Business Operations Review

The placement has been thoroughly enjoyable, a really worthwhile learning experience. After a bit of confusion in the first couple of months about where I would be sat within the business, the next 11 months were plain sailing. I particularly enjoyed the scope you have to expand your role and add real value to IBM.

IBM make you feel very valued, you're treated as a full "IBMer" not just an Intern. I was invited to several senior leadership events and the unit I was working in were incredibly friendly and helpful throughout my placement. I was given levels or responsibility I didn't expect, but was very pleased to be trusted.

Support given was really very good. My team were rooting for me to get back onto the Grad scheme and so were very forthcoming with advice, knowledge and contacts. All of which helped me to build a network. I would say however that guidance on tasks is quite minimal. This suited me because I like the independent style of "learning by doing" and appreciated that my management did not feel a need to micromanage me.

I am kept busy, but not completely overloaded, hence my score of "Perfect Balance". Whenever I experience a down time, it provides a chance to get involved in activities extra to your day to day role. For example I got involved in a Watson Analytics programme that is very detached from my job responsibilities but an excellent way to meet new people and gain knowledge.

As previously mentioned, I was surprised by the high levels of responsibility I was given. 7 months in to my role, an operations manager moved to a new unit and I took on their role, giving me even more responsibilities. For example, part of my job was to consolidate contract forecasts from many different account teams into one overall roadmap for our unit, making me part responsible for our revenue call of around $50mil a quarter.

The skills I have learned on my placement at IBM are definitely skills for life. My role really helped me to understand the inner workings of a large corporate company and how processes work. This knowledge coupled with the development of soft skills will definitely help me in my final year at University and my career beyond.

One criticism I have from my time at IBM is the office that I was placed in for the first 6 months. I was in the Farnborough office with just a handful or other interns and none of my management or team. This led to quite a dull office atmosphere. However to the credit of IBM, when I asked if after the first 6 months I could change location, they agreed and I worked from the Warwick office which was much more lively. My advice though if you want a buzzing office atmosphere, would be to get your placement in London.

The placement was very organised after the first 2 months. The process was great for me before and during my placement, other than the first 2 months. I arrived to my first day in IBM without anyone knowing who my task manager would be, and it was a couple of months before things settled, This wasn't helped when at the time I started, IBM were undergoing a big organisational change. Once I got past those first couple of months of uncertainty, everything was much more organised.

There are many development days available held by the foundation communities where you get to interact with senior IBMers and build a network. These days are great, and often individual teams will hold their own versions. In terms of actual training, this is very job specific. For me, it was a case of mostly learning on the job and taking advice where I needed it on how to do things better.

A significant number of interns who apply manage to get back onto the Grad scheme. Therefore prospects are very good because you have a "foot in the door" and already know people. Obviously you still have to do a good job in your placement year, but chances of a Grad job are quite high and there are some very attractive roles!

Not quite as much as I would have liked in the first 6 months in the Farnborough office, but this was greatly improved after moving to the Warwick office.

Living and working in Farnborough wasn't cheap from a housing point of view. But social expenses were reasonable.

Almost none existent in Farnborough and Warwick - go to London or other big cities!

There were many opportunites to get involved with projects in addition to your day to day role. For example I worked on a Watson Analytics project, another friend designed an app with a team to improve IBM process, and there are numerous Giveback opportunities where you can work on something that improves the local community and gives back to society.