Marketing Placement Student Review

I have really enjoyed my work placement at Experian- the year has been a great opportunity! My team have been really welcoming and the organisation is really inclusive. My workload has been varied, and I have been given a great deal of responsibility - something I did not expect being a placement student!

I have been really lucky with my team, they have been so welcoming and encouraging. From day 1 they all made an effort to get to know me, I haven't felt like the 'placement student'. They have valued the work I have done and have given me great constructive feedback. Its been great!

My manager has been really supportive throughout this experience. From day one she has set the precedent and I have always known what is expected of me. I'm in control of my work load, however if I am ever struggling with work - I feel very comfortable asking for help. Its been great.

Everyday, I have felt that my workload has been realistic and achievable. At the start I did feel I didn't have enough, work. However that suddenly changed when I became more accustomed to the work and the business. I now find I'm always busy- naturally though some weeks still are busier than others.

My level of responsibility has increased, as the time has go by. I have been in charge of my own time -management and the relationships I have with my stakeholders. Towards the end of my placement I was given more responsibility and I really enjoyed the extra pressure and demands! It would have been nice to have more responsibility at the start!

My university asked me to do an assignment as part of my year in industry- I have been given the opportunity to allocate some of my working day to do this. My line manager has been encouraging and has been answering all my questions. I have been to a Design Conference as part of my year out- this has been really informative and useful.

Since the start of my placement I have felt my time-management skills have improved. As silly as it sounds working makes you appreciate how many hours are in the day! When you are studying at University you often forget what the real world is like! However this placement has given me real insight into a functioning well organised organisation.

Experian as a company invest a lot of their time and resources into their employees. From my year in industry- I was given the opportunity to go to London with my team. In London we went to an annual Design Conference- it was a great chance to network and hear from industry experts. I have also been to a Marketing event - this allowed me to develop my skills further - something which will be so useful at University!

The insight has allowed me to really understand the company culture. It is apparent that the company invest a lot of time and resources in their employees. There is always HR policies going on - with the intention of improving your work/life balance, fitness and letting you know they are a safe zone.

Experian currently don't offer a Marketing graduate programme. However once I leave University I will contact Human Resources to see what job opportunities are currently available. As Experian is certainly a company I would return to, as I have seen in my year in industry how well they look after their employees.

Networking has been readily available at the company. When I first started I was introduced to all the members of the wider marketing community. I have been introduced to different departments in Experian - for example I have worked with Design, Events, PR and Product. Moreover, our Placement Coordinator has given us the opportunity to meet other placement students.

My year in industry job was located in the East Midlands. This therefore meant my cost of living and socializing was fairly reasonable in comparison to the likes of London and the South East. My rent was reasonably priced and I always had surplus money at the end of the month. Restaurants and bars were varied in priced, however there was so many options to choose from!

Yes, I took part in alot of activities outside of work with employees. I regularly went for drinks with work colleagues and social events after work. Moreover, we often had volunteering events with work. So I have been to the rscpa with work and have volunteered with a local church. It has been great