Insight Student Review

I thoroughly enjoyed the insight programme, it provided me with excellent experience in the industry but at the same time was also enjoyable and something well worth doing. The insight provided the right balance of fast-paced work but also a great chance to network with not only people from Savills but also client and other people in industry.

Right from the beginning of the programme everyone was extremely welcoming and made sure that I was comfortable and happy in the work I was doing. I met immediately with my mentor and then got introduced to numerous people around the office who all made me feel extremely welcome, which was lovely. I was allowed to sit in a meeting with the team I was allocated to and this further made me feel like part of the team.

There was a lot of guidance and support given on the programme, ranging from support off my mentor, to other people in the team and then also Stephanie Larner. I had an in depth and extensive meeting with Stephanie about starting in this career and future programmes I am able to apply for and that is something which really benefitted me. The support from my mentor and the other mentors at the Manchester office was great and it was nice to be able to ask questions about their journeys to Savills and any advice they had for us.

The skills I have developed on this programme will assist me from now on right through to my career. I feel like my communications skills have developed massively, especially with the amount of networking we were able to do. It is easy to study at university but putting it into practice is excellent especially with the guidance and support available.

The insight was well structured which made for an exceptionally enjoyable week. Having most of the seminars in the morning benefited me as it then meant I was free to go out on viewings and site visits with my mentor, members of my allocated team and also members of other teams. It was also good to have the networking lunch in the middle of the week because it allowed enough time to meet people at Savills before you went but also then there were a couple of days after it in which you could continue to network with the people you met.

The atmosphere during my insight was welcoming and friendly. Having a positive atmosphere in the Manchester office made the week all the more enjoyable and although work was the main priority everybody always remained friendly and helpful. The insight programme also allowed for us to get to know other people in industry which allowed for a good atmosphere too.

In terms of training the seminars given each day were an excellent way to get a background knowledge of all areas in the industry. My team personally taught me a lot and focused on expanding my knowledge in all areas, allowing me to visit properties with them in order to do so.

The insight programme enabled me to see a snapshot of what it would be like to have a full time role within Savills which was excellent. With the office being open plan it was also useful to see how a lot of the departments worked together and this was easily done in the open space. The insight did allow me to see what it would be like to have a full time job at Savills however I don't think you could ever know fully unless you were doing it!

A lot of the insight was focused around understanding the culture of Savills and particularly how they work as a team. One speaker in the go to training seminar described Savills as a 'people-friendly' company and I agree entirely. It was great to see that although the firm is exceptionally large Savills company culture ensures that everyone within the company is somewhat linked.

The content of the day was useful to gauge which areas I might have an interest in and which areas I may potentially look to have as a career. However, I would not say that I used the content to help decide on a future career path just yet as I feel it is too early to decide.

Savills offer to reimburse any expenses up to £100 which is excellent as that will cover any travel (via train) and also lunches that we bought within the insight week. However I have not yet sent in my expenses and therefore could not comment on the process of doing so.

I found that a lot of the week centred round networking and meeting new people at Savills, which in this industry is crucial. There were numerous opportunities where we went out and networked with other staff which had been organised by our mentors. It was a great chance to get to know other graduates and understand their experiences within the industry too. I was also able to go on a couple of viewings with other teams which was great to accompany other employees.

The networking and social events were organised by the mentors at our office and it really was one of the highlights of the week. Not only did they give you a chance to meet new people but also get to know the people you have already met in more depth. It was an excellent opportunity for us to see how Savills as a company encourages networking and social events and I believe that is something very important to have a happy atmosphere within the company.

The mentors at our office really tried to give us an idea of what events they are invited to outside of work, both by Savills or ones that they have organised themselves. There were many mentions of the Christmas party and also work team nights out, whether that was to network with others in the industry or just to boost team morale it certainly seemed like there was a great community spirit at Savills Manchester in which employees of every level were involved.

I would certainly recommend this insight to a friend. It has been extremely useful and has enabled me to develop many skills that I will carry forward with me. The programme would benefit everyone who is looking to have a career in property and for that reason I would highly recommend it.