Cloud Services Technical Sales support Review

My placement year has been challenging but also extremely enjoyable. Throughout the year, both the management and my surrounding team have been very supportive and have helped me obtain all my personal objectives. I enjoyed the flexibility and responsibility this placement scheme provided.

My colleagues were great at making me feel included and valued. However, due to a large portion of my role being admin related tasks, there were occasions when I felt secluded and undervalued. However, during these times I discussed my feelings with my colleagues and they reassured me that they valued my thoughts and opinions, ensuring I was more included in the future.

Having two separate managers was extremely helpful. My Task Manager provided me with support and guidance in my day-to-day role and helped me address any personal objectives by assigning me tasks accordingly. For example, at the beginning of my placement I had extremely bad stage fright. With this in mind my manager prompted me to present whenever possible, which has improved my confidence greatly. During times when the role became overwhelming, my Early Professional's Manager was really supportive and provided me with the advice I needed to remain motivated.

The day-to-day workload varied, however having two roles meant there was always something to do and my days remained rather busy throughout the placement. On the odd occasion when my workload had dwindled, there were various training courses I could complete or colleagues who I could offer my assistance too.

Part of my job consisted of organising events; with this came a large amount of responsibility to ensure the events ran smoothly. However, the majority of these events were small internal events and it would have been more rewarding if I had been entrusted with more responsibility.

This placement has equipped me with the essential skills I require in both my degree and my career. Firstly, this placement has allowed my confidence to flourish. This confidence is crucial if I am to become a consultant, I must be able to network and present efficiently, something I feel I can now do because of the opportunities provided during my placement. Secondly, I have learnt more about the capabilities and uses of Microsoft office, a skill I can transfer into future work. Finally, I have also improved my professionalism and business acumen, skills that will allow me to excel in my career.

My team emphasised the importance of working in the office, which created an enjoyable atmosphere. However, due to the interior of the building and the lack of other employees, the building itself was rather depressing.

I thought the placement was well organised, with a journal and regular reviews I could keep track of my progress easily. The foundation scheme were very proficient in their communication; always keeping us informed of updates or events. The only area I would say needed improvement was the handover from previous interns which I think required more structure to ensure everything was covered, including a better idea of the overall structure of IBM and the many different business lines.

I was offered various opportunities to attend workshops and conferences to enhance my knowledge of IBM and it's offerings. There was also an abundance of education readily available.

After interviewing many consultants within IBM, the prospects of a consulting career look extremely appealing. However, with a reduced number of graduate roles, the roles are highly competitive and the chances of being aligned to your preferred industry are slim.

Due to Warwick being a small town and the majority of interns working from home, I felt the social scene was lacking

Housing costs around Warwick are extremely high, however socialising costs are minimal especially when events are subsidised by the IBM club.

The nightlife in Warwick and surrounding areas is poor.

There was plenty of opportunities to get involved in activities outside of work. The IBM club always had a number of event and activities lined up, there was always something for everyone.