This review was submitted over 4 years ago, so some of the information it contains may no longer be relevant.
Rating
-
The Role
-
The Company
-
The Culture
- 1. To what extent did you enjoy your work placement or internship?
- 2. To what extent did you feel valued by your colleagues?
- 3. To what extent were you given support and guidance by management/your supervisor(s)?
- 4. How busy were you on a daily basis?
- 5. How much responsibility were you given during your placement?
- 6. To what extent did/will the skills you developed, and training you received, assist you in your degree studies and beyond?
- 7. What was the general atmosphere in your office?
- 8. How well organised was the overall work placement or internship set up?
- 9. In terms of personal training and development, to what extent did the company or firm invest in you?
- 10. What were the perks on your work placement?
- 11. How appealing are future employment prospects within the organisation?
- 12. Was there a good social scene amongst any fellow placement students/colleagues?
- 13. What was the cost of living and socialising in the area you worked in?
- 14. What was the Nightlife like in the area you worked?
- 15. Were there many opportunities to get involved in activities outside of work?
The Role
On average it was a very enjoyable experience. Obviously, as with any job there were highs and lows.
My manager worked remotely, I found this very hard to deal with at first. I do not believe this is common within IBM but during the initial phases of the placement it was hard to cope with. At the same time, I gained a great deal by working in other areas of the business. Had my manager not worked remotely this may not have been possible.
Support and guidance was absolutely fantastic. IBM makes you feel like you are the company's priority.
This hugely varied. On occasions I felt like I only needed to be in the office 3 days a week. In contrast I could also work until midnight.
Within IBM you definitely have to earn responsibility. I was fortunate enough to have developed strong working relationships and gained a positive relationship. As a result, work I completed was submitted to clients which was fantastic.
My technical knowledge of how IT systems work has transformed. Furthermore, my basic computer skills have also dramatically increased.
The Company
It varied. When I worked in Southbank there was no atmosphere as my team worked remotely. In contrast, Sampson house offered a fantastic team environment. I would stress that this was unique to my role. Most other placement students sat with their teams.
To IBM's credit they invest substantial time and effort in Foundation.
There was continually online courses available. In terms of useful training there was however relatively little
Working from home
I would hope that I have a good chance of returning to IBM. Unfortunately, the alignment of Foundation and your business unit means that no matter how hard you work you must play the political game. Slightly frustrating...
The Culture
Very good.
Very Expensive, purely from a rent perspective.
Excellent variety of bars and clubs in London. If you find the right places you can get drinks at reasonable prices.
Occasionally.
Details
Placement (10 Months+)
Sales
London
June 2012