Product Assistant Review

Enjoyed it a lot....one thing I would say is that you will probably enjoy it a lot more after Christmas/the first six months when you really feel like you know every aspect of the job and can make decisions if manager is away; this was the case for me.

We worked as part of three teams within one big team: Long-Haul, Mid-Haul and Short-Haul within the Product Department and always helped each other out. Felt very valued and even more so when I developed good relationships with senior management. I was treated the same as other members of staff in terms of importance and value to the business.

Had bi-monthly one-to-one's with my manager.

Every week went by so fast as we were very very busy, sometimes too busy but it doesn't go unoticed if you are putting extra hours in to finish work. There were rarely times when I didn't have anything to do and all you need to do is ask and someone else would have something I could help with.

I was given the same amount of responsibility as a placement student as other members of staff with my job title (Product Assistant). As we worked in small groups of 2/3 people looking after a resort and its hotels, when my manager was away I had to make important decisions and my confidence with this grew as the year went on. For example decising whether we should take on a new hotel or not (whilst my manager was away) and analysing figures and deciding which hotels should go in the brochures and in which order.

My confidence has grown which will help me in my final year back at university, especially dealing with new people I don't know. I think I have developed a more professional way with words too that will be useful.

As we were so busy all the time people were sometimes stressed with workload and trying to meet deadlines, but we always worked together to help each other get by.

I think it has improved since I was taken on as a placement, there were teething problems in terms of TUI getting back to people after the assessment day, which took a few weeks. However they are continually looking to improve the scheme and it is more streamlined now.

Attended a training course on communication. Had training on several of the systems we used within my department which takes up other's time. A more structured 'new starter' training programme is now in place.

I would really love to return and work for TUI, everyone in the office was great and the job role was interesting and there are opportunities for development.

Its up to you as a group of placement students (only 10 of you) to organise nights out etc and we were a bit slack on this to be honest! However other members of staff were always up for going out and teams regularly had social events. Commercial as a floor had a Christmas party on london with a team meal, and we also had a really fun summer party held at Whipsnade zoo!

Rent between 5 of us was pretty cheap. Socialising depends on where you want to go out e.g. London will obviously be more, but we went out in St Albans and Luton for relatively cheap.

Luton not too great but St Albans better and London but we didn't venture there too much.

Not many, football for lads but nothing for girls.