Market Insights Executive Review

GSK is a really great place to work. The environment is really nice for working and the vibe around the office is lovely to be in. There are lots of great people and the work I did was very, very interesting with a good amount of responsibility throughout the role.

I was immediately welcomed into the team and the surrounding teams as well. They make you feel very comfortable and as if you and your work are of value to the company. There was a good social side to the role as well and I made friends with the other IP's which made a difference to the work environment.

I worked purely with the US and so did not have any colleagues or managers on site with me which could have been isolating. However, the managers and colleagues in the US made effort to keep in touch and help me when needed. The only difficulty was with the time difference and communication.

Because my colleagues were all in the US I was often busy in meetings communicating with them over Skype and when we were unable to communicate due to time difference I was busy doing work to discuss with them later. I was also very busy with charity work with the other IP's which was really fun and made a change.

I ran projects myself and alongside my colleagues for various products and launches. I was given lots of responsibility with the projects but was also given adequate help when needed. There were limits to the amount of work that I had authority to perform due to my status as an IP but that was never an issue.

The general work environment skills you learn when on placement will help you in later employment for years to come. You learn how to communicate and how to conduct yourself in a work environment which is invaluable. Additionally, the skills and knowledge I gained in relation to the role and the market I worked in were incredible and more than I had anticipated.

Everyone was always very jolly which I really enjoyed and appreciated as some work environments can be drab. Everyone was very friendly and made an effort to encourage each others work and what they bring to the team. The atmosphere was amazing within each individual team and also on the floor as a whole.

From the first day there was a firm structure as to how to introduce me to the role and the office and what I would be doing over the year. From then on, the projects were consistent throughout the year and there were social events and charity events organised too.

The work itself and being in the work environment taught me a lot in terms of personal development but I would also say that the company took the time and effort to help me in terms of training too. There was online training and also physical training activities if I wanted to do them.

It is still early on in my placement year and so I am still working out if I feel the industry is where I would like to stay if I had the choice. The company itself is great and I would love to stay but I am deciding whether I would like to apply myself to a different industry.

There was a very vibrant social scene amongst myself and fellow students and colleagues. The company arranged social events which were great but also, as students, we arranged regular drinks and events amongst ourselves which really added to the work environment and improved our relationships and how we got to know each other.

I live in Central London and so the cost of living is very high for me. However, for other students living closer to work their cost of living was much better and they probably had more money to spend on socialising etc. Despite the high cost of living though I never felt as if I didn't have enough money.

The nightlife in Brentford itself was not very good. There were a couple of pubs which we would go to after work sometimes but if we wanted to go somewhere more vibrant we travelled further away from work. However, this was not an issue and didn't negatively impact the social scene.

The only outside of work activities I have really been involved in have been the charity activities which the IP's on the floor perform. They were very fun and we really got stuck into the role and it was rewarding however I wouldn't say that there were many more outside of work activities.