Analyst Review

I enjoyed the placement very much, I worked with many different people in different teams completing many tasks alone and taking on responsibilities throughout the year.

I felt very valued. I was treated like an Associate, just as the rest of the new joiners that weren't on placement, rather than being seen as 'just an intern' for example. The team spirit was very good in my placement and everyone got on extremely well, making it a great working environment

There is a buddy and counsellor system that help you get to know the team and get setup then support you throughout the year, providing guidance for your end of year review and how to get the opportunities you want.

It varied massively. When projects were busy, lots of the team chip in and help which can result in a very busy couple of weeks followed by quite a quiet couple. It always balanced out quite well though

As much as someone who has graduated uni. I could have as much or little responsibility as I felt comfortable with, but I was allowed to liaise with clients independently and complete tasks on my own which made me feel very valued.

The skills I developed this year are helping me endlessly in final year. I have much more confidence to try things out for myself and belief that I can get things working. I have also developed a lot of soft skills such as presentation and training skills which are also helping a lot with final year.

There was a great atmosphere - everyone got on really well Senior management were very approachable and also part of the fun in the office so the team felt very close and very supported. I consider the team friends as well as colleagues now.

There was about 80 placement students across the company and throughout the year, training days and events were held for us all to meet up and keep in touch. This really helped as you had a network of people in the same position as you to share your experience with.

The company invested in you as if you were a full time employee. I got many training opportunities - the same as any graduate or full time employee. They invest in you quickly to make you useful to the team and working with the clients with the aim of you graduating and being in a position to start again with a base knowledge if you are hired.

Very appealing - the placement year counts so if you are offered a job at the end, you go in a level higher, based on your 1 year experience. They invest in you throughout the year so it's actually within their interest to hire you back as well as long as you show you are productive in the year.

The events for placement students throughout the year often consisted of training or Corporate Social Responsibility days followed by a meal in the evening which was a great opportunity to catch up with everyone and share experiences. The cluster specific socials were also very good, ranging from large company-wide events to team drinks or activities. A particular highlight was a 'ClueQuest' night where in teams of 4-6, you had to break out of a room using the clues inside in a given time.

London was very expensive for living and socialising. The basics such as food shopping and essentials weren't too different but the rent was almost twice as much as my student rent and activities/going out was quite pricey. However London salaries are competitive to help combat this.

Working in city centre was very beneficial for the nightlife. There were many pubs, restaurants and bars around work and there's a lot of good transport links to other places for more of a 'night-out' feel. There are a lot of good places for post-work drinks which a lot of the companies around there use weekly - it's a great atmosphere.

Opportunities are quite endless in London, it's just about looking around and finding what you want. As an example, I did a Diving course once a week for a few months at the Olympic pool in Stratford to meet new people and try something different. There are also clubs/teams inside of work (Football, Women's Network etc.) too that are very good to get involved.