Commercial Associate Review

It was an incredibly insightful placement year where I gained valuable experience both inside and out of my job role. I gained exposure to other parts of the business thanks to the support of my manager and managed to create a very useful network which will benefit me well in the future.

There was never a day where I didn’t feel part of the team. I was made to feel like a full time employee due to the responsibility I was given and the feedback I received from my manager and my team. I never felt like an ‘Intern’, as the work I provided actually created value in the company.

I feel as if I am quite an independent person, and so I did not always reach out to my manager or supervisors for support, however when I did, they would do whatever they could to support me. This could include times I made a mistake, or times I needed guidance on how to approach a certain situation.

I had the perfect balance of work. At times my job role got incredibly busy due to the nature of my department, however I learnt to manage this. I would say it is important to understand the workload of your role before you start to ensure you know what you will be dealing with. I did not know myself the workload however if I did feel as if the workload was becoming too much I could reach out to colleagues to support me.

Due to my placement being in the Commercial Department, I was given the responsibility of booking all revenue for deals within the UKI market unit. I also liaised with upper management and customers to support with contracting and assisted with commercial process improvements. I was given a lot of responsibility which is why I believe I grew so much over the placement year. If I wanted more responsibility, all I had to do was ask.

Even coordinating your tasks and improving your timekeeping skills during placement year can help with your degree and future life. I found that this year has made me realise I can tackle any activity, whether it be issues arising at Quarter End, or revising for an exam. This year gave me the confidence, and resilience I need to succeed in both my exams and later life.

The atmosphere of the office was always friendly. You end up knowing every second person you walk past, which makes it feel like home. It also gets incredibly busy when it comes to Quarter End, meaning there is a constant buzz around the office, providing motivation and an excitement which really helps with productivity and pure enjoyment of your job.

The placement was overall very organised. From day 1 where we were all welcomed into the company, to our onboarding and to the further placement support we received. There could maybe have been some more smaller workshops for improving specific workplace skills (both hard and soft), however the ones provided were very helpful.

My manager always gave me opportunities to develop myself by giving me tasks that would make me go above and beyond my job role. There were several sessions set up, such as presentation skills, which would help us develop certain skills. There could have been a few more specific sessions set up, but the ones provided were beneficial.

The opportunities for future career prospects are expanding every year within SAP. With sales academy continuing, to more grad roles becoming available, the opportunities are growing and are vastly achievable. All it takes is hard work, a good network and motivation to be able to come back to SAP and I’m sure this will continue even more in the future.

The interns really became a family, and so the social side of things really worked out. Richmond and Clapham are very nearby, accessible by train and car, and is where many of the interns met up this year for socials. It really helped everyone to settle in and become a real part of SAP.

Costs of living in London are always high, as it is the capital, however I lived in Kingston which was a beautiful part of London and was not too expensive. It was easy to get into work and was a sociable town. Socialising in London is expensive, but that is expected, you just need to find the cheaper places.

The nightlife in Feltham itself is non-existant, however this is not the place to go out in. All the interns would go out in Richmond, Clapham or central London to find good nightlife, none of which are far from the office. I lived in Kingston and the nightlife there was also good.

All you need to do is ask. There were plenty of opportunities to get involved with activities outside of work, such as charity work & volunteering, football clubs, networking and other beneficial activities. SAP fully supports anyone who wanted to take part in external activities and this really adds to the experience.