GBS Government Industry Intern Review

My placement at IBM has been a very enjoyable experience. It was a great opportunity for me to learn more about the 'working world' and to see how such a huge global company works on a day to day basis. I have gained various skills throughout my time at IBM, and have had great opportunities come by such as attending global client events where I have had the opportunity to travel to cities such as Rotterdam and Berlin.

What was different about this placement was that my role was a very virtual working role due to working for the Global Government Team. Thus, I mostly communicated with colleagues via email, instant messaging and phone calls. However, through constant support and instant feedback on tasks I would work with colleagues on, I felt extremely valued. Weekly catch-up calls with my task manager not only allowed me to gain the support I required, but improved the relationship I had with her.

The support and guidance provided by my task manager was fantastic! My communication skills have improved greatly. For example, when communicating at a senior level, I have taken the initiative to send draft-copies to my manager before distributing emails. As a result of this, not only have the emails I sent to the Executives been more clear and concise, but my writing skills and confidence has also improved greatly through constructive feedback. Furthermore, if I ever felt the need to ask for help or advice on both general tasks and personal issues, my task manager would always provide me with the support I required.

During my placement, I've had a mixture of both busy and quiet days. However, on a daily basis I would say there was always something I could be working on. Thus, the work provided to me was a perfect balance. I would always have general weekly tasks I would be working on which at the beginning took time to get the hang of, but as soon as I began working on these more I became more and more confident.

As I was working alongside another intern, responsibilities for specific tasks were split between the two. I felt this was a sufficient amount. There were times where I had to work on research projects and had solely taken responsibility for them. However, there were times where responsibility was shared between the intern and me.

The skills I have developed and gained during my time at IBM will help tremendously when I go back to university. I attended modules where I developed my presentation and communication skills and I feel this will help greatly when working on group projects and presentations. I have also become more confident as an individual thus helping me on a personal level. I have worked on research projects whereby I have had to reference which in effect will help if I choose to take on a dissertation at university. Overall, I would say I have not only developed the skills I have gained before my placement, but gained a lot more from my time at IBM which will go on to help me in the future.

The general atmosphere around the office was great. The culture was great and colleagues who worked around me were very friendly and approachable. Working for a corporate company such as IBM, you may think everything would be quiet serious and everyone would be busy. However, I always felt it was easy to network with people around the office. The dress attire was also quite smart, which I felt was great as I've always loved dressing smart! All in all, everyone was approachable, the intern community was great and the overall look of IBM was exactly what I expected!

I felt my placement scheme was much organised. Before beginning the placement there was a 2 day induction which helped all interns ease into 'life at IBM as an intern.' I then had a 2 week handover period which I felt helped tremendously as it helped ease me in on the tasks I would be working on throughout the year, and learn more about IBM itself. We also had a 3 month and 6 month review, and a final presentation to record our progress throughout the year and ask general questions. Thus, I felt this scheme was very well organised in a structurally manner which made my time at IBM a lot easier and fun!

There were various opportunities for me to attend training and develop on various skills. The placement scheme provided the interns with an opportunity to attend 'PickNMix' modules - these included modules on presenting effectively, communicating effectively and Consulting at IBM - all of which I attended. These modules not only helped enhance my soft skills, but gave me the opportunity to learn more about the wider IBM. I also attended weekly training calls about my industry which educated me on how my industry works. There was always an opportunity for me to partake in training, however I would have preferred more practical training rather than listening to calls.

I would love to come and work for IBM. As an intern, you have the opportunity to apply back through the intern to grad process. There are various roles you can apply back to, but having worked at a place for a year - you gain more knowledge about the firm and hopefully get an idea of what area you would like to go into once finished with your placement. Employment prospects are great - but you need to make sure you know which area you want to go into and are passionate about coming back!

The social scene was great among the intern community. Interns would meet up for drinks after work on Thursdays on a weekly basis which allowed us to interact and build relationships. There was also a Christmas Party and an End of Year Party, which allowed me to meet interns from other locations and socialise. The canteen would also be full of placement students at 12pm, thus there was never a day I went without having someone to eat lunch with!

Cost of living in London is fairly expensive. However, living at home in London allowed me to save a lot of money (which as a student was amazing!) Socialising was great and there was always something you could be doing after work. However, I would say everything was quite expensive compared to prices in other locations outside of London.

Nightlife in London is great! There are a variety of clubs you can visit with different music genres. I would definitely recommend going out in London and the with night tube under way, you won't have to worry about getting the last train home or cab back!

There was always something you could be doing or going to after work. The South Bank location was great as there was loads to do nearby. With the National Theatre being next door to the office, there was always a chance for me to visit the theatre after a long day at work (fairly cheap too!). Everything was in walking distance and there would be a mixture of activities I would attend. Only negative thing I would say about this was British Weather!