This review was submitted over 4 years ago, so some of the information it contains may no longer be relevant.
Rating
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The Role
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The Company
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The Culture
- 1. To what extent did you enjoy your work placement or internship?
- 2. To what extent did you feel valued by your colleagues?
- 3. To what extent were you given support and guidance by management/your supervisor(s)?
- 4. How busy were you on a daily basis?
- 5. How much responsibility were you given during your placement?
- 6. To what extent did/will the skills you developed, and training you received, assist you in your degree studies and beyond?
- 7. What was the general atmosphere in your office?
- 8. How well organised was the overall work placement or internship set up?
- 9. In terms of personal training and development, to what extent did the company or firm invest in you?
- 10. What were the perks on your work placement?
- 11. How appealing are future employment prospects within the organisation?
- 12. Was there a good social scene amongst any fellow placement students/colleagues?
- 13. What was the cost of living and socialising in the area you worked in?
- 14. What was the Nightlife like in the area you worked?
- 15. Were there many opportunities to get involved in activities outside of work?
The Role
The placement is exceeding my expectations, with how valued I feel, my relationships with colleagues and the responsibility given. I manage my own time and work load by asking for more tasks when required. Some elements of the placement are repetitive, which can be expected in most job roles, but the ad hoc tasks which fill the majority of my time are very varied and fast paced which I enjoy.
I have a good relationship with the small team around me and the wider team. I feel like my work is valued and the office is usually a happy, positive working environment. My one to one review meetings confirmed the value I bring to the team and the wider business.
The marketing team in my office is a team of six, who all sit together within a large, open plan office. This allows guidance and communication to happen instantly, even within casual conversation. If I need help with anything my manager and the team are more than happy to help.
To start with I wasn't busy enough, however I was told to ask for jobs when I needed them. I am now given more work as soon as I ask, keeping my busy. I am not the kind of person who can be bored, so I like to always have something to do, which this role gives if you ask for it.
I am given large amounts of responsibility which influence the actions of the wider business and senior colleagues, such as account managers. The data I collect and send out is used in category reviews with retailers and I have also been give Nielsen training, to extract sales data from the database.
Placement is very different from university, in a good way. Every works together to achieve common goals. The skills I currently feel I will take back to university are personal skills, such as improved communication and confidence. I also think I will put more time into my studies, as having been busy for an entire year it will be difficult for me to justify wasting my days.
The Company
The atmosphere is usually positive and happy. General conversations and friendly banter happen when appropriate.
There was a four week handover from the previous placement student which I felt was too long to be working together. However, it was better that I felt it was too long than not enough. I was also provided with induction meetings from people in each department of the company. The previous student also prepared a handover booklet, with all the information I would initially need in a written format. A couple of weeks into the placement I was sent on the 'site induction' which all new colleagues attend to gain knowledge of general procedures, such as HR and health and safety. I was given a tour of the offices and buildings on my first day. It would have benefited me to have a tour introducing me to colleagues in the wider team, in an attempt to grasp some peoples names!
I was sent on a two day external course on day six of my placement! It was a bit like throwing me in at the deep end, but that's exactly what I needed at the time. There's also currently talk of attending an external excel course, as well as shadowing other people to gain knowledge of different career paths.
Flexi Time
Subsidised Canteen
Sports and Social Club
Company Car
Subsidised/Company Gym
National Travel
International Travel
Financial Bonus
Company Parties/Events
Staff Sales/Staff Shop
Above 25 days holiday
Working from home
Healthcare from home
Healthcare/Dental
Travel loan
I would definitely apply for any suitable roles within the company, potentially at other sites too. My manager has given me confidence that I would be in with a chance.
The Culture
We went on team nights out for various events and the wider team got together for leaving parties etc. The nights out were very few, as people lead their own busy lives.
I lived at with my parents and commuted, meaning that rent was cheap. Petrol was my main expenditure. Rental prices in the area are affordable within a house share situation.
The nightlife was non existent in Selby, but for work socials we went to York or Leeds, which are both within a short distance.
I believe there is an opportunity to get involved with a social game of football on a weekly basis, but that's about it.
Details
Placement (10 Months+)
Business Operations, Data Science, Human Resources, Market Research, Marketing, Recruitment, Retail, Sales
Yorkshire and Humberside
October 2014