Marketing Placement Review

I have really enjoyed my 12 months on a Marketing Placement within IBM iX, IBM's Digital Agency. IBM iX is a global Business Design practice which works at the intersection of progressive strategy, creative vision, and transformational technology. Developing from external marketing into current role as Executive Assistant to Vice President, European/UKI Leader of IBM iX, the fantastic team and wider IBM enabled me to seek out challenging opportunities and fulfil what it means to push the boundaries of expectations of a traditional internship year.

With an internal feedback tool that is used throughout the company, colleagues are always happy to thank, congratulate and assist you on contributions that you make day to day but also highlights such as events, giveback (volunteering) and interval reviews. Often there are allocated days, evenings or courses on enabling employees to feel welcome and bring them whole selves to work.

In order to achieve outstanding impacts to the wider team, there is an proactive atmosphere of encouraging others to most the most of every opportunity that is available at IBM. Due to this training, shadowing and support for young professionals at IBM is part and parcel of the placement year structure although you need to go out and seek these experiences within and outside of your daily responsibilities.

At the beginning of my placement whilst you are getting the hang of things you are introduced to work at a steady rate. Beyond this initial settling in period you are expected to complete tasks at a good standard and depending on your role and responsibilities this may increase throughout placement as you take on more projects once you have built a wider understanding of your business unit and team.

To make a significant impact as an IBM young professional building the trust with your team and getting tasks completed to a great standard has lead to increase in my responsibilities throughout the year. After receiving outstanding feedback I took on the role of Executive Assistant 3 levels above that of assigned band despite being an intern with IBM for only a previous 6 months.

The IBM Placement has enabled me to go above and beyond to learn outside of the workplace building skills and how to make the most of every opportunity. Training in IBM Design Thinking & Agile Scrum Master has differentiate my skillset whilst understanding the creative process from the outset of placement. Looking ahead to the next year, this experience has given me the confidence and understanding in how you can get involved with companies, trends and the wider industry and build up your expertise to find that job which makes you love what you do every day.

The atmosphere can sometimes be quite corporate but I feel that IBM is trying to improve upon this through social aspects in each business unit.

Very well organised, each intern is assigned an Early Professionals Managers who is your first port of call outside of your daily responsibilities. You have 3month, 6 month and final reviews to ensure you are progressing and getting the most out of your placement year.

I have undertaken both Design Thinking Practitioner Training, Client Facing Experience and Agile Scrum Master Qualifications.

The Undergraduate Placement to Grad process is something that is explained in detail in the final period of the internship. The international opportunities are an aspect of IBM that has really attracted me to apply back, this in combination with the great people that work there are the main reasons personally for future employment prospects.

Yes there were multiple opportunities to get involved with various communities although as some are not that active within some areas of the business I sometimes found it challenging to understand what events were happening when and whether they were worth going to.

Based in central London the cost of living and socialising was very high but I would say that it was worth it to gain the whole experience of living and working in London for the year.

Good! So many different places in Central London to go, few highlights would be Covent Garden and the Speak-Easy bars.

Aside from Netball and Football there were not many organised activities outside of work - aspect which I would definitely improve by adding more sports or other hobbies to the mix.