Sales Support Associate Review

I felt my time at SAP was very valuable and my enjoyment levels were extremely high. I was surprised at the level of responsibility I was given and the freedom to which I could pursue my own projects and build my network. The role I was doing was very insightful and I was able to implicate my own twists on certain tasks to ensure that I left my own mark on my experience at SAP

Both of my teams were absolutely fantastic. Despite lots of change, which was difficult to manage and combat, I was able to buld my network extensiviely and the support I was given when I first came to the organisation was fantastic. Once I grew into my role and my knowledge increased, I was able to then help new starters understand certain tasks and teach them all about SAP. I was an integral part of the team's success and I was treated and valued by colleagues very professionally

Despite my manager changing a number of times, I feel I was given good support and was motivated to work for them for the majority of the time. The teams I worked in were very high pressured so at certain times of the year, I didn't always have the support there. If you wanted to have a proper 1-1 chat, you would have to book time in the calendar well in advance as my manager's diaries would fill up very quickly.

I came with the attitude of throwing myself at every opportunity which came my way and I have no regrets about doing this. Obviously I had my usual day-to-day tasks which could get tedious at times but these were necessary to do if the team was to be successful so even then, you knew your task was important. I got involved in lots of different projects and the good thing about SAP, is that you manage your own diary - you are responsible for your own time and how you use it. It's a very flexible organisation which you can fit around your life

My responsibility level far exceeded my expectations in that it was way more than I expected. I was exposed to confidential information such as sales forecasting which was extremely important to the success of the organisation and the interns were responsible for managing this process. A lot of the time, I planned and executed my own projects within my teams. For instance, I ran a little social media workshop for both my teams on how to use LinkedIn and Twitter effectively which led to me managing both teams' social media activities.

To some extent - I am way more confident with regards to networking with people and I think that I am able to deal with certain requests in the correct manner. For example, at times my workload was very excessive so I had to apologise to people and say that I could not complete tasks and I think that the way I was able to deal with those scenarios will help me in the future. As for my studies, I would say that the routine I have been able to become accustomed to, will help in that next year, I will be very busy completing assignments and it's important to get into a routine to complete everything.

It was very mixed for me - I had 2 very different halves of the year as my teams and manager's changed around. The first half was absolutely fantastic as the team was always in the office and there would always be the chance to catch up and have a drink after work in the London office. Post xmas, the team dynamics changed and the management was a lot harsher which meant the atmosphere in the office wasn't as good as it once was and the teams were very different. It didn't help that my team was based in the Central London office and around the country a lot of the time whereas I was stuck in the Feltham office

The process of applying to when I first started was extremely professional and gave me a massive confidence that I was working at a very diligent organisation. My handover period was very good because of the intern I shadowed - he invested a lot of time ensuring that I would be able to meet the demands of my team once he left but I know that other people struggled. I would say that in future, SAP needs more help for interns with regards to educating them about SAP and setting goals when they first come in

Not a great deal of this - I wasn't given any goals by my managers to work towards and I didn't have any 1-1 meetings which were booked weekly or bi-weekly so I had to go out of my own way to setup a meeting with my managers to discuss my progress and areas which I could improve in. There was a buddy which I could speak to and I built a very good relationship with him - this turned into more of a casual conversation after he left my team at Christmas

There isn't a graduate programme which is a little controversial but there is a sales academy which I can apply for. The business is very sales focused so this is a massive area of recruitment but even being an intern who has spent a year here, won't do you massive favours if you want to return again in the future.

Absolutely - I was one of 43 interns so the opportunities to socialise with everyone was very good. The highlight for me was the Christmas party where I was able to relax and have casual chats with my team members and every month, there would be a team meeting where you could share a few beers with team members and management. There were opportunities to play football and I setup the SAP Charity Golf Day which was a great social and sporting event

The Feltham office isn't in the best place but the Central London office was a great place to be - right in the heart of London, I was able to use my lunch hour to explore different areas of the capital. As for living, I paid £500 to live on the outskirts of London and this was a 20 minute drive (traffic dependent). It was difficult on social nights to get home because it was so far away from Central London but for 4 days of the week I was happy to be so close to the office

As mentioned, Feltham isn't the best place to socialise but I was happy to make the effort to go into Central London and share a few drinks with interns and work colleagues. Richmond was only a 20 minute train away and £3.50 and this seemed to be a good hub where interns would go after work to have some drinks and food.

There were quite a lot - every Wednesday we would play football with a lot of other interns and I was given the opportunity to setup the SAP Charity Golf Day which was a great event which incorporated a long day of golf, food and some drinks all for charity. Moreover, there were loads of charity events which I got involved in such as the Prince's Trust challenge where I walked from Wembley to Lord's to Wimbledon to Twickenham and raised nearly £700 for charity.