RFO Finance Analyst Review

I really enjoyed the experience as it gave me a detailed insight into how large corporations operate, and gave me the opportunity to learn new skills and meet new people. Although it has been challenging, it has been very enjoyable and has helped to decide upon my career direction, for what I would like to do in the future after I graduate from university.

At Janssen, students areb treated like all other employees, and are given large amounts of responsibility from the start, therefore your contributions made are noticed and valued. Furthermore, working as part of a team means that everyone feels valued, where all members have common goals.

Having my manager based abroad was something which I had to get used to, but using the technology available, we are able to communicate and have a good working relationship. However, I also have a mentor based in the office in which I work, and she is able to provide support whenever needed, and has helped me as lot during my time here.

During my placement, I have tailored my role in order to gain the most benefit out of it. When I first started, I found that I had the capacity to take on more responsibility, which I subsequently asked for. Now I find that most days are busy and stimulating, with different tasks and projects. Due to the role that I am in (Financial accounting), certain periods are busier than others, for example quarter ends, but these too prove to be interesting and full on!

Each member of the team is responsible for certain tasks or processes, with each one being important and necessary for the business. At first this can seem daunting, but you quickly get used to it, and as mentioned earlier, I sought out to find further responsibilities early on in my placement to make a larger contribution to the team and to make the most of my placement. I have found that if you don't ask, you won't get, and that the team are happy and willing to give extra responsibility if you want it.

The main skill I have learned during my placement that will help me with my studies are dicipline and time management. This is something that I certainly could have improved before my placement, however I feel that this has improved and will help me in my final year at university. Furthermore, the skills and experience that I have gained will help me in my future career, as hopefully this will assist in a smoother transfer out of university and into the working world.

During busy periods, such as quarter ends, I have found that eventhough all members of the team are under a large amount of pressure to deliver on their tasks and responsibilities, the general mood remains positive and supportive. This is generally the case every day, and the team functions very well together. I was surprised at first of how informal the atmosphere is, as well as being very friendly and supportive. Before my placement, I did not fully undertand the importance of team work, however, shortly after starting my placement, I found that having a good team environment is important, where each member has to work closely with one another.

The placement has been very well organised, and even through a changing department and working environment, there has been clear direction and understanding about taks and responsibilities. The set up and training was well organised, with a handover period from the previous placement student, as well as on the job training mand support from colleagues. The handover period (2 weeks) proved to be very useful in intergrating the new students into the company, as well as getting to know each other better. On certain occasions there could have been better understanding and organisation, particulalrly with concern to my manager being based abroad and the responsibilities that they have over my role, however, this was quickly resolved, and now there is clarity over this.

The students at Janssen are given the opportunity to get involved in training specifically designed for them, ranging from Excel training to personal development. These are very useful, and help with personal development. Further to this, students are able to take on projects, depending on their department, as well as collaborating with other departments to gain a broader perspective of the company. These are often iniated by the student themselves, and provide variety to the role that they are in.

I would be interested in applying for a job at Janssen after university, but perhaps in a slightly different role. Although I have enjoyed the current role that I am in, I would like to gain experience in a different role, but still related to finance.

During the handover period with the previous placement students engaged in various different social events, including meals in the area and nights out. This was really fun as we got to know our predeccors well along with the other placement students in our year group. Since we have had occasional social events, including birthdays, but has been difficult as every student is busy at certain times, however we are currently organing the social events for the handover period that we will be giving, which should be fun!

The area is relatively cheap, especially considering how close we are to London, however rent can be quite expensive. For social events and nights out, the pubs and bars are reasonably priced, so doen't always have to be an expensive night out.

The area has a few bars and pubs, however there aren't that many in the town centre, and can be quite boring. London is close by, which offers far greater variety, however this comes at price!

There are numerous volunteering and fundraising opportunities, for example we completed the 3 peaks challenge as a student group in order to raise money for MacMilan Cancer Support, which proved to be very fulfilling. Also, the department often has team events outside of work which are very fun.