Placement Student- Rural Review

I thoroughly enjoyed my time with the company, the staff especially have made me feel very welcome which is one of the main reasons I have enjoyed my time. I have rated my experience an 8 out of 10 because I did have a great time during my placement. The only reason I have not given a 10 star if because one week I was out of the office all week and the following week I was in all week. I understand this is the nature of the job but it possibly could have been more broken up if I was out and in office to allow me time to catch up on inspection reports etc. But overall this is not a criticism!

Over my month with the company I have got to know many members of staff very well. Having attended social events with some it allowed our relationships to grow and get to know each other better. Everyone was grateful when I completed a task for them which was very satisfying. The reason I have not awarded a 10 star was because a member of staff made a comment about how a task had taken me so long, this made me feel slightly deflated as I had put a lot of effort into the piece of work. That was only one occasion so on the whole I cannot complain at all.

I received a lot of guidance throughout my time, this was especially due to the graduate within the office who ensured that I always understood what I was doing. She also explained her APC process and the application process which was good to hear from someone who has recently experienced it. Many members of staff regularly checked up on me and ensured that I had the correct guidance. The HR team were also very lovely and very approachable which was reassuring throughout the programme.

Being in an open plan office allowed me to pick up on professional hints and tips which the staff used. The information I have received has sparked an idea for my dissertation project in the coming year so for that I am very grateful! There has been information that I have found very interesting therefore plan to go on to learn more about it in my spare time.

It was well structured in that I always had work to do and was kept busy. When I first arrived I was very impressed with how organised everything was, in way of my email address already being set up and there being tasks waiting for me. There was a rough schedule for me which the staff followed but this could possibly have been improved by being more structured by having more detailed time scales. This was only an issue when one member of staff would ask me to do one task then another would take me on a visit as the schedule was not timed.

There was a good atmosphere within the office, everyone was very professional but during lunch hours there was a light hearted, fun atmosphere. That was great as it relaxed me and made me feel part of it. Everyone seemed to get on well which made the office a pleasant place to work in. Again I would have to thank the graduate in the office for ensuing I was included and generally answering any questions I had.

The webinars were a useful training tool which I tried to join in on as many as possible, however sometimes the regions were muted and could not hear the presentation. Savills has also invested in my personal training and development by setting up the summer project- this ensured that I had the opportunity to meet with directors and attend site visits with them. The summer project also ensured that I had a one to one meeting with the graduate which was again a very useful time as I got the chance to get a reality insight to the day to day procedures.

It gave me a good understanding of what a full time role would be like. With not being in one specific team (estate management or professional for example) it meant that I was exposed to small parts of each department which was great as it allowed me to understand what each team does. Therefore if I had been solely in one team then I would have seen less of the business but equally being in one team would have been more realistic about what a full time role would have been like.

The insight was useful in understanding the company culture. This was through speaking to staff, taking part in social events and training and generally from being surrounded by staff who knew the business so well. The company culture was evident in the office in a number of ways therefore the insight has been very useful.

The content of each day was useful in helping decide on my future career path. From being in each team it allowed me to know what sections I enjoy and find interesting and what other sections that does not interest me as much. This has therefore confirmed that I would like a career in rural surveying which is a great motivator going into my fourth and final year.

I was paid adequately for this experience, by being paid it makes you feel more part of the team and also makes you feel more useful. I did not incur any expenses during my time which is why I have not noted that above. Having a paid placement is motivating but does definitely make you feel a more valued member of the team.

There were many networking opportunities. The first one I attended was a RICS matrix event which was very enjoyable and allowed me to meet other young professionals in the area, this event was organised by someone in the office therefore it was kind of her to inform me and invite me along. My mentor also organised a Wimbledon Pimms Party as an opportunity for me to meet directors, solicitors and insurance advisors from firms round about the area. This was a great well organised event. I had also been informed of other external events which are coming up after my placement which again was nice to have been informed about.

As previously mentioned, the networking and social events were great in that I met a lot of people who I otherwise would not have. They were informal so it was a great chance to have a chat to people from different professional backgrounds.

Members of staff within the office would forward emails to me about activities and social events outside of work and would ask if I wanted to go along. Other members of staff who were local to the area invited me along to young farmers events outside of work, this again was very kind as I was not that familiar with the local area.

I would definitely recommend the programme to a friend who is looking to pursue a career in the industry. It was a well organised programme which will help me massively in my studies and has also confirmed that this is the career path I want to follow. It is also such a great opportunity and a very good addition to my CV.