Together trust

This is an agency that I visited this time last year with my portfolio. This year they were looking for volunteers to do placements so I filled out an application form and sent it off. I heard back straight away and Helen Bee who is the design and print co-coordinator of the company asked me to come in for an interview and to bring my portfolio along with me. I felt that it would be good to get her opinion on what she would think of my portfolio now to what it was like a year ago.
Again I felt more nervous on this visit than I did when I went to Absolute Media. Especially as its an interview and apart this one I have only ever had one other interview in my life so I was very anxious.
The interview started with the question 'What would I get out of volunteering at together trust' I said the experience, as I have never been on a design placement before. I thought it would be good to get a feel of what it would be like working in a office. Then I talked through my portfolio and she discussed with me what worked she had to offer based on the work that I had in my portfolio.
The feedback I was given was a mixture of good and bad. This time I felt the visit didn't go as well as I thought it could of. Helen said I had some good work, she was really impressed with the Body Shop work I did with Stacey but she felt I could have made more of the project in my portfolio (spreading it over 3-4 pages), which I intend to do before I finish the course. Also as a packaging brief I should have taken a picture of each product at different angles because that is what any designer would what to see. Helen also liked some of my poster designs and layouts. She said to me that I should sell my work better. To be honest I agree with her I felt so nervous and I let it get the better of me. I think I did explain my work, but I could of explained it better and clearer. Even though I felt the visit didn't go to well I still appreciated all the advice she gave me. She interviews quite a few people so she knows what she is talking about. I will take this advice on board and this will help me with future visits.
Overall the process of getting in contact with agencies has been quite difficult. I contacted so many agencies some didn't get back to me some asked me to send a pdf. They just didn't seem to have the time for me to go and visit them.
My plan for before May 13th was to get at least six visits, and I didn't reach the target which I'm disappointed with. I still intend to keep trying after I leave I'm going to be persistent with agencies. Getting in contacting with absolute media was really good but when I was sort of arranging times to meet with them a few of my emails got missed by them so I rang up and they were happy and i arranged the visit over the phone. So i feel its good to be persistent, not to just leave it at an email, because in the past that is what I would have done and if they hadn't got back to to me I would have just left it. Again this is all about my confidence if I would have been asked in the first year of the course to ring up several agencies I would have struggled or I would have put it off. So I think my confidence has grown to some extent.