Buying and Merchandising placement Review

I really enjoyed my year at TJX, the opportunities that were given to you meant you always felt valued and that the company was interested in investing time in you. The year started with 2 months in class room based training, with the new graduates that started on the same intake as you. The training was to learn the systems and understand the culture of the company to get you ready to start, your role as an Allocation Analyst. Once training was completed, I was given my own department to look after. After 7 months in Merchandising, I moved into Buying, where I shadowed Buyers that brought for the same departments as I was in Merchandising for. The experience was very rewarding and I learnt a great deal!

I felt very valued by everyone at TJX, while in Merchandising you are treated as a graduate, therefore have the same responsibilities and opportunities as them. My Merchandising team was great and the office has a friendly atmosphere, people from all levels of the company are interested in what you are doing. The company has an open door policy therefore it is encouraged you speak to other people within the company not just your immediate team. I found that when i asked for an opportunity, my managers were always eager to ensure I was able to do it. For example I wanted to spend a day in the Marketing department which my buying manager arranged for me.

You are given lots of support especially during training, the after training while in merchandising everyone has fortnightly one-to-ones where you are able to discuss how you are doing. TJX has a strong feedback style culture, where you frequently discuss how you have done and what you need to improve on. I think this helped me develop a lot during the year, as I was made aware of areas I needed to work on. In Buying it is more hands off, and you need to drive it yourself if you want to get opportunities. However you are able to contact your manager if you need to discuss anything.

In Merchandising each day is quite different with the exception of Mondays and Thursdays, where you are creating and tweaking your shipping strategy for your department. The other days you plan with the support of your teams, we would either visit stores, track your shipping, have training course's, spend time with the buyers, have meetings or help out other people in your team. In Buying I was out the office 3-4 days a week, Monday is the day everyone is in the office to see sales results and all meet. Then the other days, I went where ever I could with the buyer I as shadowing or if i couldn't get out with them I would go out with other buyers. Its your experience therefore you need to get out as much as possible with a wide variety of people which is encouraged.

While in Merchandising you have lots of responsibility as you are shipping and creating strategies for your department. However Buying is different to merchandising as in merchandising you had a set role where as in buying you are shadowing therefore you have less responsibility.

I developed more skills than I would have expected to while on placement. I was also made aware of areas that I needed to develop. I don't think I would have realised if I hadn't done a placement, therefore I think this will help me when I return for a graduate position. Having worked for a year has made me a lot more disciplined and driven, when it comes to studying at uni.

The office atmosphere was good, its divided into wings for each department, so you often don't see that many other people day to day. However It is dependant on your team and what area you are on. Some areas were more social and lively than others, it really depends on what area you are placed on.

Merchandising was very organised and you was also ways with a team therefore had lots of support and guidance. However buying was very much self driven, the opportunities to do extra things are there however you need to drive that yourself. I was pleased that Buying came at the end as it gave me the chance to build my confidence.

I think as a placement student, I didn't expect the amount of time that was invested in us. I was very pleased to see that we were being viewed as a talent pipeline, and they were interested in us coming back after graduation. While on the placement year I have the opportunity to attend all kinds of workshops, team days and breakfasts with senior leaders.

Most of the placement students were offered jobs, with a great starting salary. However TJX has people go through Merchandising before you are able to become a Buyer. However the company is still growing and there are opportunities for progression. In order to get promoted and progress you need to be driven and willing to work hard.

We had placement socials for us to meet the other placement students

Living in watford was quite cheap. I lived with other placement students which was fun. We met via a Facebook group set up by TJX, then sorted our selves a house. I did not spend any weekends in watford, as your only 15 minutes on the train from London and theres so much more to do there, while still paying cheaper rent in London!

its Watford...

While comic relief was on the company was fundraising very hard. The office was a great place to be always something going on. People started clubs in the evening to raise money for the cause some of which I still think carried on- for example running club.