourite parts of working in PR, and especially at Splendid, as I produce my best work when I can share ideas and collaborate with the people around me. 

Marni: Constantly keep your eyes out on the news. It is so interesting seeing what other brands/competitors are getting up to and constantly assessing what went well in their campaigns (or what didn’t). This can then be used as inspiration, or a cautionary tale, when it comes to producing great work for our own clients. 

Tara: Work hard, play hard. PR is indeed fast paced; it’s a lot of fun and every day brings a new challenge with plenty of tasks on the to do list. If you are looking for a 9-5 job, PR may not be for you. Do not let this put you off though, as having a supportive team means that people are always on hand to help and maybe pull the odd late shift with you. In a company like Splendid your hard work will always be noticed and appreciated, and let’s face it, impressing people is the key to extending your stay and hopefully bagging a permanent job. Plus, I am never thinking about that extra hour I stayed when I am sipping prosecco at the monthly Splendid Loves meeting on a Friday afternoon! 

Marni: Create a system to manage your time! At first, I thought I could do it all in my head, but I realised very quickly this just is not an efficient way to work, especially when you have many clients, and the account is constantly moving in different directions. Find a management style that works for you. For me, it is to plot everything down in my calendar so I get reminders and can clearly see what I must do in the day/how long it may take. 

Tara: No two days are the same. One of the things I was looking for when I applied to the Splendid Futures Programme was to not do the same tasks all day every day. Monotony is not something I have encountered while working in PR. In one day you can go from writing a press release, to brainstorming new campaign ideas, and even doing makeup for models at a photo shoot for London Fashion Week! This means that you will never feel bored or unchallenged, and every day brings a new learning experience and opportunity to gain new skills. 

Marni: Open communication is KEY. When I first started sometimes, I would forget to communicate my progress as I felt I knew what I was doing. However just because you know you are getting on well does not mean the rest of the team does! Also, never be afraid to admit you when you are struggling and need help. You would be surprised how accommodating and collaborative people are and there is always a solution. 

Tara: Be passionate. If you are a passionate person, you will go far in PR. When you love what you do, it will show in your work. Even if it is a small admin task, being passionate about the project will drive you to do excellent work. At Splendid, it is easy to get swept up in everyone’s excitement about their projects, so joining in with enthusiasm will go a long way 

Overall, PR is an amazing place for driven, enthusiastic and social people who want to feel like they are learning something new every day. If that sounds like you, my advice is to apply for the Splendid Futures Programme here.