Finance analyst Review

Working for TJX Europe was a very enjoyable experience. There was a great culture, everyone was very supportive at all levels. I was always challenged and pushed to succeed. There was support if I was struggling and praise when i was doing well. I really enjoyed working and everyone made it to be a great experience. Sometimes working long hours meant it was not so enjoyable, however overall I would recommend to the placement to anyone!

I felt valued by my colleagues, as they would ask me for help and assistance. This would be in my own team and in other finance teams. I felt the work i completed and was asked to do, was adding value to the company. Especially due to being in a team with continuous changes, i felt being the longest standing member on the team, others valued me more due to my experiences. I was praised when i did well and felt very valued.

At the beginning of my placement, i was offered little responsibility. So this meant i was unable to do work that actually valued the company. So i would do the easy task and processes, then my manager would complete and finish the harder parts. However since that manager left, and a new manager joined i was given full support and responsibility. I would be taught how to do everything, then if i struggled i was given full support and guidance on how to complete my work.

Very busy most days, especially due to Covid and the additional workload. Especially when there was a submission i would be very busy. Working hours was an average eight to six. However, prior to COVID, I was working nine to five. I had great exposure and different work to be completed throughout the day. Day was mixed with own work, meetings and team work. Daily i was very busy, every day was different, new challenges and new experiences.

I was given a lot of responsibility during my whole placement year. I would send the final email to our corporate company in the US when we had submissions. I would send emails to all colleagues in the company, including the senior leadership team. I was doing work that was adding value to the company and be responsible for tasks that would make a difference to the company. However, i would always send to my manager for approval.

The skills i developed, and the training i received, will really assist me with my degree studies and beyond in the working life. I learn hard skills such as excel, new software such as TM1. However also soft skills such as communication, teamwork, working in an office, and corporate environment. I also learnt how to write professionally which will help with my dissertation, then all workplace skills will help me in my future career, skills which i could not have learnt without this experience

The general atmosphere in the office was great! Going into the office at all times was a pleasant experience due to the culture and nature of people that work in the office. At times even when work would be stressful, everyone always ensured there was a good atmosphere. It was a relaxed environment where everyone would talk calmly and felt like a friendly atmosphere where everyone would always be involved no matter your level in the company

Overall my placement was organised well. However, there were a few things which meant my placement was not 100% organised. When i started my contract was originally sent and signed for starting in September. However, at the end of June, I was given a phone call and told my placement was actually supposed to start in July and the wrong contract was sent.After that everything is well, programs, training meets and everything else was correct and on time and organised.

In terms of personal training and development, tthe company invested a lot into me. At the beginning of my placement, the development of my manager was poor. Until my new manager came, i learn a lot more skills and was given new responsibilities. They invested in me individually and my manger took time from her own busy schedule to help support me and teach me new things. They developed out overall skills in the many workshops that were available during the year

It was sad that overall i gave the company a lot of my effort and hard work. Which involved working long hours and taking on additional work outside my usual job role. Due to having a poor manager at the beginning, this caused my employment prospects to be worse. So my new manager said she thinks i would suit well in the grad scheme, and supported me to come back. However, due to the poor manager at the beginning, the overall grad scheme was no applicable to me and i was not offered the job

There was a graduate social team. There were many events that had taken place throughout the year. Such as grad socials at restaurants. Placements and grads were always mixed together. So placements never felt left out. We would have lunch together at the canteen, often go out for lunch. Also at the Christmas party was a great way to socialize and all placements and grads later went for a night out. Socially it was a great place to meet others.

The nightlife in Watford was not the best. There are two social places that are common to go to, which is two pubs. The nightlife there is 2 clubs, however, during my whole year, i did not go to either. The usual place to go was to get a train into central London and everyone would go out there. So overall everyone would meet in the pub then go into central London to enjoy the nightlife there, no one would stay in watford