Events Marketing Specialist Review

Overall I definitely enjoyed my placement year. I worked in marketing during my year with IBM which, personally, is one of the more enjoyable areas to work in. As part of the events team, I was able to experience the full scope of IBM marketing. This varied from event journeys from start to finish, as well as much of the behind the scenes marketing plays. Due to the range of experience I had, and events I got to attend or assist with, no two days were the same which is what made this year both challenging and fun. Working as part of the UK & Ireland events team meant I could enjoy my placement to a great extent. Being involved in a range of flagship events at prestigious venues with senior colleagues and clients is incredibly rewarding. I would have to say that the most enjoyable experience I have had during my year was the opportunity to work at The Championships, Wimbledon in the hospitality suites. The skills I have developed are endless and have put me in a much more competitive position in applying for graduate schemes.

I felt incredibly valued by my colleagues at IBM. My team made a conscious effort to integrate me as best as possible into every day working life. They were friendly, open and acknowledged that there is no such thing as a stupid question - which is particularly useful at the start! The positive feedback I received from my colleagues towards the end of my placement year, and the fact they were so obliging in providing it, really says a great deal about the IBM culture. The team truly demonstrated my value through showing me the impact that my work was having on their events.

The support and guidance available to interns at IBM is excellent. All placement students are given two managers. The first is your Task Manager, who will interview you initially and give you projects and tasks. The second is your Early Professional Manager who acts as more of a mentor, overseeing the work that you do as well as your punctuality etc. You report to your EPM at least every 3 months whereas your Task Manager daily. Knowing you have two points of contact is incredibly comforting and means issues are often solved quickly.

In events, there are busy periods and quiet periods. When I am busy, I am extremely busy but when it is quiet, it is incredibly quiet. This can be both positive and negative. During event season, I find my weeks are quickly filled up at various conferences etc. The quiet period that follows after these hectic few months is much appreciated in order to catch up with being out of office. However, when I first started which I soon learned was a quiet period, I found myself bored and lacking in tasks. I had to go out of my way to find work to do for other members of the marketing department.

I think I was given a fair amount of responsibility during my placement year. I had the responsibility of running my own events, I had responsibility of the inventory of marketing assets, and I quite often had the logistical responsibility for the events that were occurring. Honestly, I would have liked more responsibility.

The skills I developed over the last year will assist me across all walks of life. My personal and professional development will transfer seamlessly back into my degree studies. Particularly the skills of time management, confidence, attention to detail and professional etiquette. Beyond my degree, I truly believe that my placement year has put me in a far more advanced position when it comes to applying for jobs post graduation, than those without experience. I have first hand experience of working in a corporate company to develop my professional skills along with all of my personal progression.

The general atmosphere in the office is often quite loud and lively. Being based in South Bank there is often a lot of people here and lots of things to do - e.g a 20 minute break playing ping pong in reception!

I think the Foundation Scheme have provided an excellently structured university placement. The regular checkpoints and clear guidance really helps you get the most out of your year with IBM.

Personal training is available to all IBM employees online, which is a big investment to all of IBM's workforce. Secondly I was lucky enough to be part of the team organising Making the Marketer 2018 which was an internal, educational event. It lasted 3 days and included so much content around campaigns, branding and events marketing.

I have applied back on the graduate scheme for when I finish university. Having worked at the company already I think that the chances of being offered an interview are slightly higher. The possibility of coming back to IBM is appealing due to the endless opportunities within such a large corporation, the way they look after their employees and the cultural are all reasons why I'd like to come back.

The social scene here at IBM South Bank is great. There are hundreds of interns based in London and plenty more at other locations. This means it is far too easy to be talked into drinks over at The Understudy on a Thursday night! I would say that one of my favourite things about my placement is some of the amazing friends I have made that I would not have crossed paths with otherwise.

Despite the great social life, the cost of living is extortionate. I am lucky enough to live at home with my parents so do not pay rent. However I know many interns have to pay a lot of money in rent to live in London. Socialising is also something that can be quite expensive, make sure you find all of the happy hours!

The nightlife is great, we are situated in the middle of London!

IBM have a corporate games scheme where you can join various sporting teams. I played netball during my placement year with some colleagues. It was a nice way of networking outside of the office. There are also ski trips and football matches organised, to name a few.