Pattern Cutting Intern Review

I have thoroughly enjoyed my internship at ASOS. I have learned so much and made so many valuable connections. ASOS is also a great place to work in terms of work-life balance and they really encourage you to get involved in everything and take advantage of the social aspects such as Friday Drinks and the Summer/Christmas parties!

From day one my team were so friendly and welcoming - it didn't take long to feel like a real member of the team rather than a temporary intern! They really listened to what I wanted to get out of the placement and were very open and easy to talk to about work and life

My manager made sure that I received software training which has been invaluable and will really help me in the future. We also have monthly catch ups where we talk about anything that might be affecting my work as well as setting objectives to make sure I'm always progressing and reaching realistic targets

Most of the time I was very busy as I help a number of people in my role and am always having to juggle and prioritise in order to get everything done. However, everyone was aware of how much work I had so it was totally acceptable for me to say no sometimes if I had too much on. This being said, there were a few periods where the team were not very busy and due to software licences I couldn't do much to help. This could be a bit frustrating and I got a little bored at times but I was always able to ask if there was anything I could do and keep busy!

During my placement I was given more and more responsibility and was left to be quite independent in terms of getting work done and meeting deadlines. I was essentially co-managing a department by the end and was left to complete quite large projects which have a real effect on the project

The software training I received will be invaluable to me in future as I will use it in my final year at university and beyond. These skills along with my development in terms of time management, professionalism and networking will really help me in future as I now feel a lot more confident in my skills than I did at the start!

The general atmosphere was always very friendly and open. In terms of how busy it was, this differed quite a bit as sometimes everyone was very focused on their tasks and other times the atmosphere was quite casual and chatty. It was always a great place to work though and I never felt uncomfortable

The internship scheme is very well structured with monthly intern sessions focused on developing personal and professional skills. Setting regular objectives with my manager and have catch ups also ensured that I was always moving forward with specific goals in mind

The software training I have received was not something they had to do so I really appreciate them taking the time to do this with me. The intern sessions were also really useful as they have helped me become more confident in skills such as presenting to groups and networking

I would love to work here after graduation and I have spoken about this with my manager. There is a possibility of me working freelance during my final year and then hopefully coming back full time after I graduate. This isn't an official offer however as I do not have anything in writing and am aware that this will depend on the headcount and budget at the time of my graduation

There was a great social scene at ASOS among the interns and across the company. I was lucky to be involved in a charity event early in my placement at which I made friends with a number of people outside of my team and we regularly get together after work to go to the pub or hang out. The parties and regular social events also really help!

Being London, it is quite expensive to socialise regularly and this needs to be factored into personal budgeting to an extent. However, as ASOS offer a number of events with free drinks this makes things a little easier!

I don't go out too often in Camden although I've been to quite a few pubs which are all nice and usually packed with ASOS staff! There are also great clubs and bars in Central London which is only a few tube stops away!

There are so many opportunities to get involved in such as sporting events, charity events and social gatherings