Internship Review at John Lewis

The Role

Role Description

The Summer Placement scheme aims to provide students with an insight into management at John Lewis, and this is exactly what it did. On the first day of the placement, I was put on a department and became a part of that team, working closely with managers in helping, supporting and directing the team as well as customers.

My daily tasks included managing the shop floor, analysing and presenting daily sales figures at the figure round, attending meetings about a variety of current issues, shadowing senior managers, and meeting members of staff from other departments to gain a good overview of the business.

In addition to this, I and my fellow Summer Placement student were set a project to create a tool to help maximise Christmas sales for the store which we presented to store managers. This project meant we spent a lot of time researching and analysing retain methods in the store and allowed us to be creative in presenting it. Our tool was well received by managers and was taken on to be rolled out to all departments at Christmas time.

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

★★★★★★★★★☆

Rated 9/10

I thoroughly enjoyed my time working at John Lewis. Every day was different, challenging, but incredibly rewarding.

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

★★★★★★★★★★

Rated 10/10

From the very start of my placement, I was made to feel a member of the team. If I ever had a question, there was always someone willing to help me. All the staff and managers I came across were incredibly generous with their time and advice.

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

★★★★★★★★★★

Rated 10/10

The support and guidance at John Lewis was second to none. I was assigned a member of the Learning & Development team to meet with every week and discuss my progress and I was astonished at how much I learnt about retail, the John Lewis partnership and also myself in these meetings.

4. How busy were you on a daily basis?

★★★★★★★★★★

Rated 10/10

Because of the nature of retail, there was not a moment when there was nothing to do.

I was given the responsibilty of managing my own schedule to ensure I completed the tasks required of me on the department, and achieved my own personal tasks.

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

★★★★★★★★★★

Rated 10/10

From day one, I was treated as a manager and given the responsibility to match. It iwas amaxing to feel that trusted by John Lewis to take on so much responsibility; responsibility not only to carry out daily tasks, but also to lead your personal development. .

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

I really did learn something new every day at John Lewis and already notice I am using my newly acquired skills in other aspects of my life.

The skills John Lewis can offer to summer placement students are ones which will help in any career you choose to pursue after your degree.

The Organisation

7. What was the general atmosphere in your office?

★★★★★★★★★★

Rated 10/10

The atmosphere was great. Because John Lewis is a partnership, staff really are valued, listened to and encouraged which makes for a supportive and close working team.

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

★★★★★★★★★★

Rated 10/10

The placement was outstandingly well-planned. I was contacted before starting so that I knew where I was going to be placed, what the basic structure of the placement would be and this also meant I had a point of contact in case I had any questions. I could not fault any stage of the placement organisation.

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

★★★★★★★★★★

Rated 10/10

Personal training and development was one of the real strengths of the John Lewis store I worked at. There was never any question of providing it, and my requests for one-to-one training on certain aspects of the business was always met with such enthusiasm.

10. What were the perks on your work placement?

★★★★★★★★☆☆

Rated 8/10

• Subsidised Canteen
• Sports and Social Club
• Company Parties/Events

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

★★★★★★★★★★

Rated 10/10

My time with John Lewis allowed me to get to know the company from the inside, and not just to see the shiny exterior. Having seen how valued staff are and what emphasis is placed on honesty, trust and development, I could not help but wish to work there in the future.
At the end of the placement scheme, I was recommended for the graduate training scheme; to bypass on-line application and join the assessment centre on day two.

Other Information

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

★★★★★★★★★★

Rated 10/10

I worked closely alongside a fellow summer placement student. It was great to have someone to talk to who was going through the same experience.

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

★★★★★★★★☆☆

Rated 8/10

My money did go further in the North-East. I was lucky enough to live at home during my placement, which cut down on costs considerably.

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

★★★★★★★★★★

Rated 10/10

Newcastle has a fantastic nightlife. It is a city where there is always something going on to interest everyone.

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

★★★★★★★★★☆

Rated 9/10

I only spent 6 weeks with the partnership, and did not have enough time to get involved, but there were more than enough opportunities there for more permanent staff.

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?

The John Lewis summer placement scheme is second to none in what it can offer any interested student. I would highly recommend it to anyone interested in a career in management and/or retail.
Whilst I spent my time in John Lewis Newcastle, the summer placement scheme allows you be be placed at any John Lewis department store.

Review 10/20 for John Lewis

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