Trainee Assistant Buyer Review

I had a very difficult few months with a high turnover of staff on the department. My last few months were my favourite where I was given added responsability and a much clearer job role.

This depends completely on what team you're in and how your line manager sets the example - I worked for 4 line managers and each one created a different team atmosphere.

The HR training sessions run just for placements were great as we got a chance to share our feelings and experiences with other students. Gillian who ran them sadly left, but I'm sure whoever takes over will be fantastic also. Some training was also done at london college of fashion which was brilliant also.

I was extremely busy every day and very rarely worked the typical 9-5pm or had an hour for lunch.

Again this depended on my line manager, but 1 team left me to completely organise my time and update them along the way. The other team treated me a bit like a spare part with 1 of the line managers saying "your job role isn't really needed" - didn't make me feel great, but I picked myself up and proved that I was needed, eventually I was given more responsabilities on that team too.

My final year has already been helped by my experience. My knowledge of the industry is something that a lecture can't teach you. students who have been on placement I think are finding it easier to apply the experiences to lectures and reports. I've also already been offered a job back when I graduate so I can just get on with my degree and finish without having to stress about finding a job too.

The office is always busy, and friendly. There's also lots of laughs and smiles. If you're feeling down the girls tend to just pick you up!

I think that everyone had a very different experience. I think that your job role depended a lot on your line manager. I was just lucky to get such a good project. The placement scheme is a job. It's not something where people are holding your hand all the way through and I think that's important for developing your job skills for when you leave uni.

The HR team did all they could to organise training sessions for us. The only thing I think could have been better is that HR could follow through that line managers carry out regular appraisals - some people only had 1 in the whole year. I found that each one I had kept me moving forward and developing my skills. It also helped me make my line manager aware of exactly what I was doing and how much (often they aren't aware as you work more closely with the AB than the buyer).

I already have a job offer from them.

We tried to organise things ourselves, but with everyone having there own agenda's it's really hard to get people together. I did make some really good placement friends though who I'll keep in touch with.

I had to have a second job with an agency to be able to afford extra costs like gym, going out and xmas/birthday presents.I worked with an Agency called at your service who have so many shifts in different places and different times that you can almost always get hours. I also got to work at London Fashion Week with them which was great. They also tend to do lots of celeb events - i got to meet Johnny Depp when I worked VIP at a film premier! If you want to join their books do it before you start working monday-friday as they tend to do training for half a day in the middle of the week and you don't want to have to take a day's holiday to get trained :)

We were based on oxford street, so literally a 5 minute walk to Soho and the Mayfair clubs. Lots of fun nights to be had!

There was nothing organised for us by the company. People formed their own running groups etc.