Commercial Finance Analyst Review

Overall I really enjoyed my placement at IBM, I was part of a really friendly team with two other interns and the work I did was of genuine importance within the Account I was contracted on. There were events such as Finance Fun Day that I could take part in early on in my placement where I could meet other interns I otherwise might not have met. The only downside was I found my work quite repetitive however my mentor at IBM was very helpful in sorting out extra work for me and I felt I could approach her should I have any issues I couldn't speak to my line manager about.

I was often approached for help by members within my team and outside of it. The files I updated and created were of great importance to team members, especially my Manager. We would also go out for meals such as for Christmas as a team.

My Manager was very helpful in making sure I had enough work to do and that I understood what I was doing in my first few months. After I'd settled in and understood my role he would explain how what I did affected other people and files so I understood the background of what I was doing better. My mentor was also very supportive and in my 3 and 6 month reviews we spoke about what I wanted to do after uni and how we could find shadowing etc opportunities during my placement to help achieve my longer term goals.

My role varied, month ends were my busiest period but I also had weekly files that constantly had to be updated. If I ever didn't have enough to do I only needed to ask for more. However as time went on and I became more efficient with my daily tasks I found myself with more and more spare time. Although I used this time to update my uni portfolio assessment and volunteer at uni recruitment events.

A lot and from the very beginning. As soon as my handover with the previous intern was over it was down to me to get the files ready on time and to a high standard of accuracy. In particular there were files were no one else knew how to do it so it was vital that I understood the file and could fix any mistakes.

My excel skills have improved massively throughout my time at IBM, furthermore I've learnt to use new programs such as Brio to access the ledger. Other soft skills such as participating in conference calls, working with different members in my team, IBM and clients has given me more confidence in the office environment.

I was based in Farnborough in a building that was owned by the account I was working on. There was only one other intern so I didn't experience the social side of placement like interns in Portsmouth or South Bank did. However I got on well with my Manager and other employees based in the building and it was a relaxed atmosphere.

I had no issues throughout my internship. The two day induction at the beginning of my placement ran smoothly and on time. I knew where I was meant to be on my first proper day in the office and who I was reporting to thanks to information given to me on the induction. I felt I always knew who I could talk to if I had any issues.

I went on a few courses during my time at IBM however I'm not so sure how useful they would be to me outside of IBM. Although there was always an opportunity to learn more skills with different workshops, seminars and online tutorials. In my first few weeks I brushed up on my excel skills by working through assignments someone had posted on the intranet.

I've heard many placement students do return to IBM after their placement. IBM is a well known company so a graduate scheme within the company is very appealing but obviously quite difficult to get due to competition. I am definitely considering applying for a graduate role here, mainly due to the sheer size of the company and all the different opportunities in different sectors it has to offer.

Not in my office as there was only one other intern but when I visited other team members in Portsmouth I got to experience the social scene a lot better there. All the interns would go on lunch together and there were often socials organised and drinks after work. Southbank also has a very good social scene between placement students.

My family live 10 minutes from the Farnborough office so for me cost of living was very cheap. However if you were moving here then rent can be quite steep. Socialising is about average, there are very expensive bars and pubs nearby however you also have places such as Spoons.

I come from this area so for me nightlife isn't great but you do have Guildford and Reading a 30 min taxi ride away or it's very easy by train from Farnborough Main Station. Also Waterloo is only 25 mins on the train from Farnborough.

Yes lots, I would get daily emails about recruitment events I could volunteer at, careers fairs at 6th forms. A colleague of mine did a charity event which he received recognition from IBM for. I believe in Portsmouth there were football teams set up for outside of work. You're encouraged to do activities outside of work to get the most out of the placement as you possibly can.