Retail Planning & Market Insights Review

Working at Warner within this department was the best experience I could have asked for. I learnt so much about myself and the company, building essential skills needed for the future such as time management, prioritisation and communication whilst learning the ins and out of excel and how this can be utilised to build profit from within the company. The best thing was my colleagues who train and support throughout, helping build confidence within the, at times hectic, working environment whilst treating me like a key member of the team who can make recommendations and have a direct impact to the way the company operates.

Despite this being such a large company, the people you see on a day to day basis within your own department become an extension of your friends and family. Their goal is always for you to do the best you can through highlighting the significance and importance of your own opinions. This encourages participation in meetings and presentations both within the internal company as well as externally to stakeholders including key retailers. It will always be sad to leave them after 12 months, however their doors are always open, and they are always willing to reunite over drinks at the local pub.

My role crossed over two departments, giving me the opportunity to learn from two extremely supportive and intelligent managers, both of whom had very different approaches to their working life. This allowed me to find my own balance and find a way of meeting the expectations of both parties. I would always have a clear idea of my goals and objectives, due to weekly catch-ups and the close relationships within the team. Their high expectations meant I grew as an employee and their support aided me in the particularly tough milestones I faced during my year.

The main issue with my internship is purely due to the intensive, hardworking and pressured nature of the department. Working to meet deadlines of the marketing, sales and operations departments makes time management and prioritisation a core skill to managing your workload. At first this was daunting and almost overwhelming, however for me it became exciting and gratifying.

The responsibility you get from day one is unparalleled to many internships. Your opinion is sought by colleagues throughout the company including senior executives and senior marketing managers. You are solely responsible for key aspects of the operational department and thus have the responsibility to directly impact the performance within these areas.

In addition to the the skills I learnt from my colleagues on a day to day basis, Warner provides extensive training to all placement students on Time Management, Interpersonal Effectiveness and Communication Skills, Team Building, Creating and Delivering Effective Presentations & Understanding Yourself and Others. The skills learnt are not only transferable but essential for any future role.

During busy periods Mondays and Tuesdays often resulted in very time critical heavy workloads, resulting in the team only stopping for the occasional tea break and a much more subdued atmosphere, this would generally ease throughout the week, letting the atmosphere go back to how everyone likes it. The entertainment industry lends itself to entertaining conversation.

My particular role has been running for numerous years so was well controlled right from my initial handover.

Any training or development I needed was provided by either HR amongst my peers (numerous other interns going through similar experiences) or my colleagues within my department, giving me confidence in all the areas I initially struggled with. Their was continual growth right up until my final week, with new challenges being directed my way to enhance these skills.

They have no graduate scheme and the role you perform during your internship is then taken over by a new intern the following year. Although no future employment is guaranteed the relationships you make are invaluable, and many current employees went through the internship programme in their earlier years. The people and the perks of the job make this company appealing to absolutely anyone with a love for film and/or good people.

Working hard makes your colleagues much more inclined to have a good night out. Multiple drinks at the pub and amazing corporate events with numerous free drinks are a very regular and welcome occurrence.

Working in central London always comes with expensive drinks and costly travel. However you can get a loan for a yearly oyster card through the company which comes out of your paycheck each month (so useful!), and free drinks make up for the expensive rounds...

Lots and lots of pubs and bars. I tended to go out straight after work, than to go out late to clubs. I failed to find an amazing clubbing scene in central, but if you pay for it it's definitely out there.

I'm sure if you look there are many extra-curricular activities. Personally I didn't find the time.