Summer Scheme Student Review

I sit within the Sustainability Consulting team, within the Property Management division of the business. The role involves working on client mandates, and has largely consisted of producing research reports, analysing data, and occasionally taking part in site visits and completing the associated follow-up tasks. I have also been attending team meetings to learn more about the business development and the team's overall progress towards its targets.

Yes, both! I've learnt new technical skills relating to my work, such as BREEAM analysis and data analytics. I've also learnt new, non-technical skills, such as communicating in a professional manner to clients and other people within the business. I've also developed certain existing skills. My research projects have built upon the skills I've gained through University assignments, and shown me new ways to approach the task. I've also learnt how to present findings in a report which is best-designed for corporate use, and will take this skill with me in future writings.

Yes, I was given around 7 projects to work on. They all contributed to work being undertaken by others within the team, so I felt that I was actually part of something. I was also given opportunities to present findings to client leads in other areas of the business, which was a great experience.

I received lots of support during my placement. I had a mentor on the graduate scheme and a Sustainability Consultant, both of whom frequently checked in with me to make sure that I had enough work, and knew what I was doing at all times. I felt very comfortable with reaching out to others in the team, including those in more senior roles, for any enquiries I had, as everyone made it very clear that I was welcome to do this.

The company culture was really great. We had social events which fell within my first week which was a brilliant opportunity to meet everyone. We would often eat lunch together and everyone is always friendly, and asking about each others' lives (eg. weekend plans). The office is open-plan which I think promotes a nice work culture, with different teams all working near each other. Overall, it's been very welcoming and certainly reflective of the type of work place I'd like for my future.

I really enjoyed my placement. It was very clearly thought-out to provide me with enough work to get a good range of experience, but not so much that we are overwhelmed and can't meet deadlines. Outside of the work, there were also great insights, such as departmental overview talks describing the other aspects of the company. Not only am I leaving the placement with considerably more experience and knowledge, but I've genuinely enjoyed my time here.

Yes

Have a close awareness of the company, its values, its history, and what makes Savills. Be familiar with the specific team you are applying for also, including who is involved, and their achievements. Additionally, have a good level of industry knowledge, and keep up to date with developments as they unfold. Importantly, be yourself at all stages of the recruitment process, and ask for feedback once applications have completed.