Placement Year Review at ASDA

The Role

Role Description

My job consisted of the below tasks, but there was also an opportunity to pick up more project style work as the placement went on...

-Signing off press for the category
-Signing off any media for the category
-Managing the marketing campaigns for any category trading events, which would involve working closely with major suppliers such as p&g and unilever, and also working very closely with our creative agency.
-Working closely with the buyers in the trading team, and keeping them informed of the competitors daily press activity.
-Signing off any own label packaging for the category.
-Getting involved in any customer research for the category at key times such as range reviews, or before/after an event.

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

★★★★★★★★★☆

Rated 9/10

I really enjoyed my time with Asda. Although it was hard work it was very interesting, and there was lots of variety within my job, and I really felt I could add something to the team.

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

★★★★★★★★★★

Rated 10/10

The culture at Asda makes you feel like you a part of a family. The open plan layout of the office means everyone is very approachable and 'happy to help'.

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

★★★★★★★★★★

Rated 10/10

My manager was always happy to offer me support, but more importantly it was great working within a team of people who all had a huge level of experience within retail and marketing and were willing to share that knowledge.

4. How busy were you on a daily basis?

★★★★★★★★★☆

Rated 9/10

The great thing about my placement was that once I got to grips with the day to day tasks, I could really make my job role my own. This meant that occasionally I would be extremely busy, however that is what would get me up on a morning, and made me look forward to going to work!

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

★★★★★★★★★☆

Rated 9/10

My job involved a lot of responsibility, however there was so much support and guidance available which meant I didn't feel out of my depth!

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

The placement I have completed has undoubtedly provided me with so much experience that I feel will be invaluable when looking for a job once I have graduated, but also it has helped me put all my 3rd year studies and theory into a real life context. My job involved working on the trading floor with the buyers, but I was also part of the wider corporate marketing team, therefore this meant I gained so much knowledge about the various different functions within Asda, which you could not learn from a textbook!

The Organisation

7. What was the general atmosphere in your office?

★★★★★★★★★★

Rated 10/10

As I worked on the trading floor, there was always something going on in the office as everybody is so busy. There is a great team atmosphere, and there are fun 'huddles' every week which brings the whole team together, which meant that Asda was a great place to work everyday.

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

★★★★★★★★★☆

Rated 9/10

I had a 6 week handover with the previous placement student, which was really useful, then a marketing induction programme which meant meetings were set up for me with the relevant people within the business.

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

★★★★★★★★★★

Rated 10/10

I completed a course with the CIM (chartered institute of marketing), and also attended various other training such as advanced excel, powerpoint and outlook courses in order for me to manage my time more effectively.

10. What were the perks on your work placement?

★☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆

Rated 1/10

• There were no perks with this placement year

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

★★★★★☆☆☆☆☆

Rated 5/10

In order to apply for the Asda graduate scheme I have had to apply just the same way as everyone else, however I have had an endorsement form completed by my boss stating that I am a good candidate, and I obviously have a lot of insight into Asda which someone who hadn't completed a placement wouldn't have. However it would be good if there was someway of being able to fast track onto the graduate scheme if you were successful during your placement.

Other Information

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

★★★★★★★★★☆

Rated 9/10

There were plenty of nights out within the team I worked in, however not with other placement students at Asda. However I know that this year that has changed as one very proactive placement student made a point of arranging get togethers with other placement students!

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

★★★★★★★★★☆

Rated 9/10

I lived at home in Harrogate throughout my placement year, however Leeds is reasonably priced to live and socialise in.

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

★★★★★★★★★★

Rated 10/10

The nightlife in Leeds is fantastic!

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

★★★★★☆☆☆☆☆

Rated 5/10

As I lived at home I am unaware, however I'm sure that there will be!

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?

Asda was a fantastic place to work as it enables you to gain a great insight into the retail industry as a whole, and therefore can really help when it comes to making tough decisions about your future career. I think that completing a placement is extremely worthwhile, and I would highly recommend Asda as a company to complete a placement with.

Review 10/13 for ASDA

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