Sales Excellence Manager Intern Review

I feel very lucky to have experienced my Placement Year at Microsoft. What I appreciate the most is how much I have learnt and grown as a person. I have gained so many new skills and developed myself as a person. You have loads of opportunities to learn certifications for free and put them on your CV even if you wanted to leave for another Company. I couldn't have asked for a better year!

Coming into a big company you feel very scared to say the wrong thing or think differently or suggest something with fear it is wrong, however not at Microsoft! Since joining is it made very clear how much they value your suggestions and input and want your voice heard equally as much as other full time employee's. Every employee I have worked with or met has been so welcoming and eager to help wherever they can. It's truly refreshing.

My manager has been amazing this year. Not only does he want the best for me within the company but for myself as an individual whether I leave for another company. Throughout my year he always offers amazing feedback and certifications to achieve, all helping me to better myself as a person and put me in the best situation for my future career. He always made sure to make time for me and answer any questions I had and support me with any projects.

Some days are busier than others which is expected but you are supported by everyone to help you manage your calendar and make sure you have equal time between meetings and time spent getting work done! One thing that's great about Microsoft if that they really encourage a healthy work life balance, and don't ever expect you to work past 5:30!

During my placement year I have been given far more responsibility than I could ever imagine! As long as you are willing and happy to take more responsibility you are able to do so, but also if you find you're quite swamped with some work and need to priorities other work then you are able to express this and take a back seat for the time being. I love the fact that other than my main role I was given the freedom to work on areas of the business that interested me!

Working in such a big organisation means I have been lucky to go on multiple training courses and perform a wide variety of work each day. This has been truly invaluable to not only my career growth but personal growth as I have learnt so much about how I am in the work place, what motivates me, how best to engage etc! All of this relating massively to my degree in Business Studies as I have learnt how a successful business runs!

The offices in Reading were so light and full of colour it was such a positive place to work, I am yet to come across someone who wasn't friendly! Even little things like having someone from reception welcome you with a good morning! Even the head of security made sure to introduce himself to us and said we were able to go to him with any issues we had! The office spaces were very modern and you were able to work in lots of different environments, even the swings if you wanted to!

The HR Team were amazing at answering any questions we had and made sure to stay in contact. They organised a Welcome Day for all interns joining prior to our start date which was really informative and helped inform us with situations such as living arrangements. They also created a Buddy scheme with the previous interns which was really supportive.

Multiple times did the company invest money on bringing in other company's to run sessions such as Self Branding to an amazing Insights Discovery session to Self Confidence in the work place, which helped you learn about yourself and appreciate the differences of others. I feel very lucky for all the training I have received this year.

The company has a really well respected grad scheme which I have heard lots of good things about from the new grads which have joined. They are provided with lots of training and investment into their development. They are able to travel and learn and are supported to adjust to the full time working lifestyle.

As an intern cohort from the beginning we were doing lots of socials together which made us feel really close. We were encouraged to join other socials amongst work such as a football or netball club. We even had two social secs within the interns to help organise events for us and make sure we all felt like a community.

I live in Reading wasn't too bad cost wise. Our salaries definitely covered cost with enough to live comfortably. The social aspect in Reading is really good too as they are lots of different places to go for a few drinks or eat. They have the shopping centre Oracle too which is really modern and clean. Reading is also a student city too so there were many students nights which made the cost a lot lower.

Nightlife in Reading is good when you're with the right people! The clubs aren't the biggest compared to other city's, however they were still a good laugh and if you're into karaoke you will love it! There's a good mixture between pubs, bars and clubs which is nice for everyone! They are also close to each other so really handy if you want to go to a few in one night.

There are loads of different social activities that you can get involved with outside of work, if you are really into sports there are many local clubs which will accept you. Additionally they have a lot advertised on shared Reading Facebook pages which is really friendly! Definitely something for everyone.