Business Operations Suport 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

4.3/5
  • The Role
    4.5
  • The Company
    4.7
  • The Culture
    3.6

    The Role

  • 1. To what extent did you enjoy your work placement or internship?
  • This placement year with IBM has exceeded my expectations of the company and opportunity. I wouldn't change a thing if I were to do the year again. I have been very well looked after by the company, and have been given some fantastic opportunities and responsibilities over the year, which have give me a real working experience of a business role within IT.

    5/5

  • 2. To what extent did you feel valued by your colleagues?
  • I have felt like a true member of the IBM team from the start, as a placement student you are part of a larger Foundation community which is part of IBM - you are given a lot of support through this. I was valued by my team and not just there to 'make the coffee's'!

    5/5

  • 3. To what extent were you given support and guidance by management/your supervisor(s)?
  • Guidance and support was offered by multiple senior managers, I have worked very closely with (and supported) managers and partners, who have mentored me and given me valuable advice and feedback over the year, and pushed me constantly with their many requests which have tested my skills and helped me to develop further.

    5/5

  • 4. How busy were you on a daily basis?
  • I was given plenty of work to keep me busy each day, and lots of opportunities to become involved in extra work where I had spare capacity. There are many opportunities to get involved in side projects outside your own role in IBM, as well as many online learning tools to take advantage of to learn new skills, and the Giveback program to offer support to external events in communities. However as with any job I am sure there are busy periods and quiet periods.

    5/5

  • 5. How much responsibility were you given during your placement?
  • I was given a lot of responsibility from the very first month of my placement from pricing very large contracts, writing legal documents for the client, and hosting meetings with the client. I believe gave me an overall great experience and proved the amount of trust my managers had in my work.

    5/5

  • 6. To what extent did/will the skills you developed, and training you received, assist you in your degree studies and beyond?
  • There were some areas which I would have liked to have gained some more experience in over the year, however I didn't get the opportunity to do so. However I have also had experience in areas of the business that I didn't consider would interest me and wouldn't have otherwise picked to experience.

    4/5

    The Company

  • 7. What was the general atmosphere in your office?
  • The office I have predominantly worked in was a client site. In the office was the client, IBM, and our subcontractor - so a big mix of friendly faces. Because it was a client site we did have to dress in smarter clothes than the IBM offices, however the atmosphere was always relaxed. There weren't however any other placement students in the office.

    4/5

  • 8. How well organised was the overall work placement or internship set up?
  • The placement was set up very well, you are guided through the application process step by step. You are given an induction day at the very start of your year, which is a well run two day introduction at the head office. You are then supported throughout the year by a placement manager.

    5/5

  • 9. In terms of personal training and development, to what extent did the company or firm invest in you?
  • There are endless online training materials, workshops, and personal development opportunities within the company to allow you to develop existing skills, and work on new ones. You gain recognition for the amount of time you spend of personal development, and can be rewarded with badges. IBM uses many different pieces of software which you can learn how to use.

    5/5

  • 10. What were the perks on your work placement?
  • Flexi Time

    National Travel

    Financial Bonus

    Company Parties/Events

    Working from home

    5/5

  • 11. How appealing are future employment prospects within the organisation?
  • My experience so far with IBM has confirmed my belief that this is a fantastic company to work for during your early career - I will therefore most definitely be hoping to secure a role after graduating from university with them to continue to develop my career path with them.

    5/5

    The Culture

  • 12. Was there a good social scene amongst any fellow placement students/colleagues?
  • As I was on a client account away from IBM offices I very rarely go to meet up with other placement students in the company. I already knew a few other students from my university, however if I hadn't then I would have had very little interaction with the other students unfortunately.

    3/5

  • 13. What was the cost of living and socialising in the area you worked in?
  • Due to the nature of my placement I received weekly expenses for my living costs. I worked on the client site away from home, and got expenses for accommodation, fuel and food. This made the cost of living for me very cheap, however is only given when working on client sites.

    5/5

  • 14. What was the Nightlife like in the area you worked?
  • I rarely went out in the are that I worked - due to the nature of my placement there were little people the same age as me in the office to go out with, and I lived at home on weekends so tended to go out then. The city is a university city though so there are plenty of nightlife spots.

    3/5

  • 15. Were there many opportunities to get involved in activities outside of work?
  • There were a lot of opportunities available to placement students outside of your day to day role - these included events and conferences, volunteering in helping out at internal and external events, side projects, and even the chance to work at Wimbledon. Most of these tended to be in the London area.

    4/5

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Details

Placement (10 Months+)

Commercial Banking, Business Management, Information Technology

East Midlands

June 2018


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