Category executive Review

Although there were times throughout the placement when the job was really tough, I worked with some great people and was given amazing opportunities.

Everyone made you feel that your efforts were valued and that your work was really contributing/making their job easier

This differed throughout my placement depending on whether I had a line manager at the time or not, however I felt supported by my whole team - not just my direct manager. This made me feel like I could turn to anyone in the team, which was very reassuring.

Depending on the time of year; there were some days where the time literally flew as I was so busy, however during the summer where many people were away on holiday and the Joint Venture was taking place, there were times when I didn't have enough work on

I was given so many incredible opportunities which came with a lot of responsibility, and was often leading my own projects with external and internal partners.

I feel like I've learnt so much through this placement, and that many of the skills have been invaluable. I also feel much more employable, and that I have so much to talk about when it comes to interviews

The general atmosphere in the office was normally fantastic; when walking around the office you get a sense that there are good friendships rather than just work colleagues. There's also a very welcoming feel from the day you start, which meant that I felt confident in having conversations with new people without feeling nervous. You can tell that it's a very "work hard, play hard" environment and everyone is up for some fun!

My placement was not overly structured, however this is reflective of the nature of the job. There were many tasks that I would complete on a regular basis however I really enjoyed how flexible and variable the role was and how I was able to learn across a number of different projects.

Everyone had time to help and this made such a difference. People were very understanding about how new we were as placement students, and would always go the extra mile to make sure you got the most out of every task. I had not only a direct line manger, but a team mentor and also a mentor from a different team. There were always plenty of people to help with you, and I feel like the company really cared about everyone's development.

I would love to be able to return to GSK and feel like I was able to contribute to my team and make an impact. However, the environment is always changing (as is expected within an FMCG business) and I think that the office may be really different following the Joint Ventute with Novartis. However, I've been told to keep in touch so fingers crossed the prospects look good!

There is an opportunity to socialise with placement students not only on the same floor, but through the office and across the whole of the U.K.! They often organise get togethers in London where you pay a certain price and can have a night out with placement students from across the country. They're good at setting up Facebook groups and sending out emails, however it's more up to the individual and whether they want to take this opportunity!

Housing was quite expensive, but I think it depends on what you're used to! I went to university in Newcastle where rents and the cost of socialising were incredibly cheap. However my housemates from Bournemouth said that the price was very similar. I think that if you're clever and have a good look around then you can make the most of it. Obviously going out in central London isn't cheap!!

It's so close the central London, which has so much going on, that you could find something different to do every night of the week depending on what you're interested in, budget is like, etc. However, in Ealing there was not too much going on. It had lots of restaurants and a few pubs but it was probably better to travel into town for a bigger night out.

A lot of people got involved in sports outside of work, which was a good way to socialise with work friends in a casual way. The way the company would set up Facebook groups for IPs meant that it was easy to make friends and organise activities with those with similar interests in the local areas. Again it's what you make of it!