Product Development Placement Review

My placement with TJX was within Product Development. I met so many amazing people and learnt various things from each and everyone of them. There are many other people going through the same process as you under different departments so it is easy to make friends and also learn invaluable skills that will help you throughout your career.

I helped a variety of departments and employees in trend and design and every memeber of TJX I worked with treated me as a full time employee not a placement. They valued my opinions and ideas and took them on board - I always felt involved and a vital part of the Product Development team.

On the placement scheme you have regular check ins and catch ups with your line manager as well as reviews every few months; so you always know where you might be able to improve or what you’re doing really well at .

I was always busy in my placement from beginning to end. Just with the growth of the role your individual strengths your daily/weekly tasks will evolve - TJX was great at supporting me in areas I was weaker and really giving me the chance to excel and grow in tasks I was good at and had a passion for but I never felt snowed under or like I couldn’t say to my line manager that I was struggling.

My placement within Product Development very much evolved to suit my strengths, I could see a gap that I could fill and I was allowed to fill it. I always signed my work off with head of department before sending it out buyers but it was always very much my work and acknowledged throughout the business as my work. I felt I had a lot more responsibility than my other friends on placement year.

I learnt how to conduct myself professionally yet approachable within a large team and a global company. I learnt invaluable skills from multiple departments such as Trend, Design and Buying - which really helped me identify my strengths and what sort of role I’d like after I graduate.

Product Development is a relatively small department in TJX so I was able to make really good relationships with my team and then work with other departments individually with the trust and encouragement from my team. TJX has a really friendly culture as a company it’s a great environment to work in.

Product Development couldn’t do enough for me they ensured everything ran smoothly from beginning to finish I felt like a part of the team from the beginning. My first few weeks at TJX were on the buying and merchandising placement training scheme were I met other people on placement just like me and learnt a lot.

The company invested in my greatly I was able to go on trips for sourcing, join buyers on buying stock, shop the high street to analyse the market - I didn’t spend my whole time behind my desk. Actually I’d say I went out weekly for various things. I learnt invaluable skills that I need to know about my field from my department, then how to be a professional and good employee from the early careers team.

I would love to go back to TJX at some point in my career because it is truly a great company with great people but as it stands there are no job roles set for when you finish your placement with Product Development like the other placement schemes, which I think is a real shame after the company invests so much in your development. However, when a role comes up in Product Development I’ll be sure to apply and I have amazing references for life! There is the possibility of returning to TJX under the buying and merchandising graduate scheme but I don’t feel this is right for me personally.

TJX sets up a placement and graduate Facebook page every year where you can contact people in the same position as you but I made friends on training and within my department. TJX has such a friendly culture, the ‘social scene’ can be as big as you choose to make it.

My placement was based in Watford which is where I lived for the year, it’s just outside London so it’s not cheap but it’s not London prices. There’s a lot to do in Watford and it’s only a 15 minute train to central London so you won’t run out of things to do. Cost of living is quite high but it’s completely achievable to be comfortable with the wage that you get from TJX, it was the best paid placement when I was applying.

Believe it or not Watford is a good night out, but like I said 15 minutes into London you will definitely be in a the right place if nightlife is what you’re looking for. Placements went to the pub most Fridays after work and then either stayed in Watford or went into London.

The placement Facebook page was really great for activities outside of work. Also comic relief was so much fun (and we raised a lot of money). There is plenty of opportunity for activities outside of work is just depends how involved you want to get!