Placement Surveyor Review

I thoroughly enjoyed it, I learnt a huge amount which really helped my studies for my degree and met a great team. I was given a good level of responsibility and enjoyed a wide range of projects. Fisher German offered a number of additional opportunities both in terms of training and socially. It was a fantastic year where I was pushed outside of my comfort zone and rewarded appropriately. It was challenging and fun and was a fantastic addition to my degree.

I felt very valued. I was given a large number of tasks and roles which provided me with an opportunity to perform and gain confidence. My colleagues were happy to support me and provide assistance and guidance to me over the course of the year. I felt like a key member of the team and I was eventually able to take on work which was beyond what I would expect. In addition there was a very strong social element to the team and there were many opportunities both within my office and the wider firm to socialise and have fun.

The guidance and support I received was excellent. Day to day i worked in an environment where questions and challenges were encouraged and information and guidance was passed around freely. I had very good support with my professional qualification and both technical and general guidance was freely available. I felt as though my development was key to the growth of the team. More widely the firm provided a good level of support and training, both specific to graduate and placement development and more generally, this mix proved helpful and forced me to come across issues may not otherwise have considered.

As with most jobs the workload varied throughout the year. I found that the workload pushed me and that I had a lot to do very quickly. As I moved on through my placement year I found that I was given more to do and more freedom to do it. I found that support was available when I was busy and that I could find help with managing my workload. I also found that during quieter times I felt comfortable to look for work and ask to get more involved. The more I put in the more I got out.

I was given a lot of responsibility for various jobs. To start with I was given a lot of work which was simpler but on showing competence in these my responsibly grew. I found that the team were happy to increase levels of responsibility and pass work on. I was also given a number of opportunities which were beyond what I expected and the team were at all times willing to provide help and guidance.

The skills I learnt hugely helped both to complete my degree and in other areas. The technical elements of the job meant I had good practical experience to apply to my degree and the professional skills I learned helped me to improve the academic side. I also found my communication skills improved and my general confidence grew. This helped both on return to university but also in social situations. I have since returned to Fisher German and the skills I gained on placement have hugely helped to support my graduate role.

The atmosphere generally was professional but provided a good space to be productive. There were times when people stopped to discuss issues or to socialise more generally but the atmosphere was generally a professional one. This generally really helped to stay focused and get through work. I also found the office could be quite an exciting place to be when it was busy. There were still many opportunities outside of work, and sometimes during the working day to have a laugh and a bit of fun.

The placement was very well organised. In general the role of placement was to assist whoever needed additional assistance in the office and my role was very varied. There was scope however to move around the firm and find work in other areas where necessary or people were short of resources. The internal training meant I got up to speed with what was required very quickly and could start to fulfil my role very quickly.

The firm invested a huge amount of time and effort in me as an individual and more the placements and graduates more generally. They provided us with four graduate training and induction days which were not only aimed at training but also networking and meeting new people. They were also prepared to provide a large amount of equipment which was required for the role. Overall the firm made it clear that our development as a placement and graduate was very important.

I was fortunate enough to return to the firm and the same office in a graduate position, following my placement. Beyond that progression through the firm is very clear with support for professional qualifications being clearly provided and ultimately the next stage is to qualify. The firms thorough training and investment in each candidate means that qualifying is very achievable within a year of graduating. There are then a number of younger people in senior roles in the firm, showing a good level of career progression.

There were a good number of chances to socialise with colleagues. I was the only placement in the office and that meant I was the youngest. However as an office we had a number of chances to socialise and get to know each other. We also socialised with other offices and once had a party as a whole firm. In addition there were opportunities to play rugby for the firm which meant other chances to socialise.

Living in the area was affordable. I was able to lodge at nearby farm which was very affordable. The cost of food and drink was fine and the cost of socialising was reasonable. The town is well located for affordable travel and has very good rail links both north and south. The cities of Nottingham and Lincoln are nearby and costs are slightly higher near those places. But generally my costs during placement were very affordable.

Being a market town there was limited nightlife. There are a lot of pubs and bars a short drive from the office and there are a few towns nearby with pubs and bars. Nottingham and Lincoln are nearby and they provide a good night out. Links to Lincoln are good by train but it's more challenging to go to Nottingham. Generally there is enough nightlife to have some fun. But for a proper night out the cities are better.

There were a great number of things to get involved with. I firstly joined a local rugby club. This gave me a great opportunity to meet local people, but also grow my network. I met a number of people who were useful contacts. It also gave me a reason to keep fit and a chance to socialise in an area where I didn't know may people. I also got involved in young farmers. This was another great way to meet like minded people and have fun.