Acquisition Integration Team Assistant Review

My work during my placement was sufficiently varied, it also progressed at a great pace during the year. Some of the tasks I did were quite menial and others had much more importance, this was wholly expected and the contrast between these was valuable experience. The community of interns at IBM made the placement enjoyable as you could share experiences; often there was the opportunity to work together on projects.

In my role, I had a very close relationship with my team. This meant that I was well looked after and always had someone to ask questions to. We were a very effective team which I was made to feel an important part of. However, I know not everyone on placement at IBM is part of a close team, I'm not sure if my experience is typical.

Even though my manager was usually very busy, she would always make time for me if I had any burning issues. She made it very clear that she would offer any support if I was feeling too stressed or unable to deal with my workload. In IBM, a lot of your time is spent proactively doing work of your own accord. I'm not sure if this suits everyone, but there are always many resources that you can use to learn a new skill.

At the beginning of my placement while I was learning the ropes, I did at times feel slow. Looking back, this was useful as it allowed me to learn more about the company and get to grips with processes. How busy I was varied significantly day to day as the year went on. Some days it seemed that there weren't enough hours in the day and others felt much more relaxed. For me, this has been a great skill to develop, however it did take time to adjust to.

I was trusted a great deal by my team at IBM and would regularly be on client sites independently. This meant that the responsibility I had was representing IBM and my team. I was able to use this responsibility to develop my skills and confidence when helping people, this also helped to make me feel like a valued team player.

I think the most valuable part of this placement is the experience of working in a large corporate company. It is very interesting seeing which business theories apply in reality in a global organisation. The interpersonal and adaptability skills I have developed at IBM will certainly be fundamental as I start my career .

The atmosphere in the office is generally very friendly, people are approachable and willing to help. Due to the nature of how IBM employees work, the offices for many are a hub which people use to work. It's less of a vibrant and collaborative environment than other technology companies. Despite the fact you have to pay for tea and coffee, the general atmosphere of IBM is very welcoming and a nice place to go to work.

Due to the quantity of interns that IBM hires, the support framework called Foundation is very established and experienced in helping new employees succeed. There is great communication between Foundation and the interns, it is reassuring that there is support from someone unrelated to your core role. Saying this, it does feel like most people experience a bit of assessment fatigue. You are regularly required to outline your goals, the value of this isn't particularly clear.

Most of the training that happens in IBM is self-administered, this is great as you can pick and choose the skills that you would like to improve. Also, the training courses you are able to do are externally certified which means they are recognised by more than just IBM. I feel I developed most of my skills through the actual work I got involved in. I was able to improve my technical and time management skills through my daily work.

I have applied for the IBM graduate scheme because of the great opportunity that it presents for career progression and the experience it would allow me to gain. The Consulting by Degrees scheme seems to be a great launching pad into the world of consulting, IBM's credentials as a graduate employer are attractive.

There were approximately 160 interns in my intake, therefore there were always people to socialise with. At the beginning of the placement, the social scene was a little more regular and as people become busier it quietened down a bit. Depending on where you are based with IBM, there are likely to be lots of other interns.

Being based on the South Bank in London, the cost of living is very high. Rent is an unavoidable cost, however you definitely don't have to live too centrally. Although London is expensive, it is not difficult to find good deals and offers around, you just have to be resourceful.

There is great nightlife in London, loads of choice of clubs and bars. IBM South Bank is right in the middle of central London and in a great position for bars along the river and Covent Garden. You also get 20% off restaurants with IBM on the South Bank which is really handy.

At IBM, there is a programme called Giveback which covers a large range of different opportunities unrelated to your core role. This is something that is really worth getting involved in and it is appreciated significantly when you are assessed. There were various talks and conferences that it was possible to go to while at IBM, however often the communication was poor which meant you had to hear about it from someone else.