Internship Review at Habitat Parisien

The Role

Role Description

Stage de langues
Interfacing with worldwide clientele
Performing check ins
Market research
Various administrative tasks
Before and after care
Etc.

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

★★★★★★★★★★

Rated 10/10

The placement I undertook at the end of my Erasmus year was very enjoyable. I had not only the opportunity to put into practice theory I learnt in university, but also got to meet a lot of new people from all over the world, as well as hone other skills that without practical placement I would not have been able to perfect.

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

★★★★★★★★★★

Rated 10/10

My colleagues and I were all ‘stagiaires’ (interns) and we got on very well. We were all allocated a lot of responsibility, and were rewarded when tasks were done to a high standard. I always felt like part of a team, and everyone helped each other out.

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

★★★★★★★★★☆

Rated 9/10

Anytime I had a question, time was always made to ensure that any problems I had were resolved. Training was also quite intensive.

4. How busy were you on a daily basis?

★★★★★★★★★☆

Rated 9/10

There was always something to do, a client to call, research to be done, or a check in to do, so there was never a dull moment!

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

★★★★★★★☆☆☆

Rated 7/10

As I said above, a lot of responsibility was given to placement students despite the company being a PME (SME). We were responsible for a lot of customer service, answering queries, check in, resolving any issues. We also helped in the development of the company, searching out marketing opportunities and preparing for the implementation of the website.

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

★★★★★★★★★☆

Rated 9/10

It helped me develop my time management skills, which are very important for final year. Additionally, there was a lot of language experience to be had, predominantly French as the post was located in Paris but we were host to a wide variety of nationalities during my placement. I had the opportunity to work behind a desk of a small company and be a part of its development, which made a nice change from theory. At the same time, my computer skills weren’t neglected, having the opportunity to work using a Mac, Iphone and Windows.

The Organisation

7. What was the general atmosphere in your office?

★★★★★★★★☆☆

Rated 8/10

The general atmosphere was friendly, but had an undertone of calm efficiency.

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

★★★★★★★★★☆

Rated 9/10

It was quite well organised despite the placement being in a small company in a demanding market.

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

★★★★★★★★★☆

Rated 9/10

Although company training was quite intensive, a degree of confidence and initiative was needed to be able to work effectively. There were personal feedback sessions with management as I progressed through the placement.

10. What were the perks on your work placement?

★★★★★★★★☆☆

Rated 8/10

• Financial Bonus

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

★★★★★★★★★★

Rated 10/10

My case was somewhat special; I had to leave after the placement to continue my studies in final year. However, I was asked to stay on for an extra fortnight at the end of my placement.

Other Information

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

★★★★★★★★★☆

Rated 9/10

We all became really good friends, so we always spent lunch together in Tuileries, went out at night and also went to see the latest films. We still keep in contact!

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

★★★★★★☆☆☆☆

Rated 6/10

Unfortunately, this was the only shortfall of my placement. Renting an apartment in Paris was relatively expensive. Otherwise, socialising was quite cheap, and with the Navigo Pass you could travel anywhere you wanted on the metro/buses.

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

★★★★★★★★★★

Rated 10/10

You could say Paris never sleeps! Bars and restaurants stayed open almost indefinitely during the Spring/Summer- drinks were cheap and Parisiens were friendly.

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

★★★★★★★★★★

Rated 10/10

There were so many to choose from! There were flyers posted everywhere offering classes, trips out, and many other interesting activities. I found a group on Facebook where ex-pats met up for soirées and the like once or twice a month.

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?

Please contact me should you have any queries!