independent dealer Review

by Southwestern Advantage

This review was submitted over 4 years ago, so some of the information it contains may no longer be relevant.

Rating

3.2/5
  • The Role
    3.8
  • The Company
    3.8
  • The Culture
    1.6

    The Role

  • 1. To what extent did you enjoy your work placement or internship?

    • It was definitely the hardest thing I've ever done but by the end of it I felt great- I learned and gained more doing this job than I have ever before.

    5/5
  • 2. To what extent did you feel valued by your colleagues?

    • Southwestern is all about recognition and valuing the people they work with. When you put the work in there is always someone there to recognise you for it.

    4/5
  • 3. To what extent were you given support and guidance by management/your supervisor(s)?

    • There were areas where you do get guidance and help quite a lot i.e. sales. However there are also areas where while you get guidance on what to do, you are still given a huge amount of independence in regards to actually sorting out a situation or a problem i.e. finding a place to live with a host family in some cases or finding transportation for yourself.

    4/5
  • 4. How busy were you on a daily basis?

    • I've never been more busy in my life. If you want to do well in this job you have to put in at least 80h a week of hard work. People who want to do well in this job need to learn how to give their best 13h a day, 6 days a week. For me it was worth it- I didn't want to work during the university year, so working full time during the summer meant I didn't have to have a part-time job at Uni. However, if you want to go to USA and are looking for a laid back easy summerjob, then Southwestern probably isn't for you.

    1/5
  • 5. How much responsibility were you given during your placement?

    • You are basically responsible for your own success during the placement.

    5/5
  • 6. To what extent did/will the skills you developed, and training you received, assist you in your degree studies and beyond?

    • I learned and gained more from Southwestern than from anywhere else before. Knowing how to sell yourself and your ideas; how to motivate yourself and others; and how to do your best and always finish what you start are great habits that Southwestern helped me form. They will help me in whatever I do in the future, be it working as a lawyer or being a mum etc.

    5/5

    The Company

  • 7. What was the general atmosphere in your office?

    • The job is as fun as you make it. While you have breakfast and dinner together with the other students you live with, you are on your own during the day. So as long as you learn or know how to have fun on your own, it can be the funnest job ever.

    4/5
  • 8. How well organised was the overall work placement or internship set up?

    • The company does a very good job setting as many things up in advance and is quite organised. However, as in probably any job, sometimes things during the summer do pop up that were unexpected. But so far they have always been handled smoothly and sorthed out without much trouble.

    4/5
  • 9. In terms of personal training and development, to what extent did the company or firm invest in you?

    • The company invests a lot in their dealers. Other than paying for your transport to US and accomodation and living costs once there, the company provides everything else. You get world class sales and management training (my mum who has a high paid job at Microsoft gets pretty much the same management training) and all the supplies you need for selling for free.

    4/5
  • 10. What were the perks on your work placement?

    • International Travel

    Company Parties/Events
    4/5
  • 11. How appealing are future employment prospects within the organisation?

    • If you work hard and do well and want to work full time at the company you have a very good chance of getting that job.

    3/5

    The Culture

  • 12. Was there a good social scene amongst any fellow placement students/colleagues?

    • Most of the social stuff takes place either before or after the summer. The group meets up for social events (nights out, bowling, camping etc) before they go out to US. Also once the summer is over we all go for a long weekend to the Smoky Mountains in TN and have fun there.

    3/5
  • 13. What was the cost of living and socialising in the area you worked in?

    • Cost of living is pretty low during the summer as you live with host families who don't charge too much rent. The only day off is Sunday, when we usually went to the zoo or an amusement park or a major city (Boston, Chicago) depending where you worked.

    3/5
  • 14. What was the Nightlife like in the area you worked?

    • There was no drinking or going for nights out duriong the summer- all that had to wait till the end of the summer.

    1/5
  • 15. Were there many opportunities to get involved in activities outside of work?

    • In order to do well, you need to work 80+ hours a week, which doesn't leave a lot of extra time.

    1/5
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Details

Internship (1 Month+)

International

August 2011

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