Associate Review

I have completed a fantastic year with the company and developed both on a personal and professional level. The nature of the work is extremely engaging which provides motivation to perform well every day. It was great to have the opportunity to come into the company and have a positive impact on a one-year work placement. During my time at AlphaSights I have worked with some great people, some of whom I will remain friends with moving forward.

I was fortunate enough to join what would become a close knit team. I felt extremely valued as a team member, performance is very transparent and it was clear to see I had a tangible impact on the performance of the team and the company. Having the same responsibilities as the graduates that I joined with for the first 9 months also adds to a sense of value.

During my placement, I had access to support and guidance whenever I needed it. However, I was provided with a great level of autonomy and worked very independently after the first few months of my placement. My management allowed me to take on responsibility and pushed me to make strategic decisions for myself. I was also kept up to date with important developments and included in these discussions.

Very busy, there is now a very high level of demand for AlphaSights services across all of their client segments. As a result, I was consistently working to a level close to maximum capacity in order to capitalise on the opportunities presented by our clients. This is positive as it keeps you constantly engaged and the days fly by, it also means the hours are fairly long.

I was provided with a great level of responsibility which is key to getting the most out of a one-year work placement. My role was equal to that of the graduates whom I joined with for 9 out of 12 months of my placement. I had the opportunity to lead my own projects, communicate directly with clients, make strategic decisions and help coach new associates.

Having carried out full working days consistently for one year, I have developed a higher level of work ethic and organisation which I can easily apply to my final year degree. I also believe I have developed an ability to quickly assess information, draw conclusions and analyse the effect on other factors. Beyond, I have much more clarity on the different segments and opportunities which are available to me and I have a much higher level of commercial awareness. Having engaged regularly with senior executives throughout the year, I am much more confident going into situations which would otherwise be challenging.

AlphaSights has a unique balance between a very sociable but also hard working office environment. The office has an open floor plan so everyone is on the same level from associate to VP. Due to the nature of the industry, the office is quite loud as the phones are constantly ringing. The vast majority of the time there is a lot of work to be done and the days fly by. The unique atmosphere makes it easy to come into work every morning.

The work placement programme is relatively new to AlphaSights and there is no set structure which maps out the entire year. The placement coincides with the graduate role for the first 9 months. Every year, the programme will become more and more structured and there will be a clear plan on how the year will develop. I came into the team during a restructuring period, making the placement unique, perhaps providing me with opportunities which would not otherwise be available.

I received a good level of one-on-one training for my particular needs. The nature of the work allows you to be independent and I was given the autonomy to run my own projects and manage my working day. The company gave me the freedom to develop through taking on responsibility and learning from the outcome.

Very appealing, returning to the company would offer greater responsibilities in the form of account ownership as well as the training of new associates. This I feel is particularly important to my development. The fact that the placement is so similar to the graduate role provides me with clarity on exactly what my future prospects are. Future prospects with AlphaSights are also appealing because career progression can be swift due to the growing nature of the company and rapidly changing sector.

Great social scene, I was lucky enough to join a very sociable team and we took part in many activities outside of the office. The company prioritised welcoming parties and put on several events to help facilitate relationships between colleagues.

The office is located between Bond Street and Oxford Circus, making the cost of food and socialising high. I managed to secure a good deal with a shared house in South London but travel and rental costs certainly present a challenge. The company offers financial bonuses related to performance which help cover these costs and facilitate social activities.

London offers a good level of Nightlife. However, the high costs certainly come into place here as well. The company is nicely located within London giving easy access to the major spots after work.

Too much to do in London in one year. The company also places emphasis on supporting the sports teams which compete in local leagues.