Buying and Merchandising Placement Review

Highly enjoyed my year at TJX! You spend the first 6 months in Merchandising - of which 3 are spent in training in a classroom environment which is great for getting to know your fellow analysts and team and the following 3 where you are fully responsible for the shipping of your own department(s). This can get very routine at times but the amount of responsibility you get is amazing. The second 6 months are spent in buying where you are a Buyer's Assistant and shadow them on vendor visits and help with anything your buyer or wider buyer team require. I really enjoyed buying however it was very common to have nothing to do and be responsible for finding your own work.

In my first 6 months I felt very valued and fully part of the team as we would have frequent discussions about shipping strategies and forward plans. In the second 6 months I also felt very valued by the team, however, because I wasn't very busy a lot of the time I felt that I couldn't prove myself as much. If I was busier I would have given this a 10/10.

All my managers and supervisors were fantastic. Very supportive in developing you and encouraging you to do more within the company.

If this was based on the first 6 months alone, I would have given this question a 10/10. There was always something to do, but it was rare I felt stressed to complete deadlines and it was rare that I stayed in the office late. However, this is not representative of all analysts, as I know some that stay long hours. The second 6 months I would have to give a 5/10. There was a limit to how much work you can actually do as you don't have the same programs as the buyers or the training.

Again, the first 6 months I have to give a 10/10. You do the same job as the graduates and your decisions affect the business directly. The second 6 months, you only have the responsibilities your buying team give you, which a lot of the time may not be any if you are just shadowing them on visits and watching them work. I was luckily given quite a bit of responsibility on some big deals, sometimes just as much or more than the buying admin.

8/10. My time at TJX has massively developed my confidence and communication skills in particular.

10/10. The office is so much fun and a very relaxed atmosphere.

Again, first 6 months 10/10, everything was already pre organised, your team, your training timetable, the department you'll be working on. Your line managers have meetings and know what should be expected from you. The second 6 were opposite. The buyers have no idea you are working with them until you tell them. Similarly, the buying managers are only sent an email telling them what is expected from the placement so a large part of that has to come from you. Although this does drive initiative it seems very inconsistent from the first 6 months.

I felt the company invested a lot of time and effort into their placements as well as graduates.

Amazing! They offered me a job after graduation at a higher level than the graduates start on. This is offered to placements often. You come back as a Senior Analyst, which is back to the merchandising function, with the opportunity to be promoted into buying with further advancements.

Yes! Because you all spend so much time together in training and at work you make good friends very quickly with both your intake and fellow colleagues.

It was fine. It is based in Watford, just outside of London so I was expecting it to be expensive. It is affordable on the salary the placements are on however deposit and first months rent can be quite expensive when you first move in.

Watford has a surprisingly fun night life for a small town with many pubs, bars and 3 clubs, however if you don't fancy that the train to London is just 15/20 minutes away and a taxi share back isn't too expensive.

Definitely. TJX always has many activities on outside of work, particularly near comic relief.