This review was submitted over 4 years ago, so some of the information it contains may no longer be relevant.
Rating
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The Role
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The Company
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The Culture
- 1. To what extent did you enjoy your work placement or internship?
- 2. To what extent did you feel valued by your colleagues?
- 3. To what extent were you given support and guidance by management/your supervisor(s)?
- 4. How busy were you on a daily basis?
- 5. How much responsibility were you given during your placement?
- 6. To what extent did/will the skills you developed, and training you received, assist you in your degree studies and beyond?
- 7. What was the general atmosphere in your office?
- 8. How well organised was the overall work placement or internship set up?
- 9. In terms of personal training and development, to what extent did the company or firm invest in you?
- 10. What were the perks on your work placement?
- 11. How appealing are future employment prospects within the organisation?
- 12. Was there a good social scene amongst any fellow placement students/colleagues?
- 13. What was the cost of living and socialising in the area you worked in?
- 14. What was the Nightlife like in the area you worked?
- 15. Were there many opportunities to get involved in activities outside of work?
The Role
I had an absolutely fantastic times at TK Maxx! I thoroughly enjoyed my experience and met some great people. All parts of the role were interesting and engaging and gave me the opportunity to challenge myself.
I had a fantastic working relationship with my colleagues. I felt part of the team at all times and and knew my job role was valued. I still have strong relationships with team members and friends at TK Maxx and often visit despite being back at University.
I cannot fault the support system at TK Maxx. From the offset I was assigned a line manager who was there to help me develop and encourage my progression through the company. She made time for me in her busy schedule every week to have catch ups and allow me to express any concerns. There is an excellent development structure in place which is used whilst on placement or in a full time role.
Whilst in my merchandising role I have a very balanced work load. I was taught how to manage this effectively and completed certain tasks on different days. In my buying role my work load varied from week to week and often I did have a lot to do. However I was commended greatly for this and enjoyed the challenge. Despite the work load I felt appreciated and wanted to help the buyers wherever possible
I was given a huge amount of experience. I felt empowered in my role and was instrumental in making key business decisions. I felt I was able to drive sales through my own decisions on a regular basis. I was encouraged to challenge views and take calculated risks. If mistakes were made I simply learnt from them, and support was always on hand to rectify them.
The skills I have gained from TK Maxx have already supported my studies on my return to university. Not only has my general business knowledge improved, I have gained an understanding of how to effectively communicate and present. They skills are very transferable and will be useful to me in any job role in the future. I had regular training sessions on a number of core skills monthly (Presentation, self development, communication) . Specialist teams were in place to support this learning and I was given the opportunity to utilise the skills frequently.
The Company
The atmosphere was very lively in the office. There was an open door policy and people in all positions in the business were happy to speak to you.
I could not fault the organisation of the placement. I felt supported throughout the whole year.
The companies investment shocked me. I feel like they invested time and effort to develop me as a person. They wanted me to strive to do well and encouraged this at all points. I was not treated any different to people in full time roles and my developmental support was exceptional.
National Travel
International Travel
Working from home
The prospects are very positive. There is a huge focus on creating a talent pipeline. They are hiring at a fast rate and due to the investment in placement students they are very keen for them to return.
The Culture
There was around 25 graduates/placement students on my intake. There was a lively social scene and many of us made strong friendships.
Most socialising took place near the office or in london so prices were relatively high.
TK Maxx is place in Watford where there is a number of clubs and bars, however most social events took place in london. This was just a short train ride and easily accessible.
There are many activities at TK Maxx e.g. Comic Relief Reps, Times Graduate Challenge
Details
Placement (10 Months+)
London
November 2015