Junior Associate (Industrial Placement) Review

I enjoyed many aspects of my time at AlphaSights both in terms of the role at the company, as well as the social side too. I learnt a lot from the work I was engaged in and developed management skills from those I work with on a daily basis.

As a placement student at AlphaSights, you are never seen as the 'intern'. You are valued equally to any other employee and given many challenging opportunities throughout the placement.

Each placement student will attend an introductory training week whereby management will go over all the core elements of the Associate role. Additionally, your manager and mentor will support you with any issues you may have throughout your time at AlphaSights whether it is regarding the work itself or future opportunities during/post university.

AlphaSights is growing rapidly and they are constantly recruiting new graduates into the company to keep up with the demands of their clients. As a result of this growth, a placement student is almost always busy on a daily basis, particularly when more responsibility is given to you as your placement progresses. Also, other initiatives outside of your day to day role can consume a lot of your time which means it is very rare to not have your hands full!

One of the main attractions of AlphaSights as a placement student is the responsibility that you are given throughout the year. You are trusted to work with prestigious clients, manage whole projects and take ownership of your work which comes with a lot of responsibility. You are given responsibility to build strong relationships with your particular clients and have control of your own P&L account.

As with most business degrees, it is crucial to have real world examples and commercial understanding when completing assignments or exams. Working at AlphaSights allows you to explore multiple industries and sectors which not only enhances your general commercial awareness, but also provides you with specific examples that can be used in your final year of study.

The atmosphere at AlphaSights is energetic, fast paced and exciting. As a company that predominantly consists of recent graduates, people approach their work in an enthusiastic way which encourages great team work and a fun working environment.

There wasn't too much structure to my placement, simply because I was one of the first placement students that they had employed. However, the benefit of this is that you were expected to integrate and work alongside full-time employees and take on as much responsibility as everyone else.

Within your team you will have both a manager and a mentor to provide ongoing training throughout the year. Additionally, you will be allocated a 'buddy' that will typically be in a different segment whereby you can meet them to discuss ideas or issues while on your placement. There are also training and development sessions with groups of employees to discuss your experiences at AlphaSights and your future career aspirations.

Working at AlphaSights lets you understand various industries and work with a range of investment clients which can open up many doors for future employment. Alternatively, in my case for example, I was offered a permanent role for after graduation at AlphaSights to continue working in the Client Service Team.

Absolutely - as a very young and vibrant group of employees, many social events take place whether it be after work drinks, sports trips or summer retreats.

AlphaSights is based in Mayfair and the surrounding area is extremely expensive in terms of rent. I lived about 30 minutes commute to the office and I was paying approximately £700 a month on rent. Socialising around this area is relatively expensive too but there are good transport links to go to cheaper areas if ever.

There are some great pubs and bars in the area, as well as some lively restaurants and rooftops which are particularly great in the summer months. However the Mayfair clubs are inevitably very expensive.

Even as a placement student, there are many opportunities to get involved in initiatives outside your daily role. This could be activities such as charity work, social initiatives or sports outside of the office and you are encouraged to get involved as much as you can.