Distinctly Academy: recent graduates Q&A
Distinctly Academy is our bespoke internal programme for university graduates, designed to help launch graduates’ careers with us.
It includes a transparent onboarding schedule, a full training plan and clear review processes. All is explained in full in our Distinctly Academy Handbook, and further information on working at Distinctly can also be found on our Careers page.
Two of our most recent university graduates share their Distinctly Academy experience in our quickfire Q&A.
Hannah Poulter
Hannah joined us in June 2022 as a Junior PPC Executive, after graduating from Oxford Brookes University, where she studied Business and Marketing Management.
Describe your experience of joining Distinctly and your role
The transition from uni to your first job is a big life change and all the uncertainty can make it a slightly daunting one. Having previously completed work experience at a digital marketing company, I knew I wanted to join a marketing agency. And from the moment I joined Distinctly, I knew it was the perfect environment to make the leap into working life. The clear onboarding process helped make the start of my career as smooth as possible and I was warmly welcomed into the company.
As I had no prior PPC experience, my team gave me plenty of support, alongside all the necessary training on the ad platforms. All this guidance helped me grasp my responsibilities with ease, and quickly made me feel part of the team.
Six months after joining, and with the help of the regular review process and objectives, I’m now a PPC Executive. I run day-to-day PPC activity on multiple accounts and have been given the opportunity to lead client calls. This extra responsibility has really expanded my PPC knowledge and made me more confident using PPC platforms.
What do you enjoy most about working at Distinctly?
One of the things I enjoy most about working at Distinctly is working with a wide range of clients in various industries. There’s also a flexible working environment, so whether you’re an early bird like me or you prefer a later start to your day, you can work when it suits you. Hybrid working gives me a good work-life balance, with more time to do things I enjoy on the days I don’t commute to the office.
One of the best things about Distinctly is the emphasis on training, even after progressing from being a junior. We’re always encouraged to explore areas that we’re particularly interested in and begin to develop specialist knowledge and skills. Unlike companies that just want you to do well at your 9 to 5, Distinctly wants you to grow as an individual and develop your career rather than just getting the job done.
Emily Bailie
Emily joined us in January 2022 as a Junior SEO executive, her second role after university. She graduated from the University of Liverpool after studying Communications and Media Studies.
Describe your experience of joining Distinctly and your role
I think it’s a natural instinct to feel scared about starting a new job, but when I started at Distinctly I was made to feel comfortable from day one. There was a detailed onboarding process laid out for me, which included spending time getting familiar with the company and clients, which definitely helped me settle in. Having regular 1-2-1 catch-ups with my manager throughout the first few months made it easy to ask questions and get support during that initial transition period.
Within the first six months of joining Distinctly, I was already getting invited to client calls, where I was responsible for taking notes and keeping track of the clients’ SEO performance.
Now, just one year later, I’m an account executive for multiple clients. And I’ve recently taken on account manager responsibilities, which is the perfect next step for me so I can start thinking more strategically about SEO.
What do you enjoy most about working at Distinctly?
I really appreciate the consistent encouragement to develop professionally. After passing through the Distinctly Academy, training isn’t thrown out of the window and you’re still given time dedicated to learning and growing independently. That could be taking time to read industry news, watching a webinar or attending an external training session. It’s always interesting to hear what the rest of the team share and learn from their experience.