Cognitive Process Services - Sales Operations and Bid Management Review

For the most part, I did enjoy my placement. It was varied in the work I had to do, covering a wide variety of business disciplines and areas, and also had a very accommodating flexibility that allowed me to explore different parts of the business that excited me. If ever I was not enjoying anything, I was able to be open about it and move on to another project that was more suited to my interests. There were large parts of the placement that had me during administrative / operational work, but they were necessary in order to learn about the work the business was doing.

I felt extremely valued, particularly as the year progressed and my expertise / network started to grow. There is a fine line between being valued and being exploited as an intern, but my larger team treated me like an integral member - all the work I did had an impact and was passed on to those higher in the management structure. Towards the end, when I had been working on an independent project, I found that people were coming to me with questions and queries, particularly around how our organisation functioned as we transitioned into a much larger part of the IBM business. It felt great to be the go-to person for certain jobs.

I was given guidance when I first started my placement from both my managerial team and from the intern who was in the role before me. However, the job is largely independent - the team is Europe-wide and very mobile, and so a lot of the time, I had to be able to figure out the job through trial and error. Before I did specific tasks, I was briefed once and very thoroughly. However, for larger projects, I often had to figure the standard process out for myself. Some of the business we did also broke new ground and there therefore was nobody in the business who necessarily knew how to approach the situation; it was definitely up to us to guide ourselves then.

It really varied on the project and the time of year, and my level of responsibility on each task. For the projects I was leading, I was endlessly busy because there was always something new to be doing and always a to-do list that needed to be completed. Similarly, at the end of a quarter, work was similarly busy. However, during quiet periods, it could get extremely quiet - it was therefore up to me to make sure I was busy enough to have a fulfilling placement.

It built up throughout the year, but as mentioned in the previous responses, I was given a lot of flexibility to do what I wanted to do, and I did find myself leading various projects, some of which would have been done by full-time IBMers. For example, I was managing a large complex finance bid for the service line, which was a huge responsibility at the time. Nobody was reluctant to give me tasks, particularly because I was able to demonstrate I could deliver a quality response a couple of months in.

Working in a technology company has provided some of the groundwork of technical knowledge required for a drastic career change should I desire one within the next few years. Furthermore, working in a European and international team has been hugely beneficial in terms of soft skills, such as communication, teamwork and cultural alignment. Despite this, my placement year did not necessarily relate to my degree in Marketing at all. This was largely down to intentional role selection as I wanted my placement year to teach me about other business functions outside of Marketing.

The IBM Southbank office is an open plan space, in a great location. There are collaborative and independent working spaces, all with plenty of natural light and air. However, due to the international nature of the work, most people are generally working independently. IBM has a large culture of working remotely as well, and therefore on certain days of the week, the office can be very quiet.

The placement was not necessarily set up month by month, but this was not necessarily a difficulty. This allowed me to shape my own placement, move around the business, and grow at a pace that worked for me rather than at a predetermined pace. The IBM Foundation programme expects interns to achieve certain milestones by three, six, nine and twelve month periods of placement - this allows for interns to self-assess their progress.

Learning and development is a large part of IBM culture, and is offered in a large variety of formats - in person workshops, shadowing opportunities, educational roundtables and fourty hours of online learning modules every year. However, all learning is self-paced and very little is mandatory. All the resources exist within the firm, but the effective use of these resources is contested.

I would strongly consider coming back to IBM for a graduate job, as I have been able to move around the business sufficiently and gain a better insight of both what I do want to do and what I do NOT want to do. IBM is the world leader in new technologies such as cognitive, analytics and blockchain, and these technologies are only set to grow further. It is an exciting time for the field and I would love to come back.

Yes - there are around 150 interns in the Southbank office, and a further 180 in the UK overall, which makes for a very amicable atmosphere in the office. Colleagues at IBM are always extremely approachable and lovely - you are always introduced to new people and there are regularly socials within smaller and wider teams.

I personally lived at home during my placement year and therefore did not feel too much of a financial strain. However, the cost of living and socialising in the Southbank / Waterloo area is generally very high.

London nightlife is fantastic - the cost is exorbitant in comparison to other places, but nights out are regular, enjoyable, and more importantly varied. There are plenty of events going on in the city, whether that is clubbing, bar events, art, music, festivals, food, or comedy. The IBM office is near the Southbank Centre, one of the key arts and cultural centres in the city, boasting a year-round schedule of global arts events.

Getting involved in activities outside of your day job is highly encouraged at IBM. The Giveback scheme allows IBMers to engage with the community through education and outreach days both within and outside the office. As well as this, there are always various events going on that all IBMers are invited to.