Why go on placement?
Going from living as a student to entering the corporate world is a culture shock, but one that I embraced with open arms. I’d always wanted to gain proper work experience as the current job climate is highly competitive, and also get a better idea of what I wanted to do in my career. While a 9-5 doesn’t necessarily seem appealing, it gives you a greater sense of routine and organisation that is often missed at uni. The money is also a major bonus! I now have enough funds to travel after uni and a solid amount of savings if I wanted to start saving for a house in the future.
Applying
The application process can be stressful at times, especially as you’re expected to apply and attend interviews alongside your studies. It’s also not easy knowing what to even apply for, especially if you have no clue what you want to do after uni! With this in mind, I accessed the University of York’s Career service as early as possible to help me apply for a placement during Year 2. Not only did they suggest placements catered to my course and held workshops for interview and assessment centre practice, I also had 1-1 meetings with the uni’s career professionals who gave me personal feedback on my CV and cover letters. Without the uni’s support and constant faith in me, I would not have succeeded in landing an amazing placement working as a Media Relations intern at AXA Investment Managers!
Settling in
I had no idea what to expect when I first showed up to AXA IM in summer 2022. Despite my interests in sustainability and finance, I felt I lacked formal teaching that other interns definitely had. However, my team was super supportive and friendly, and I fitted into the firm very quickly. As there were many other interns, there was great camaraderie among us which acted as a support network when things got challenging. AXA IM had a lot of resources to learn more about the business and general finance, and my team encouraged me to ask as many questions as possible.
Opportunities
Working in PR meant there was always something interesting going on. My daily tasks included liaising with journalists, the Communications/Marketing departments and investment specialists working to pave the way to a green future in fields such as technology and sustainability. I handled many important responsibilities such as organising press events and corporate headshots, as well as writing press releases and market commentaries to send to journalists.
There was no glass ceiling in terms of jobs I could ask for which was great because I got to network with so many amazing individuals and work on projects with them. The work load was never too challenging, and every Thursday we’d have intern drinks down in the office bar to blow off some steam. Not to mention our office hosted puppy therapy sessions! It felt great to switch off after 5pm every day unlike at uni where I’d sometimes have to prioritise essay deadlines.
Things I’ve learnt
I can definitely attribute the placement for my massively improved writing and verbal communication, technical skills and confidence speaking to others. I also realised that I’m a quick learner, I enjoy shorter tasks than long deadlines and am more organised than I gave myself credit for! Going on placement has also helped me visualise my future more clearly, which would not have happened had I not worked at AXA IM.
Still not convinced?
Despite always knowing I wanted a placement, I still had a lot of worries about taking time out of uni. What if I had no friends when I came back for Year 3? How will I find somewhere to live while on placement? What if I didn’t like the placement? But it turns out I had nothing to worry about as everything worked itself out! It turns out lots of people stay for a fourth year, whether it’s to work, do a Master’s or cling on to the last months of student freedom!
I luckily got to live at home while on placement, but even those who had to rent were supported by their universities and the company. There are also loads of forums online which connect students in similar situations who need a house share. Having a hybrid work pattern also helped those who couldn’t afford to travel to the office every day. And I didn’t have to worry about not enjoying the placement at all! Everyone was so friendly and the job was super interesting, not to mention working in the heart of London was amazing! My placement year was the best year of my life which is why I couldn’t recommend more that everyone applies for one.
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