Placement Year Review at ProspectSoft Ltd

The Role

Role Description

My placement was a hugely varied experience and the work load mirrored this. I managed to get experience from different areas of the sales cycle ranging from nurturing new sales leads to dealing with existing customer issues. The new sales nurturing involved me using various different channels of communication to talk with the relevant contacts at these businesses in an attempt to book an appointment for a consultant to go out and meet with them. On certain occasions, this would also include me going out with the consultants to experience the face to face side of B2B sales and becoming more familiar with the various features involved in the ProspectSoft sales process. I also did a lot of work with ProspectSoft's existing customers too including overcoming any issues they maybe having, selling add-on products, writing specifications for bespoke work, chasing in orders and organising existing customer events. I also have to liaise a lot with members of our reseller network and all the different teams in ProspectSoft.

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

★★★★★★★★★☆

Rated 9/10

I looked at the Heinze's and IBM's of this world and were very impressed by what effect a name like that could do to my CV, however after discussing it further with family and friends, I began to understand that it was less about a big name giant company and more about learning how businesses work and really have a more vital and meaningful position on my placement, in which I can genuinely have an impact. My placement at ProspectSoft delivered this in abundance. I have thrived on the responsibility given to me and every question I have ever asked has always been answered in a thorough and friendly way. The diversity of the work I have done has been great too! I really have received a fully comprehensive and enjoyable 13 months. Thanks ProspectSoft!

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

★★★★★★★★★☆

Rated 9/10

Because of ProspectSoft's size, you are part of a fairly close knit group of people and your are also a vital cog in the larger ProspectSoft machine. This results in your peers and managers having to entrust you with great responsibility and thus I felt like a very valuable member of the ProspectSoft team.

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

★★★★★★★★★★

Rated 10/10

This has been a major factor in me getting the most out of this year. If it wasn’t for the whole management team and directors putting their faith and confidence in me I could not have had the opportunity to shine like I feel I did. They are also some of the easiest going and friendliest people to work with and learn from.

4. How busy were you on a daily basis?

★★★★★★★★☆☆

Rated 8/10

I'm not going to lie, this year has been very challenging and one aspect of this is the work load. This is down to the fact that it is a "proper job"! This is not a tea making position, its a full blown sales position and thanks to that, you get a "proper experience"!

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

★★★★★★★★★★

Rated 10/10

As with any full and proper sales position, with it comes a lot of responsibility and I have been given this in abundance this year.

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

Previously, I had only ever worked in the B2C market for a large high street company. Working at ProspectSoft has expanded my knowledge hugely to include how the world of B2B sales and also how SME's work too, which has been fascinating considering that SME's account for 99% of all enterprises in the UK.

The Organisation

7. What was the general atmosphere in your office?

★★★★★★★★★☆

Rated 9/10

There has been some great banter around the office. The sales managers are great, fun loving people and they were always there to pick you up on a bad day and have a giggle on the good days! The whole company is fairly young, so there is a great vibe about the place.

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

★★★★★★★★★☆

Rated 9/10

Thanks to ProspectSoft's past experience with placement students, they are very good at equipping you with what you need to shine on your 13 months with the company. Also, as I understand it, this is going to take another leap forward in the next year or so with the placement academy, which is just another demonstration of ProspectSoft's dedication to the placement scheme.

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

★★★★★★★★☆☆

Rated 8/10

There was an initial few weeks intense training on the product and then lots of learning in and around the job. Also, when new products and versions are released there is often plenty of training around those areas. Ongoing development tended to be embraced in to the regular reviews that were scheduled in with my line manager.

10. What were the perks on your work placement?

★★★★★☆☆☆☆☆

Rated 5/10

• There were no perks with this placement year

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

★★★★★★★★★★

Rated 10/10

My placement was pretty much a year long job interview. Luckily, I managed to impress my managers and the directors at ProspectSoft, so much so that they have felt inclined to offer me a job, and the prospect of returning is a very exciting one.

Other Information

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

★★★★★★★★★☆

Rated 9/10

I have made some great friends this year. There is always something going on and if not, people are always open to suggestions and up for something fun to do.

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

★★★★★★★☆☆☆

Rated 7/10

Being a Northener, I thought that moving down south was going to be a ridiculous hike in prices, but its actually not that bad around the area.

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

★★★★★★★★☆☆

Rated 8/10

Depending on where you live, there are different grades of Nightlife. High Wycombe is not too great, however London is only 40mins on the train and Oxford is a 25min drive away, which means there is plenty of scope for a good night out.

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

★★★★★★★★★☆

Rated 9/10

There was always someone going out for a meal, going to the cinema, wanting to play some sort of sports or just fancying a drink. There is a large diversity of tastes and preferences within ProspectSoft, there is pretty much something for everyone. And if its not currently happening, you can definitely make sure it does.

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?

Getting the placement opportunity at ProspectSoft has been one of the best things I have ever done. It has opened my eyes to so much about the internal workings of a business and general protocol in and around the B2B arena. There is nothing like applying the knowledge you have learnt in Uni to a real life job and this position has helped me come on a lot in my knowledge of business and my application of that knowledge. It's a fun, vibrant and great place to learn, experience and make a real difference to a very successful organisation. I can't wait to come back!

Review 18/30 for ProspectSoft Ltd

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