Food Buyer Intern Review

by Marks & Spencer

This review was submitted over 4 years ago, so some of the information it contains may no longer be relevant.

Rating

3/5
  • The Role
    2.9
  • The Company
    3.1
  • The Culture
    3.1

    The Role

  • 1. To what extent did you enjoy your work placement or internship?
  • Working at Marks and Spencer was a good first experience. Although the pace was slower than I thought. Maybe because it was summer? I am a person that constantly want to learn and sometimes I didn't have much work.

    3/5

  • 2. To what extent did you feel valued by your colleagues?
  • Being an intern is not easy. People don't always feel like they have time for you, but they do. They just don't use it efficiently. And they don't all bother to talk to an intern. Some of them were really lovely, but when I asked others questions related to my project, I didn't always get a response.

    3/5

  • 3. To what extent were you given support and guidance by management/your supervisor(s)?
  • My manager was very helpful, yet busy most of the time. Luckily I worked a lot with the graduate food buyer, who helped me a lot. She almost taught me everything and I recommend for every intern to have a graduate buddy. It really helps.

    4/5

  • 4. How busy were you on a daily basis?
  • I was not very busy. It would have been nice to be able to work with the other interns on a group project. My favourite days where the one when I was out of the office, because I felt like I was learning lots of things.

    2/5

  • 5. How much responsibility were you given during your placement?
  • I did not have responsibility. I was a first-year-of-uni intern, so they gave me a project to work on to learn more about the business but I don't know if they will use my work.

    2/5

  • 6. To what extent did/will the skills you developed, and training you received, assist you in your degree studies and beyond?
  • The experience I gained will surely be very helpful in my studies. I am studying economics and business and this food buyer position was perfect for me, because perfectly related to my degree. I got to know a reknown business from the inside and worked with people in a corporation environment. I didn't develop much skills but I learnt about the food business, which I knew nothing about. I will be able to use it as an example in various subjects when I get back to uni.

    4/5

    The Company

  • 7. What was the general atmosphere in your office?
  • The atmosphere in the office was good. People enjoy working there, even if people don't really work as a team. They are divided in teams but I thought team work could be pushed forward.

    4/5

  • 8. How well organised was the overall work placement or internship set up?
  • It was the first time Marks and Spencer was conducting this internship. Organisation was not the best. They surely have lots of things to improve but I am sure with our feedback they will be able to provide a better organisation for the next generations.

    2/5

  • 9. In terms of personal training and development, to what extent did the company or firm invest in you?
  • Very good investment from the company. We had a workshop every Friday. From induction day to the last day, we felt valuable to Marks and Spencer.

    5/5

  • 10. What were the perks on your work placement?
  • National Travel

    2/5

  • 11. How appealing are future employment prospects within the organisation?
  • I found out that being a buyer was not my dream career. I know now that I don't want to work in a corporate world but more on the other side, in the financial one. But this is more personal opinion and I don't want to speak for other people. For example, I know that other interns enjoyed the job a lot! Marks and Spencer has a good graduate scheme, although there are two positions per year (for more than 2000 applications).

    4/5

    The Culture

  • 12. Was there a good social scene amongst any fellow placement students/colleagues?
  • The other interns were really nice, and we got to know each other every Friday a bit more, It was good to see each other every week because we worked in different department.

    5/5

  • 13. What was the cost of living and socialising in the area you worked in?
  • Cost was good and bars cheap.

    4/5

  • 14. What was the Nightlife like in the area you worked?
  • I haven't been out.

    3/5

  • 15. Were there many opportunities to get involved in activities outside of work?
  • Not many.

    2/5

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Details

Internship (1 Month+)

London

August 2016


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