Placement Year Review at PRGX

The Role

Role Description

Working as part of a small team to analyse and audit the accounts of the client company. Work involves using a computer most of the time, working with spreadsheets and accounting software with the aim of determining if the client company has been overcharged by suppliers or made unnecessary payments; the objective is to recover this money by communicating with suppliers.

1. To what extent did you enjoy your work placement or internship?

★★★★★☆☆☆☆☆

Rated 5/10

There were moments when I thoroughly enjoyed my placement but, equally, there were also moments when I did not.

2. To what extent did you feel valued by your colleagues?

★★★★★☆☆☆☆☆

Rated 5/10

I didn't feel like a complete stranger as colleagues would seem interested in me, however there were times when there was a "them and me" atmosphere. I did not feel like I was fully accepted/seen as one of them.

3. To what extent were you given support and guidance by management/your supervisor(s)?

★★★★★★★☆☆☆

Rated 7/10

In terms of the actual work, there was a lot of support and guidance when I asked for it. It was of a very good quality and it helped me learn a lot about accounting and how to deal with suppliers. I have rated only 7 stars here as on some occasions the guidance from a particular colleague was of a poor standard and did not lead me in the right direction.

4. How busy were you on a daily basis?

★★★★★★★★★☆

Rated 9/10

There was always something that needed to be done and I was always given plenty of tasks to work on. There was a brief period of time when I felt I had too much to do, but this is not the case in general. There was a good amount of work to do and it was manageable.

5. How much responsibility were you given during your placement?

★★★★☆☆☆☆☆☆

Rated 4/10

I was not given a tremendous amount of responsibility, but I thought that this was the perfect balance. Sometimes I was responsible for setting up extremely large spreadsheets and other files which the team would use in time. Other things would include locking up the office when leaving work, contacting suppliers direct and demanding refunds, and treating the work as confidential due to its nature. I would like to have had more responsibility in terms of communicating with employees within the client company and perhaps having more control over the emails and letters I sent out.

6. To what extent did/will the skills you developed, and training you received, assist you in your degree studies and beyond?

★★★★★★★★★★

Rated 10/10

Everything I learned on placement is invaluable to me. The things I learned about accounting will enable me to have a better understanding of the financial side of any business. I also had real-world business experience so I have developed my dealings with people. I feel more prepared for the business world now and I have a clear understanding of what is expected by an employer. In my final year studies I will now be more organised, motivated and diligent.

The Organisation

7. What was the general atmosphere in your office?

★★★★★☆☆☆☆☆

Rated 5/10

There were moments when the atmosphere was quite light, comfortable and positive, yet, equally, there were times when I felt uncomfortable and disliked by some colleagues.

8. How well organised was the overall work placement or internship set up?

★★★★☆☆☆☆☆☆

Rated 4/10

I had two mentors - one for the first half of the placement and a different one for the second half. One mentor was very well prepared and taught me a lot about business and accountancy. The other mentor, however, was not very well organised and gave me a big workload. The initial training was minimal and I felt a little lost at first. I do not feel that there was a set structure for developing me and helping me learn.

9. In terms of personal training and development, to what extent did the company or firm invest in you?

★★★★★★☆☆☆☆

Rated 6/10

When I asked for help, it was given to me. There were not enough "systems" in place to help me develop as a professional. I was shown how to do things and learned a lot about business and accounting, yet I do not believe there was enough focus on getting me where I want to be. Some things I had to learn for myself or certainly work out for myself.

10. What were the perks on your work placement?

★★★★☆☆☆☆☆☆

Rated 4/10

• Flexi Time
• Financial Bonus

11. How appealing are future employment prospects within the organisation?

★☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆

Rated 1/10

I was not offered a job with them and was told that I would not even be considered for employment if the opportunity arose. Future employment prospects are not appealing.

Other Information

12. Was there a good social scene amongst any fellow placement students/colleagues?

★★★☆☆☆☆☆☆☆

Rated 3/10

There weren't a lot of people of my age who worked in the company or the client company. I did not really actively partake in the social scene in that area, simply because it was too far from home and would prove difficult for me to get home after a night out, for example. Croydon is good for night life in some respects - a good selection of bars and clubs, including Tiger Tiger and All Bar One.

13. What was the cost of living and socialising in the area you worked in?

★★★★★☆☆☆☆☆

Rated 5/10

Pretty expensive in places as it is close to London but you can always pick up the cheap stuff from Tesco.

14. What was the Nightlife like in the area you worked?

★★★★★★★☆☆☆

Rated 7/10

A good nightlife experience in Croydon. A lot of people go out there, and probably one of the best places to go is Tiger Tiger for clubbing and eating out. It isn't fantastic, but it's not poor. I would not consider Croydon to be very safe though.

15. Were there many opportunities to get involved in activities outside of work?

★☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆

Rated 1/10

None really.

In addition to these questions, is there any extra information you would like to leave about your experiences on your work placement that other students may be interested in?

I would not recommend this placement to anyone. I did not feel valued. I felt uncomfortable some of the time and this hindered my enjoyment. If you consider this placement then make sure you have an interest in accounting or finance, are tough-skinned and are the type of person who can put up with small failings within the company that are not fully recognised by management.

Review 2/2 for PRGX

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