CRM Communications Assistant Review

I throughly enjoyed working at BMW. It wasn't long into the placement where I felt I was doing a real job and having an impact within my team and on the business. There are so many opportunities to gain experience and develop your skills and get heavily involved in the company. The placement surpassed my expectations and I have gained invaluable skills and business experience but also had a lot of fun and met some great people.

Everyone is really easy to work with and the majority of people truly value the work placement students put in. You are not segregated for being a student but treated as one of the team.

There was always help and advice available if needed. I had quarterly reviews where objectives were set and discussed. My manager advised not only on my projects and challenges with my work but also on overall performance and personal development.

My team was recruiting for a new position and there was therefore more work than normal for my team. Personally, I enjoy the pressure and high work load however there was always a lot to do.

I underestimated how much responsibility I would be given. My role crossed over many departments and therefore had a direct impact on others. I managed key projects independently and was responsible for many national campaigns.

I believe what I learnt over the placement year has been and will be more valuable than what I have learnt during my university studies. In relation to my final year; my placement has provided a context to which I can apply theory and I have real life/business experiences to use. Further than this; the soft skills I have learnt and developed are all transferable and will therefore definitely assist in my future career.

Everyone was really friendly and happy to help. Naturally there are times when people are stressed but generally everyone was relaxed and enjoyed being there which was reflected in the atmosphere. There were some days where it was particularly quiet but most days there are lots of people in the office.

The recruitment process wasn't too clear and there could have been more/better communication to the placement students prior to starting. Once there; the majority of the teams are used to having students and there is a clear position for them within the team.

Initially, placement students go through a (one day) training academy. Beyond this; there are opportunities to go to further training and development courses. None if these were compulsory but they were reasonably regular and easy to sign up for.

BMW is a fantastic brand and the results of my work have been very rewarding. The company has many benefits and opportunities which are appealing.

Groups of students lived together for the year and most of the students socialised together in the evenings and weekends. There were also occasions where work colleagues also met. We would often have meals/drinks for people's birthdays.

Being close to London has an influence on prices in the area. For socialising; there are different options depending on your budget.

I didn't experience any night life in the town where the offices were but the nightlife where I lived was good. I was also close to London which was a bonus.

There are a couple of sports clubs which meet/train after work but not a huge variety.