Starting a new job can be a mixed bag of emotions. There’s the excitement of meeting new people and working on new projects. The anxiety of messing up and saying the wrong thing. And, lurking in the shadows, there’s imposter syndrome.
I joined scarlettabbott as a fresh-faced and bright-eyed project delivery manager, keen to learn and grow in an exciting, fast-paced agency. Since then, I’ve learned a lot, laughed a lot – and asked lots and lots of questions. Here are a few of my month one memories.
Week one
My first day at the scarlettabbott office in York has finally arrived! My train’s booked and I’ve memorised the bus timetable. I feel a mixture of nerves and excitement (it’s funny how those two emotions feel the same). It's anticipation for what’s to come. Will the bus arrive on time? What will my colleagues’ first impression of me be? What do I do for lunch?
Despite arriving 15 minutes earlier than expected, office manager Jim is ready and waiting to greet me and give me a tour of the office. I learn the important stuff: where to go in a fire and where the teabags are stored (Yorkshire Tea, phew).
I expect a few cultural shifts from my previous agency to scarlettabbott. But I’ve been given a shiny new MacBook. As a lifelong Windows user, an entirely new system is daunting to say the least. Thankfully, Jim is super patient with me while I learn the ropes and is always on hand to help me make the most of my device.
After that, it’s time to meet the team. Everyone is super friendly, and it’s clear that these people know their stuff. I’m blown away by their support and kindness.
Day two arrives, and with it, an integral part of agency life: timesheets. Jess, our finance assistant and timesheet guru talks me through how it all works at scarlettabbott.
In and around my meetings and intros, I have fun exploring the various Teams channels, where all sorts of inside scoops can be found, from recipe recommendations to smart thinking.
Week two
This week couldn’t have started stronger, or been a better indication of the amazing company I’ve joined.
First big announcement of the week, we’ve won ‘Best Performing Agency (small)’ at The Drum Awards. There’s a tangible buzz in the office at the announcement, so when the next big splash drops, and we discover we’ve secured investment from private equity firm LDC, the office is electric.
I learn pretty quickly that, at scarlettabbott, the planner is God and Bibs, our ever-helpful planning producer and studio manager, is king. So adding your name to the planner and booking your first ever design time is something of a rite of passage here.
To do this in my second week feels amazing. I walk away from Bibs’ desk on a real high – this is it now, I’ve made it.
The second week draws to a close with more talented people such as our Heads of Creative and our ever-insightful cultural anthropologist, Alex. To finish it off, I sit down with our HR manager Shelley to check in and make sure I’ve got enough support in my first few weeks – a resounding yes!
Week three
Three weeks in and I’m beginning to get the lay of the land. I know who we are and what we’re about, so naturally the next step is finding out what the future of scarlettabbott looks like.
This is where our CEO Jeremy steps in to talk me through our vision and strategy. It’s great to have one-on-one time with Jeremy, something that I haven’t seen in bigger agencies. I appreciate his transparency as he walks me through – I love how it’s the team who came up with our growth pillars and how he champions team and talent.
I’m soaking up as much knowledge as I can. After spending my first two weeks reading every resource and watching every workshop, now it’s time to put it into action by joining more calls and shadowing my fellow project managers.
Finally, what better way to round off week three than with the scarlettabbott Christmas party at the Cosy Club in York. It’s a fun night with many bottles of prosecco – and it’s a great chance for me to meet our London team.
Week four
As we wind down for Christmas, it’s a great moment to reflect on my time at scarlettabbott so far and make some goals for the New Year. I’ve met more clients and even picked up my first solo project brief for one of them. A daunting prospect, but one I feel ready for after watching my manager Lucy in action (and taking copious notes!).
My first month has gone faster than the biscuits in the chapel
kitchen – but it’s been a blast. It’s been challenging at times, but
also highly rewarding and full of surprises (I’m now a MacBook convert).
Bring on the next project!
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