Commercial Operations Review

I enjoyed my work placement a lot, more so than I initially thought I would. I found the work stimulating, and the office environment fun to be a part of. My colleagues were both helpful and funny, something which helped me settle in quickly. Across my placement I saw a wide range of interesting projects which touched upon a number of different support functions at Pfizer. I was also able to take part in different functions across the business, opening me up to various different skills and opportunities.

In the initial on boarding stage I was treated very well by my colleagues, who would take time out of there busy schedule to teach me about the company and their individual work, this made me feel valued. In the latter half of the year my responsibilities increased, and this made me feel more valued; I could start to prove myself to my colleagues. I had regular one-to-one's with my manager which enabled me to gain qualitative feedback, and were able to voice my concerns.

My line manager was incredibly supportive, and I was able to tailor my workload to my strengths, as well as have the liberty to pursue projects that fell outside of my specific role. This helped me find that I have key strengths in other business areas, such as sales. We caught up regularly, and she let me aid her in her key projects which gave me a greater sense of responsibility. Overall, I felt well supported and learnt a lot from my manager.

Half the days I was busy with meetings / activities / tasks to be doing but the other half I found I was waiting to be given something to do or for someone to get back to me before I could continue, so I just had to wait. This role required a lot of input from third parties, so there were a lot of telephoning and waiting for external companies to complete their work.

A reasonable amount of responsibility, but not too much that I couldn't handle. I had full introductions to all of the projects that I was the lead on and I never felt like I didn't have the support that I needed, however a lot of the time I was the main point of contact for a lot of the projects, and therefore, if anyone had any issues, they would raise them with myself.

My placement has generally improved my confidence in my abilities and my ideas. I also feel that my skill set is generally more rounded and I am far more employable. During my placement I was also able to identify particular skills in sales, which would have never arisen if it wasn't for the opportunity to take part in trade days and shadow the sales team.

The office is open plan and a really light, glass filled office, which means it is extremely open, friendly and sociable. The general atmosphere is extremely relaxed, and due to our flexible working, it means that the work is completed to a high standard and on time. Everyone is very friendly, the office is open plan and besides desks there are also more casual areas with sofas which are great for informal meetings. People also bring in cake! It can occasionally get a bit quiet on Fridays when people work from home however there is the opportunity to work from home if needed.

The scheme is well structured, you have your own role so it doesn't feel like your picking up others peoples work. Everyone has a personal development plan so you know what you have to achieve by the end of the year. The placement was well organised and we had a great introduction couple of weeks which allowed all the interns to make friends, and get to know the staff and brands. You are also given a very structured work plan which is reviewed on a regular basis.

Obviously, the people at work have their own jobs to deal with, but I was always given support and material that I needed for the job straight on or at any time I requested them. Before I could use any software to complete jobs, I had to complete one-to-one training with my manager before approval was granted, therefore I felt confident in completing the tasks, and using the software to aid in this.

I would consider going back to the company, however, working within a different department, as I have found a job role more suited to me and my skills set. However, the company do not as of yet have a graduate scheme, so this would depend on availability.

There was regular social events created by other students, however this was really difficult to organise due to being in employment full-time, and there being little to do in Surrey.

The area in general was expensive compared to university, however, I believe the wage was high enough to cover this cost if well budgeted. Surrey is an expensive area to live in, but you get what you pay for definitely, some lovely areas and so close to London, perfect commute.

There was no nightlife where I lived or worked, however there are small pubs where you can enjoy a drink. There is also regular transport into London.

Other than the socials created by other interns there were little opportunity to get involved in activities outside of work, however there is regular sport event during lunch throughout the year.