International Product Management Placement Review

I've thoroughly enjoyed my internship at HBO. I've developed so many skills throughout the previous 12 months which I look forward to using in my future career as well as during my final year at university, Since working for HBO I've also gained a lot of industry knowledge which I believe will put me in a fantastic position when applying for jobs once I graduate.

I felt very valued by my colleges. The staff in the office are friendly and supportive and they made sure that I always felt like part of the HBO family. I never felt uncomfortable asking questions and never felt like 'just an intern'. I was given very real responsibilities and my manager always insisted that I speak to them if I had any issues or queries along the way.

I was given a lot of support by my manager. We would often have weekly one-to-one catch-ups to discuss my progress and my work load. These were really useful because it gave me an opportunity to feedback to them about how my placement was going as well as getting an understanding of which jobs I should prioritize over others.

Although I was normally busy on a daily basis, I never felt obliged to work late or take my projects home with me. I enjoyed having lots of responsibilities because it kept me on my toes and gave me the opportunity to apply myself in different ways. If I ever did feel that I had too much or too little work, I would always let my manager know and they'd help me plan my work accordingly.

I was given very real responsibilities during my placement. Working in the International department meant that I would often be communicating with staff members in France, Germany, New York and Canada. Often the work that I was doing would be sent to employees around the world so there was always an incentive to work hard and do the best that I could.

The skills that I developed and the training that I received is going to be extremely useful to my degree studies and beyond. Having never really used Microsoft Excel before starting my placement, I'm now fluent when creating spreadsheets. I've also developed my presentation, time management and communication skills during my time at HBO which I believe will be extremely useful in the future.

The HBO London office is a very friendly office. I never felt uncomfortable talking to anyone away from my desk and I would often see employees sharing ideas with one-another which helped inspired creativity and teamwork.

My placement was very well organised. I always new exactly what my roles and responsibilities were. This was helped further by the regular team meetings we would have.

The company invested a lot into my development. The other interns and I would often attend training sessions throughout the year which helped us develop the skills that we had learnt further.

We have some ex-interns whom after their placement got a job back at the company after graduating from university. I therefore think future employment prospects within the organisation are promising.

There was a very good social scene amongst my colleagues. The office is based in Soho, and I would enjoy visiting the surrounding bars and restaurants with other interns and staff members.

London is expensive!

Fantastic nightlife in Soho.

There were lots of opportunities to get involved in during my placement year. We were given volunteer days which allowed us to give back to the community. As well as this, I would often visit external companies for meetings and events.