Technology Consultant Review

I mainly work as a frontend developer on the project allocated to me throughout the year. As we follow the Agile methodology, we have daily standup meeting and biweekly sprint reviews, retrospective and poker planning sessions. My day also involves working on tickets assigned to me which may include building a new component based on the user requirements as well as designs provided. This may involve working with team members on a piece of work or communicating with the client to deliver it accurately. Other than that, I also involve myself in voluntary projects called givebacks.

Yes, I've learned many new skills throughout the year, mainly because the company really encourages learning as well as the learning platform which can be very easily accessed. I've gained many news badges such as IBM Agile Explorer badge, Enterprise Design Thinking Practitioner badge and IBM Carbon Design System Developer Essentials badge. I've also gained new certifications such as Apollo GraphQL Certification and AWS Cloud Practitioner certification. In terms of soft skills, I had many opportunities to hone my presentation, networking and collaboration skills.

Yes, despite being a placement intern, I was trusted with various kinds of responsibilities. This trust has been built by showing my team members that I'm willing and capable of learning new skills. Albeit the steep learning curve, I was able to adapt quickly and was assigned complex frontend development tickets on certain projects. On top of that, I often received encouragement and support from members of my team who are often very helpful when I approach them for guidance.

For my department, we were assigned buddies who are usually associates who have been through the same path as me, which in my case would be someone who did a placement year at IBM and was in a similar role as I am currently in. We had often catch ups to help me adapt into the work environment, but it is also up to my initiative to keep this relationship active. Besides that, we have task managers who help us with project side of things, making sure we are constantly learning and growing as a technology consultant. Team members from all of my projects have also been very helpful and willing to provide support whenever needed.

The company culture was great. Everyone is generally very friendly and approachable. One great thing about IBM is the flat hierarchy. You can approach anyone, no matter their years of experience or seniority, and be confident that they would be willing to at least have a coffee or conversation with you, if not more. There are many social events that you can get involved in outside of work hours and people are generally open to building more meaningful connections beyond the workplace.

This year-long placement has its highs and lows. Overall, I've had an enjoyable experience considering the experiences I've gained, skills I've learned and connections I've made. I appreciate the moments where my work is acknowledged and appreciated by more experienced colleagues, which really encourages me to aim higher. During quieter times during the year, there were also opportunities to grow individually as well as the freedom to explore different parts of the business.

Yes

Try your best and be confident in yourself. You should have an open mindset to learn and grow but don't be afraid that you won't have the skills from the get-go because those can be easily address through training and online courses. Be open to building a network as it is important to build your eminence at the workplace. Don't be afraid to speak up and ask questions because it is a really safe space to learn and grow. Most importantly, understand the role you're applying for and do research on the company.