Financial Analyst Review

I thoroughly enjoyed my placement as it gave me the chance to sample what a real office working environment is like and work within a finance department. This gave me the platform to test the waters of the potential career path I will be going down after I finish university.

There is definitely an importance shown at IBM for valuing others in the workplace. I felt valued by the actions I completed as most of the files I worked on or with had teams of people relying on the integrity and accuracy of those files. So I had a chance to show my value through the completion of those files.

During the first few months, when I was still learning my role, I was supported and given guidance by the intern handing over to me and also by my manager whenever I struggled with any files. They helped me through the process until I was at a point I could comfortably carry out the processes myself.

During the first few months, I was very busy all the time as I had to learn numerous processes behind completing the files under my responsibility. Once I was comfortable with the files I was working with, the busy times tended to be around month end, quarter end and year end.

Within my team, I was given a lot of responsibility. I worked on an account IBM had with a client and was responsible for assigning account codes and work items for employees to claim their time against. Without this information, work could cease to continue on this particular account so it was important to maintain/create those codes.

I believe this years experience will definitely help me to tackle the last year of uni due to the routine a job like this requires you to have. Also, it has helped by giving me a taster of the work life I could potentially expect after I finish my studies so I will be better prepared when I do reach this step.

The general atmosphere in the office was slightly temperamental but on the most side, relatively calm. Obviously, during busy periods such as year end, the office would become quite hectic due to a lot of staff being on hand and lots of various meetings going on between different departments to finalize numbers.

I believe that the overall work placement set up was very well organized. IBM not only supply you with a day to day line manager, but also assign you an EPM (Early Professionals Manager) which is there to support you throughout your placement and helps you to explore any other avenues.

In terms of personal training and development, IBM have such a vast quantity of development that they offer and almost always implore you to look into. There are various education classes online which help you understand the business as a whole and also in more detail depending on what you are interested in.

There are some very appealing future employment prospects at IBM and these are showcased through various events and discussion panels over the year where current employees will walk you through their career journey. This gives you a chance to see real life examples of how people have already made the most of the future prospects they had when they were in our shoes.

There were not that many interns based at the same site as me so at first, it was a bit of a struggle from a social perspective. However, over the year, you do end up making friends as you all work so closely together and spend so much time together anyway.

Portsmouth is a relatively cheap area for cost of living and socializing too. Nearly half my pay went on bills and rent but the remaining amount left over was enough for me to engage in social activities as well as any other things I wanted to do with my fellow interns.

Portsmouth nightlife was not the best out there in my opinion but anything will look like a good idea when you have been working a long week at work and have just entered the weekend and are looking to de-stress. It was okay for the occasional night out to be honest.

I believe this is one the best things about having a placement year at IBM. Due to the monumental size of this company, the amount of opportunities made available to you will allow you to pursue any career path as IBM will tend to have its hand in anything you can think of, allowing you to speak to experts in that particular field.