Why do a placement?

It is always good to hear from students both out on placement and back from placement as well as employers about the benefits of a placement year.
We have recently produced a series of video profiles in which individuals share their experiences regarding "a Year in Business".http://yibprofile.blogspot.co.uk/


We hear from Jordan Maxwell who is currently doing his placement year with VMware.
Jordan is studying BSc Management with International Business (Year in Business) at Royal Holloway and is a couple of months into his placement as a Sales and Business Development intern at Staines based VMware. VMware is a Global company specialising in cloud infrastructure and business mobility: it "allows enterprises to master a software developed approach to business and IT".

We also hear from Hippolyte Petit who has now completed his 12 month placement with The Walt Disney Company, working as a Digital Marketing placement student. Since his placement Hippolyte has also spent 3 months in New York as a summer intern with Sprinklr, a Company which has a complete social media management system. Hippolyte has now returned for his final year at Royal Holloway where he is studying BSc Management with Marketing (Year in Business)

Hippolyte says: "My digital marketing placement as part of The Walt Disney Company has been a fantastic experience! I have learnt so much while working on brands like Disney, Star Wars, Marvel, Pixar and more. There has not been a day without learning something new!” (September 2016)

Finally we hear from a Placement Provider who attended our recent Year in Business event for 2nd year students. James Culley from SAP talks about why he encourages students from Royal Holloway to apply for a placement with SAP, a market leading company in enterprise application software, based locally to Royal Holloway. Thank you very much James for your encouraging words!

 Students returning from a placement last year also share their thoughts:

> Sarah Hunt spent her placement year as a Human Resources placement student within Executive recruitment at GSK. 

Sarah says: 'I would highly recommend a placement! It’s an invaluable experience that allows you to gain a vast amount of new skills as well as having a break from university for a year and earning some money.
It’s crucial to stay persistent when applying for jobs as you can easily get discouraged when rejected. However from experience I can tell you it is worth it in the end!

My three top tips would be: Get advice from the careers centre on your application, tailor your CV and cover letter to each company and research the company you are applying for!' (September 2016)

> Slav Stateva spent her placement year as a European Product Planning placement student with Canon Europe

Slav says: “My placement year was incredible... Not only did I meet so many amazing people who I will stay friends with for life but I also gained so much relevant experience. What is more important, I have clearer idea of what I want to do after graduating!” (September 2016)

> Gabi Whitehead spent her placement year with IBM as  a Sales Operations and Business Analytics placement student.

Gabi says: “I would recommend a Year in Business as it helped me realise what I wanted to do as a career and what I wanted to become as an individual.” (September 2016)

> Yu Yi Leung spent her placement year as an Operations Placement student with City Credit Capital UK. 

Yu Yi says: "A Year in Business (YIB) is a good chance for undergraduates to step out from university and explore the outside world. During YIB you may find the career you want to join is suitable for you or not and that gives you a clearer prospect  on thinking about what you really want in the future" (September 2016)

Rosie Toe's marketing placement with Grohe

In this guest post Royal Holloway student, Rosie Toe, talks about her placement position at Grohe. Rosie is currently on the 4 year BSc Management with Marketing (Year in Business). She is working as a Marketing placement student for Grohe, the company which makes luxury fittings for bathrooms and kitchens.

 How did you find the application process?

The application process was fairly straightforward. The Year in Business Programme Officer at Royal Holloway made me aware of the placement through the YIB emails that she sent. I then applied directly to the company via email with a CV and cover letter and was later invited for interview.

The interview took place with the UK HR advisor and the Marketing Director; this was a nerve-wracking experience however it obviously went well as I was later offered the job! I most regret not preparing for the interview as well as I could have done as I was asked questions about the company that I was unprepared to answer.

What recommendations would you make to those Year in Business students starting in their 1^st year at Royal Holloway and their 2^nd year?

If I could give any advice it would be to take the time to create good applications and don’t rush them. I would also urge people to apply for roles in companies that they might not have heard of before as these can often offer great experiences. It is also great experience to go for any interviews or assessment days that you have been offered because even if you don’t think you are interested in the company/role you could gain great experience and even end up enjoying it!

What is your job title and what projects will you be working on?

I am Marketing Executive and I have had the chance to work on a variety of projects since I have started my placement year. I am currently working on a large event in London, which my company is a founding partner of. The event is held over two days at the Business Design Centre and I have had the chance to work on a variety of tasks associated with this event such as creating furniture plans for the VIP lounge.

During my time on placement I will be focusing on the analysis of our digital marketing strategies. I will look at how successful our digital marketing campaigns have been through online analysis tools and I will explore options to improve them. Amongst other things, I will be looking at direct mail marketing (such as online newsletters) and ensuring that our digital marketing strategies are effective.

How have your first few weeks/ months been on your placement?

My first few weeks on placement have been a mixture of emotions, however I am enjoying my experience so far and I am looking forward to seeing what the next few months have to offer for me. I have learnt so much already and I hope that the YIB leaves a positive impression on me and gives me a better idea of the career that I would like to pursue in the future.

What has been the best thing so far about your placement?

The best thing about my placement so far is also the thing that is worst about it and this is the great amount of responsibility that I have been given from the start. It is great to have control over important tasks and to see my work once it’s completed however it has also taken me out of my comfort zone and made me push myself.

What else would you like to say about the Year in Business programme at Royal Holloway?

I think that the YIB programme is a great chance to explore the options that are available to you, and if nothing else help you to decide what you definitely don’t want to do!