Systems Analyst Review

The placement I chose to undertake was enjoyable in the sense that it allowed me to come into contact with a load of different people and teams whilst gaining experience and knowledge in an area which I want to go into in the future, however there is a huge emphasis on personal growth and trying to push boundaries which is good but can be nerve-wrecking at the start. I have been supported by a great HR team, and a great line manager, with frequent performance check-ups and reviews to track my progress and support my placement.

Everyone I came into contact with was kind and made time for me to ask questions. Some even took a more proactive approach and approached me at the start which helped me start to network. You'll get treated like an equal from day 1, however bear in mind that it's a busy office so expect that people can be busy and difficult to get ahold of at times. I also felt that management really valued my contributions and wanted to help with my development throughout the placement year. At the start of the placement year, I felt welcomed into the team and it was fantastic that people within the business wanted to help me develop my skills throughout the placement year.

With my particular project it was difficult as we were attempting something from scratch that no one knew about. At the start my job was very research-based with me going off and learning about the project, and so at the start I found myself wondering what to do next or whether I had done enough or not. Round the middle, it was work picked up and I ended up having multiple things to work on which ended up being a little stressful, however I have to admit it did help me to learn how to adapt and multi-task between projects. This wasn't the same for everyone as some other interns had work from the start or a set task list and so it does depend on where you decide to go. As stated before, at the start the responsibility was fairly small as this was a new project and so I was simply learning/growing, however in the middle things cropped up and suddenly I had a lot more responsibility and as such I feel as though I was given a fair amount of responsibility during the internship.

During the performance reviews, you have a personal development plan that you can put in place to aid you in your development and so for myself it was mainly that I was bad at presenting, and so my manager made sure to give me opportunities to present to different people to help practice for the final presentation. I also developed some technical skills which may be useful for my degree and further career options. There are frequent placement reviews to support my progress, and highlight any issues.

The Interns and the Industrial Placement Students all mixed together and so there is a good chance to network at the start and go out. Throughout the internship you build connections to buddies (past students) and other older students who did the same/similar programs and work in the same office and so you have a lot of chances for social gatherings if that is what you enjoy. However, due to COVID-19, all the work was done remotely in 2020. So we did not have any night out. But there were plenty of online virtual coffee breaks and fun games.

I really enjoyed my time on placement with National Grid. I had the opportunity to get involved in a wide variety of different tasks which gave me great on the job experiences. In addition to that, I found as I became more experienced I was given more responsibilities and that helped me to grow in confidence within my role. I also felt that throughout the placement year, my soft skills grew and I became much more confident in communicating.

Yes

This is important to understand the role and what your expectation is. If they align well then I would suggest to apply for that role. That will be an ideal fit for you. Also, this is important to highlight your relevant skills and experience on a cover letter. Some candidates do not usually put a cover letter while apply for a job. However, a cover letter always helps. Finally do not forget to know about the company and what they do when you go for the interview as this is very important.