Sales Analyst Review

The support and guidance IBM offers is second to none. Throughout my year I have been coached extremely well to both get the best out of my and also to ensure I feel valued. I particularly appreciated the trust that my manager had in me, I had scope to go and explore the company and really develop in areas that I find interesting.

Everyone in the company is given equal respect. We're all treated as one team and equals from the day we started on our placement. This was one of the best parts about working for IBM and it made coming into work really enjoyable. I can't emphasise enough how brilliant this was.

IBM's award winning young professional scheme is fantastic. Not only do you have a task manager who you work closely with day to day, you also have a development manager to supervise progress, offer support and help you build your career. They are very open to all career prospects and extremely focus on helping the individual.

Normally I have ample work to be doing and enjoy coming into work knowing what I will be working on. The range of tasks keeps it interesting and not boring. However, there have been times this year where I have not had enough top do or have been stressed . Saying this, my comment could correlate with any placement.

Throughout the year I have been given the opportunity to produce work for external clientele and on multiple occasions present what I have worked on. This sort of exposure is really important and shouldn't be underestimated. I'm incredibly grateful to IBM for giving such levels of responsibility to an intern! It's more than I could have ever expected!

IBM offers several training schemes, all of which can be moulded to the individual. I have completed several courses, ranging from understanding new technology to becoming a qualified interviewer/ assessor. Some of the mandatory training can be a bit dull and long, however on a whole it is very good.

I sat in the executive part of the office during my year, despite being surrounded by very senior people within IBM it was always very friendly and welcoming. The opportunity to learn from high achievers was ever present and definitely helped me develop my business acumen and skills throughout the year.

A lot of planning and preparation goes into the IBM placement scheme and it shows. Everything is run very smoothly and there is never any issues with continuity or the structure. My managers always know where I am, what I'm working on and how I'm doing. Similarly they are very open with me about the positioning of the placement scheme and what is being worked upon.

A lot of time and money went into the interns at IBM. The training that I have already mentioned really does offer the opportunity to build the beginning of your career. On top of this, there were regularly career days where you can speak to the managers about different sectors of the business.

I have reapplied to come back to IBM and if successful I will be very happy to come back. There is a fantastic graduate scheme with clear pathways to career progression and avenues to explore. The consulting scheme regularly wins awards for their efforts with graduates and I cannot wait to be a part of it.

In the London office there are 100+ interns. This offers a fantastic chance to meet people from different universities. I have made friends this year that I will keep for years to come and IBM really does promote a social intern community. Drinks and events are a regular occurrence and it is always fun!

Living in London is a fantastic experience and I do look forward to returning. However, living cost must not be underestimated with rent and day to day living being a hefty financial burden. My rent for a year came to over £7,000 and an additional £2000 on food and house bills.

Southbank has an array of bars which are amazing in the summer. There are also clubs all through London ranging from everything you could ask for. Living in South London, I regularly find myself out in Clapham area which is always vibrant and busy on the weekends. I highly recommend!

IBM offers a range of clubs and societies. There are teams for most sports, intellectual debates and subsidised tickets for events in and around London. It is worth stating that whilst the clubs are not expensive they are not free to be a part of. I've played for the football team this year and it was very welcoming.