Event/Office Co-ordinator

My placement with Mountbatten was really enjoyable. It was a great way to experience a year in New York as a local and gain professional experience.

My placement at BritishAmerican Business was an incredibly busy one. Often it felt that everyone was too busy to make conversation or acknowledge hard work - but when those moments came they were made all the more special. I knew I was valued as I was continuously given more responsibility through the year, and there were a few staff events which were always marked, such as staff birthdays with lunch, cake & gifts provided. Those little things really made a difference.

Colleagues within my placement were generally supportive, but it was difficult to obtain feedback due to the busy nature of the office. Mountbatten had a great support network in place, but gave you enough freedom to live as adults and form your own lifestyle and support networks amongst other interns etc.

Incredibly! BritishAmerican Business is a small office with a huge number of clients and there was always something to do. I hit the ground running when I started and barely stopped until end of play on my last day. Despite this, I learnt an awful lot; not only about the business and roles I carried out, but also about my capacity to deal with various situations and work out what I wanted to do in the future.

A huge amount. During my placement there was quite a large amount of staff turnover, and I was tasked with picking up the extra work along with the others who remained in the office. About three months into my placement I was given a different role to the one I'd started with, but because they couldn't find anyone to take my original job I was asked to take both roles on simultaneously, which I did. It was an unusual case but it led to me being able to show my capabilities, and toward the end of the year I was given the responsibility of managing my own event from start to finish, which was a big achievement.

I have moved into a completely different area of work now, but the skills I picked up during my placement have been invaluable and certainly transferred well into what I'm doing now. My job was heavy on organisation, communication and time management. Doing a dual role meant I had to work quickly, often under pressure to get things done. It has given me lots of examples for interviews! One of the other things that came out of the placement was confidence. Being immersed in American culture really boosted my confidence in a way that surprised me. I was never shy about coming forward, but after a year there it made me a lot more positive and sure of myself, which definitely helped when I got back to the UK and started looking for jobs.

We were going through a difficult time with the recession and people leaving the office, so it wasn't brilliant. That said, management did what they could to boost morale and generally it was a good place to work. The Mountbatten staff, who we saw on a regular basis, were always in good spirits.

Very well. From the initial application to sorting out US tax returns back in the UK, Mountbatten were very helpful. The cost of the placement has gone up since I did it, but based on my experience the whole internship was organised incredibly well and was ridiculously good value.

I didn't complete any training on my work placement, but Mountbatten's classes, which are part of the placement package, were good. I really enjoyed learning about the history of America and I have just sent off a copy of my Cambridge Certificate with a job application!

I always use examples of my time with Mountbatten in interviews, and still regale tales of my time in New York to anyone who'll listen. The placements are only for twelve months so it's highly unlikely you'll be able to continue on in New York (or London), but the alumni network always has job vacancies advertised. My placement company actually offered to sponsor me for another year (outside of the original Mountbatten placement) - but this was a rare offer and not something to expect or rely on at the end of your placement. I still keep in touch with the company, and when I left they gave me references for a while when I was applying for jobs.

Yes! Mountbatten is like being at university - because all the interns live in the same place there is always a party going on somewhere. Trips to various places around the US are organised all the time and there is always someone who has found the latest place to be or the best free stuff to do around the city. Because you tend to get the same flights out together, you can make friends straight away - I'm still friends with the guy I sat next to on the flight over all those years ago!

It's as much as you want it to be. It's very easy to find free things to do in New York, but it's just as easy to blow your entire allowance in the first week. Eating out is relatively cheap so I never cooked at home, and there are plenty of student bars to help with happy hour...

Fantastic. New York is the city that never sleeps for a reason.

There are lots of things you can do in your spare time, and Mountbatten recommended a few things to get involved with, including volunteer work.