Finance placement Review

Although I found the placement challenging and sometimes unenjoyable, the placement provided me with the greatest technical and soft skill development I have experienced in my life so far. The main reason I didn’t enjoy some elements of my placement was because I hadn’t perceived the sort of role I was going to be in.

I had a real purpose at this company. I had meetings with very senior people and my work was required for the business to perform effectively. I also contributed towards innnovation and development within my team which is something I didn’t think I would be able to do prior to joining the company.

The company culture is very good for someone starting their career. Everyone is very friendly and willing to offer advice, this meant I received a lot of guidance and support from a variety of people. The company graduate/placement scheme is always looking for different ways to support people on the programme.

Very busy but without invading my leisure time too much. Mainly 9-5 but this was flexible depending on the work load. If I had little work to do then there was always opportunities to complete other people’s work or explore the business. I used my spare time to learn more about the business through shadowing other areas and meeting other people in the business.

My responsibility grew during my placement and I was involved in many projects and the social committee. I like the personal development plans and the quarterly reviews which followed this plan as it enabled me to track and discuss my progress throughout the year with my manager. This benefitted me immensely.

My degree isn’t related too much to the finance profession so there was no help in this regard. However, my prioritisation and time management has drastically improved and this has made me more effective at studying. In addition, my software knowledge has increased a lot and this will benefit me at university and post graduation.

The office atmosphere was mixed. Sometimes it was quiet and other times it was a really nice environment to work in. The company is in the process of moving into newly built offices which I think will enhance the office atmosphere and provide greater cohesion within the business, the number of buildings is being condensed.

I felt as though the placement scheme was relatively well structured. The scheme has been running for a few years but there was still areas of inexperience and uncertainty from what I could see. The graduate scheme seemed more structured and well organised, so I think over time the placement scheme will follow suit.

Team members spent a lot of time developing me during my time. Especially when considering I knew nothing about my placement profession when I started my placement. Colleagues sacrificed their time in order to develop me and make me settled in, which happens less often at other companies (from what I have heard).

If you enjoy the area you are working in during your placement then the graduate scheme at TJX is brilliant. Many people have progressed onto the scheme and have been with the company for over 5 years, gaining various qualifications and promotions. Both of these factors boost a employees employment prospects.

The placements and graduates from all year groups socialised really well and this helped me settle into the business a lot. We often met up for lunch at work or went for drinks after work. Everyone was very friendly and able to offer advice on anything I needed as a placement.

Very cheap when compared to other cities in the United Kingdom. Drink and food was cheap which is great when you’re on a placement salary. It’s also a small commute into London so if you’re feeling of spending some more money than Watford prices then this is always an option.

I didn’t live in the area which I worked so I rarely experienced the nightlife of Watford. From my few experiences it seemed cheap and fun which is good for someone on a placement. In addition, other people in the company organise drinks and other activities after work. Speaking to fellow placement people they said the night life was average and so they often travelled to London which is very acessible.

Relative to most other companies of TJX’s size I think there was scope for improvement into the frequency and scale of social events. However, people within the business set up their own social events in order to compensate for this. So overall I would say the events side of the business is average.