Business Commercial Management Trainee Review

Working for M&S overall is an amazing experience as an undergraduate. I was on their retail management scheme and learnt so much in actually a relatively short space of time. The job was varied and I always busy. I would say that sometimes, especially towards the end of my placement and around Christmas I was too busy but you have to be prepared for a certain degree of stress and long hours.

I worked in 3 different stores in my placement year so become very used to a new set of faces but wherever I worked within a week I didn't want to leave that store. The smaller stores are naturally a closer team and the larger stores can be very professional however, this is a good way to learn how to adapt your communication style. Aside from your store colleagues you'll always have other placement students or graduates who you can always be much more casual with because you're all in the same boat.

The scheme overall is seamless, it runs smoothly and there's areas for spontaneous changes, however I did feel that sometimes especially when I changed store to do a new training programme that I didn't know where to start because foods is so different to clothing but after a few weeks I found my feet. What I did learn quickly is that it's important to say if you don't understand something and don't be afraid to ask because that's what the managers are there for, they don't automatically know you won't know something.

I was never bored ever, there simply wasn't time. At the end of my placement I did a two month appointment as a food commercial and was line managed by the store manager, no guidance, just me doing the role; I have never been so busy in my entire life. I'm the kind of person who relished in the opportunity rather than worried that I was a bit stressed and very busy but there was always something that needed to be done, you have to be striving for perfection constantly to work within M&S.

From my first few weeks I was planning and then running the whole Christmas Food ordering service in a simply food, which is what most placement or grads find themselves doing and this in a good intro into how to recruit, train, plan, resource etc. and the collection days teach you a thing or two about customer service! After this I was in a top 20 store running a £50k a week childrenswear department which I loved, it was increased responsibility but at a steady level. I was coordinating the seasonal launches, managed all the team and I really felt my skills develop. However, when I was running the city centre food hall the responsibility that was on my shoulders was immense, it was a struggling department and I had two months to improve something. It was a huge task and one of the hardest things I have ever done, but it taught me so much.

They were brilliant in this sense, absolutely faultless. I look at the people at university who haven't done placements and even some who have, and thank my lucky stars I got to be with a company like M&S. Even if you don't stay on with them, they'll develop you into such an employable graduate.

As I said earlier it varies from store to store, the smaller stores are often a bit less professional and often a lot funnier stuff naturally happens because you're so hand to mouth in terms of resources. The larger stores have to be more professional because they're the businesses best assests. However, wherever I worked the people were always friendly, funny and kind.

It would have been nice to have been told earlier than 4 weeks notice that I would be moving to Cambridge, but I had no commitments in terms of location and there is an element of spontaneity that's needed to succeed. Overall, you have a booklet that tells you have everything is going to run and what you need to cover in each module, it's very well run.

Masses of training courses on just about every topic imaginable, online learning resources, days specifically for placement and graduate students to ensure we were getting on ok. The company knows what it's doing.

Going back this September to another region to be a commercial manager.

When you met up with the other graduates on training days there was always meals/nights out etc and there's always a good Christmas Party.

Lived at home.

Lots of charity events but nothing really social on a regular basis.