Allocation analyst/ buying Review

The company has a great open culture and is non hierarchical, the people are lovely and the buying part of the placement was incredible! Trade shows, first hand buying esperience, travel, and lots of responsibility

During in merchandising, From the offset you are given a department, like the graduates training alongside you. Therefore you are in an crisp job role and have lots of responsibility! And in buying, the more you can do to help your buyer/the team, the better more rounded experience you will have. I was made to feel like one of the buying team and not an intern at all, bein included in meetings, buyer training days and having lots to do for the team, even writing up some of my own deals, negotiating and retailing products. It's nice to feel trusted to do things which will make an impact on the business

In Merchandising one to ones and development meetings happens every couple of weeks, with mapping of your development and profession goals each week. Buying is less so due to the nature of the job (only in the office in a Monday) however when you feel like you need to talk with your manager about progression, she/ he is more than happy to go through this

Swigs and round abouts around busy points of the year, merchandising I found I was very busy in the beginning because I was still coming to grips with the job, but after you get the swing of things it's a good balance and buying can be the odd early morning and late night/ stay over but it's an amazing job so I never minded!

I had t own department, for which j had to ship every week, monitor performance, decide on strategies and drive my business to make money! In buying I was able to practice negotiation with some vendors, and raise orders, choosing quantities and retails based on my knowledge from merch

I have learned more than I could have asked or on my placement, and every day held a new challenge. Sometimes it got tough, but the feeling of acheievment when you've completed a project or deal is amazing!

Different on different departments but shoes was lovely

Lack of organisation an consistency between experiences of placement students. Some of the other girls didn't have such a great time. Our placement point of contact dosnt really have much impact on the things we asked to change which was annoying.

I trained a a graduate on the grad programme

Very much so as I have already trained to do the job role, so have been offered a place back at tkmaxx, but promoted!

I live with the other placement students

Watford wasn't too expensive but London is

Not good

We arranged a running club! People are every week from all levels all over the business