Cost Analyst Review

by IBM

Best Student Employer

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

Rating

4.9/5
  • The Role
    5.0
  • The Company
    4.9
  • The Culture
    4.6

    The Role

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

    • Loved working at IBM. Great relaxed atmosphere, a lot of focus on development of placement students, very sociable.

    5/5
  • 2. To what extent did you feel valued by your colleagues?

    • Part of a small team so was able to play a real role. Had plenty of reports and tasks that I fully owned from day 1. Once I had the knowledge I could put myself forward for new tasks and my team were happy to pass work on to me. I was always asked for input on the weekly team calls.

    5/5
  • 3. To what extent were you given support and guidance by management/your supervisor(s)?

    • Regular meetings with manager to check everything was ok, I had no problems and I had plenty of work to do. Also regular meetings with my Personal Development Manager to review my Individual Development Plan. We set regular goals for me to make sure I got everything I wanted out of my placement. Also had regular meetings with my 'Buddy' for guidance on next steps in my career.

    5/5
  • 4. How busy were you on a daily basis?

    • Month end/Quarter end very busy. Always had plenty to be getting on with, during quieter mid month periods I could find time to review my progress over the previous month and draw up new targets.

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

    • My predecessor handed over their entire workload to me in the first month and from then I owned all these regular tasks. Added plenty new tasks that I owned to my monthly workload over the course of the placement.

    5/5
  • 6. To what extent did/will the skills you developed, and training you received, assist you in your degree studies and beyond?

    • The regular review of my achievements and progress really forced me to recognise my strengths and identify personal skills to work on. The whole placement sends you back to uni with a new attitude, teaches you to be pro active and constantly re-assess what you could do to improve your personal skills.

    5/5

    The Company

  • 7. What was the general atmosphere in your office?

    • Got on with my team very well. The open plan office encouraged everyone to talk to each other. Relaxed and friendly atmosphere. Obviously during busy month/quarter ends, atmosphere was a little more pressured.

    5/5
  • 8. How well organised was the overall work placement or internship set up?

    • The handover period between me and my predecessor was very useful. I then did the same for my replacement a year later. Plenty of training/inductions at the start to teach us about working at IBM and how our teams fit into the bigger picture. The Personal Development Manager and Buddy in addition to team support was well organised and very useful.

    5/5
  • 9. In terms of personal training and development, to what extent did the company or firm invest in you?

    • Lunch and Learn sessions, induction events, teamwork activities, Professional development managers...

    5/5
  • 10. What were the perks on your work placement?

    • Flexi Time

    Working from home
    5/5
  • 11. How appealing are future employment prospects within the organisation?

    • Would definitely consider working for IBM again. From placement student you simply have to fill in the application form and pass the assessment centre to make the short-list for a Graduate role.

    5/5

    The Culture

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

    • Amazing social scene with the 70 other interns at my Portsmouth location. Regular nights out, christmas party, Thorpe Park trips etc.

    5/5
  • 13. What was the cost of living and socialising in the area you worked in?

    • Pretty good value for accommodation, food/drink, cabs.

    4/5
  • 14. What was the Nightlife like in the area you worked?

    • Only a few clubs but a great night out. Plenty of pubs/bars.

    5/5
  • 15. Were there many opportunities to get involved in activities outside of work?

    • Sports teams, 'Giveback' which involves joining/creating some form of opportunity to giveback to the local area... e.g. tutoring a school student, painting a playschool fence, running recruitment events at universities, helping out at assessment centres for future placement students.

    5/5
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Details

Placement (10 Months+)

South East

September 2011

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