Industries & Value Advisory Associate Review

I thoroughly enjoyed my time at SAP. My role was in a particularly interesting department, and I had the chance to work with very experienced people. As our cohort was made up of around 80 interns this year, it meant the office always had a great atmosphere and was a very sociable place to be.

As my department was made up of experienced staff, my role was to assist them with their work and be an asset in researching companies and collating information. Because my impact could be clearly seen within the department, I certainly felt valued by them, and the work I was given was interesting and varied. During the Coronavirus crisis, our department met (online) regularly to check in on each other and provide updates.

In times when I needed guidance, my manager quickly gave me guidance on best practices in that situation and others similar. Once or twice when there were issues and I required support, I also was helped by my manager and by my team, who quickly addressed the issue and ensured it was dealt with correctly.

Most days I was fairly busy and my workload was varied across different briefs and different industries. The role involved a small amount of reporting on a bi-weekly basis which wasn't a significant stress or workload, however there was a period of around 4 months where I was very busy preparing for a new initiative to be launched which was quite intense and stressful, although my team supported each other throughout the process.

I was given responsibility to produce content which would be given to SAP customers where, in some cases, I would be the one presenting it to them. When I was working on internal initiatives and ad-hoc work for my manager, much of it was being used in meetings with the Chief Operating Officer for UKI.

My degree relates closely to SAP's operations, and so, the experience I have gained during this placement will directly compliment my final year studies and future job roles. Additionally, having experience at such a well-regarded company will set me apart from many other candidates who are applying to roles in the future.

As our cohort was made up of around 80 interns this year, it meant the office always had a great atmosphere and was a very sociable place to be. The mixture of experienced professionals, early talent and interns meant there was always activity in the office wherever you went, and discussions in meetings were always high-energy and productive. It was rare to hear or see any negativity.

The orchestration of the placement program has been continually refined since it started some years ago, meaning our on-boarding process was smooth and problem-free. We had regular check-ins in the early weeks and months, and then occasional check-ins in the following months. I also knew who to approach if I had any issues during the placement.

Lots of support was offered throughout the placement, particularly being able to spend some time outside of your role shadowing staff in other departments to learn more about their processes. I managed to get some experience in other departments and learnt a lot from it. I also had regular 1-to-1s with my manager where we often discussed personal development.

SAP recognises early talent, and although not widespread, there have been some interns who have been made permanent offers at the company. Some of the previous interns have applied to return in the years after graduating, with a few of the very first interns now being in senior positions within SAP.

The interns socials on Thursday evenings in the areas around the office such as Richmond and Clapham provided a well-needed chance to sit and relax after a busy week. I loved these socials and used them to forge connections which wouldn't be possible in a work environment. My team also had offsite days at the end of each quarter which usually ended at a pub or bar!

I decided to live in the Twickenham area to balance price, location and proximity to work. My cost of living was acceptable, and I found if I didn't overstretch myself and managed my spending, I was more than okay once I'd built up a buffer of cash after the initial rent, deposits and travelcard charges had been paid when I moved in.

There wasn't much in terms of nightlife near to the office, however it's very easy to get to central London from the office. It's a 10 minute shuttle bus from the main office to Feltham train station, and then around 10 minutes to Twickenham, 15 to Richmond, 20 to Putney and 25 to Clapham Junction. All of those areas have plenty of bars, pubs and clubs and I think this is a great compromise.

There were many internal initiatives such as Monday night football and charity runs and bike rides, however each year SAP has a team month of service, where your team take part in a charitable event. Our team visited a day respite centre for families whose children have learning difficulties and helped to maintain their current facilities and built new fences. It was very rewarding and I thoroughly enjoyed it!