Associative Sales Review

My placement year allowed me to experience the company from two different perspectives - in retail store and also the corporate, back office side. This meant that I gained two very different experiences and a well rounded view of how the company operates, and although some of it was challenging at times, I enjoyed learning as much as I could and meeting different types of people.

When I was in store I worked my way up through the three different roles in store, and picked these up quickly, so I was asked to complete various tasks and really felt like a solid member of the team.

I received regular feedback and praise from both of my line managers during my placement year, and felt like I could approach them if I had any concerns.

When I was working in store it was up and down depending on the time of day/time of year/which devices were for sale etc. Around Christmas time and also during the iPhone 6 launch it was very busy, which meant I could put all of my skills into practise. In my other role, I was fairly busy but my workload was very much dictated by myself and I could complete tasks and projects at my own pace.

In store, I worked up to an Assistant Store Leader level, which came with increased responsibilities such as dealing with customer complaints, cashing up, booking on stock etc. In the office (during the second half of the year), I led on a couple of small projects but mostly had a supporting role due to the nature of the team I worked in.

I have learnt invaluable communication skills, as well as organisation and time management. The latter half of the placement has also improved my self motivation to complete tasks using my own initiative, which will be a useful trait to have when I am completing my final year of my degree.

It was a very friendly atmosphere, both in my smaller team and in the wider team. Most people I met were professional but approachable.

The application and assessment procedure was very well organised, as was the initial training and induction. However, once I had started the placement year, communication became less and less frequent. For example, I had been told early on that I would be moving to an office after being in store for six months, but did not hear anything else about this until a couple of weeks before I actually moved, despite trying to get in touch with someone from HR to find out what was going on.

I was sent on a three day induction at the beginning of the placement, to learn more about the company as a whole and the nature of the business. When I was in store, I also completed two days of retail training so I understood the role I would be doing. In the office, there were opportunities to book yourself on to training courses for different computer packages, as well as for courses that are specific to your role, such as Prince2 (for Project Managers). I also had a personal log on for lynda.com, which is full of business training tips and videos.

I have been employed in the store I started my placement with, and will continue to work there over the summer and alongside my final year studies. I had hoped to apply for the graduate scheme that is due to start in September 2016, but was told that the intake has been paused. I enjoyed working for the company though, so I will keep an eye out for when the graduate scheme re-opens. I will also look for entry level positions within the company.

When I worked in store I was the only placement student, but I got on really well with my colleagues and we regularly went out socially as a team. In the office, there were a few more placement students that I spoke to regularly, and also saw my team on a few occasions outside of work/for someone's birthday lunch etc.

Leeds is a great student area, therefore the rent is fairly affordable. Most shops and restaurants are priced competitively and many offer student discount. Travel is great and I managed to buy a yearly student bus pass that offered unlimited bus travel for around £250, which really came in handy. Transport links are also great.

Again, Leeds is a vibrant student city so the nightlife is really varied and affordable.

I attended a few team building activities, both when I was in store and in the office. This is something that most people are keen on doing, and there is always something different going on.