External Affairs Placement Student Review
by MSD
This review was submitted over 4 years ago, so some of the information it contains may no longer be relevant.
Rating
-
The Role
5.0
-
The Company
4.9
-
The Culture
3.6
- 1. To what extent did you enjoy your work placement or internship?
- 2. To what extent did you feel valued by your colleagues?
- 3. To what extent were you given support and guidance by management/your supervisor(s)?
- 4. How busy were you on a daily basis?
- 5. How much responsibility were you given during your placement?
- 6. To what extent did/will the skills you developed, and training you received, assist you in your degree studies and beyond?
- 7. What was the general atmosphere in your office?
- 8. How well organised was the overall work placement or internship set up?
- 9. In terms of personal training and development, to what extent did the company or firm invest in you?
- 10. What were the perks on your work placement?
- 11. How appealing are future employment prospects within the organisation?
- 12. Was there a good social scene amongst any fellow placement students/colleagues?
- 13. What was the cost of living and socialising in the area you worked in?
- 14. What was the Nightlife like in the area you worked?
- 15. Were there many opportunities to get involved in activities outside of work?
The Role
I found the people at MSD incredibly friendly and engaging and always willing to help you develop, learn and enjoy your time with them.
This was very flexible - sometimes I wanted to sit down and discuss progress etc and sometimes just a quick chat in the office was all that was required. However, if I had asked for more time then the team would have been more than happy to provide that.
Of course, there are times that there is less going on, but I always felt able to talk to the team about what else there was that I could get involved with and they would help me find other development opportunities.
I was given a range of responsibilities for development, this started off small and as I became more confident and learned more the responsibilities got more and more. However, I was always encouraged to ask questions and ask for help when I needed it.
I am currently in my first week back at university, and already I feel that my confidence in writing, networking, and efficiency in working has grown leaps and bounds
The Company
The team worked hard and we had a lot of fun along the way!
My department offered lots of opportunities for development - from learning how to use the professional cameras and use editing software, training courses, how to use online approval systems, learning more about the wider business, amongst many other soft skills and presentation skills.
Flexi Time
Subsidised Canteen
Subsidised/Company Gym
National Travel
Company Parties/Events
Working from home
I absolutely loved my time at MSD and would love to go back - they are an inspirational company making incredible scientific strides and making a real difference in the world. On top of this, there are lots of opportunities to learn and get involved in different projects.
The Culture
There was a large group of us in my office as well as a group in the London Office - it was nice to do things sometimes after work and also as a support network in our jobs.
It is significantly cheaper than working and living in London but only a short train to London should you want. The town is pretty quiet but really friendly and not too expensive to live in. The proximity to London is really great to mix things up.
There were pubs, bars and restaurants and a club in a nearby town. However, you are close to Essex, London and Cambridge for more nightlife.
There are some sports teams such as a football team and a running groups as well as teams going for lunches/dinners/drinks after work
Details
Placement (10 Months+)
East of England
October 2019
