Name: Kirsty Pamment
Job Title: Marketing Assistant
Recruitment Function: Commercial – Construction Marketing
Degree Course: Business Management
University Attended: The University of Newcastle-upon-Tyne
Current Business Unit: Construction Services and Development
Location: Scunthorpe
Joined Corus: August 2007

Why did you choose to work for Corus?

I chose to work for Corus because I wanted to obtain a placement that would enable me to broaden my knowledge and gain a valuable insight into the running of a large company. I believed that working for Corus would give me invaluable experiences and the opportunity to achieve my potential with such a reputable company, which has proven true. I had heard from many sources that Corus is highly regarded for graduate recruitment and I had also noticed the recent rise in the “Times Top 100 Graduate Employers” ranking. This gave me the belief that Corus was dedicated to its graduate programme and I have definitely found this to be the case. Corus is a thriving company and I was very eager to become a part of the success. I felt that they offered me the opportunity to develop many key skills over a wide spectrum, giving me a good base on which I could build on in the future and I feel that I am constantly achieving this objective with the support of Corus.

What does your current role involve?

Working within Construction Marketing, I have been involved in all aspects of the department activities. In particular, I have been given several responsibilities of my own. Management of our image gallery and some of the photography have been made my responsibility. I have also been asked to create and maintain a project log of all of our business activities which will enable me to gain an in depth knowledge of all of our projects and how they are delivered and achieved. I am now managing our case studies and press articles; including circulation and output form PR agencies as well as the project management of trade press advertising. The management of delivery and cost of advertising is now my task also. This has consequently made me accountable for the control of a very large budget, which will look great on my CV, as will all of the responsibilities I have mentioned. As well as gaining key skills and knowledge from all of the above, I am also thoroughly enjoying the challenges they entail.

What training have you received since joining Corus?

I was taken on a half-day course of driving training. Corus arranged this for me to ensure that I was confident enough to drive any car that I may need to drive for business purposes.

Please describe development opportunities you have had since joining Corus?

I feel I am constantly developing whilst working for Corus. I have daily interaction with senior managers and have regular interaction with clients, customers and suppliers. During my year placement I am going to be given numerous opportunities to shadow the commercial function managers and activities, giving me valuable exposure to the operations of the department.

What are your future career aspirations?

Having currently completed several months of my placement, I have confirmed my belief that I would love to work within the marketing function. I will definitely be applying to come back to Corus as a graduate and if given the opportunity I would relish the opportunity to achieve my potential with the company. I have realised that I have a real passion for selling and that I enjoy the daily interaction with people from all backgrounds. Alongside others, I completed modules in marketing and economics whilst at University and the chance to apply the theory I learned to real-life business situations has been an exciting experience for me, which I would love to develop further. My experience here has been highly enjoyable and rewarding and I would be delighted to be given the opportunity to come back and work in any function, not only marketing.

Do you have any hints/tips/advice you would give to someone applying to Corus:

My simple advice to someone applying to Corus would be;

• Do your research into the company to enable you to talk confidently about the business and its activities.
• Be confident and passionate about why you want to work for Corus, what you can bring to the company and what you hope to achieve from it.

Tell us something about your business unit location:

I am located in Scunthorpe for my placement year. I thoroughly enjoy working here for many reasons. Firstly, the people I have met here have been very friendly and I have already made some great friendships with my colleagues. Secondly, the location is ideal as it is only five minutes walk from the city centre. Finally, there are a lot of students living and working in the area and there is great local nightlife.