Like a lot of students, I had absolutely no idea what I wanted to do after university. I knew the graduate job market could be tough, and I worried about whether I’d be able to stand out when the time came to apply for jobs.
That’s where my placement year came in. Taking a year away from lectures and seminars gave me the chance to gain real experience and develop practical skills before stepping into such a competitive job market.
I spent 12 months working for Enterprise Rent-A-Car on their Management Internship programme, and I ended up getting far more out of it than just another line on my CV.
Why I Chose Enterprise
Even though I was studying Politics, I had already realised that I didn’t want to pursue it as a career. That meant looking for companies that didn’t require a specific degree background. Placements are a great opportunity to try something new and explore industries you might not have considered before.
I found the job on RateMyPlacement (now called Higherin!), and Enterprise took applications from all disciplines, regardless of predicted final grade.
When I was applying for placements, many roles at other companies seemed very specialised. As I had no prior business experience, I liked the idea of learning a bit of everything and figuring out where my strengths were and what I actually enjoyed doing.
My First Six Months
I was placed in a really busy branch, which meant I had to learn quickly. No two days were the same. My day-to-day tasks ranged from answering phone calls and responding to emails to delivering cars and collecting customers.
In my first month alone, I learned a surprising number of skills: how to triage phone calls, use the (not very user-friendly) booking system, clean a car, drive an automatic, and sell products.
One of the unexpected perks of the job was the cars I got to drive. It felt pretty cool as a 20-year-old to be driving a brand-new Volvo XC90 or BMW X5, although slightly less glamorous when driving a Ford Transit van or a bright orange Fiat 500!
The role could basically be summed up as “sales and service.” I found the customer service side natural when customers had positive experiences, but I struggled with handling complaints. Having never worked in retail or hospitality before, I lacked the confidence to deal with unhappy customers.
Sales were another challenge. I was always conscious of not wanting to seem too pushy, which meant I struggled to overcome customer objections. I was frustrated that I was regularly at the bottom of the sales tracker.
My Time at the Airport
After 7 months, I asked my manager if I could transfer to the region’s busiest branch: Manchester Airport. I felt that moving to a larger operation would push me further and help me to develop my skills.
The airport was a completely different ball game. Even in the quieter months, the volume of customers was far higher than in my previous branch. During peak months, we served over 300 customers a day!
My time at the airport was the highlight of my placement. The team worked well together and delivered a smooth experience for customers despite the high pressure. Being part of such a fast-paced environment helped me develop my confidence, customer service ability, and sales skills.
What I got out of my Placement
Surprisingly, I think I gained more from the experience personally than professionally. While I learned practical skills, I often felt that I wasn’t progressing as quickly as some of the other interns. I was never in the top half of the sales table in my branches, but I learned to see my own improvement as success.
While to some people it may look like I didn’t ‘succeed’ in my placement, I feel proud of the personal challenges I overcame. I struggled a lot with confidence at the start of the placement, but my self-esteem improved over the year.
I learned to believe in myself, not let anyone treat me as less, and to always ask for help. Those things might not look impressive on LinkedIn, but they are incredibly important lessons!
I think that there is an expectation to come out of a placement year with endless skills and a graduate offer, but there is no shame in not ‘succeeding’ in the conventional sense. A family member once told me that it is just as important to learn what you don’t enjoy in a job as it is to discover what you do.
For me, I learned that sales probably isn’t the right path. That doesn’t mean I regret my time at Enterprise. In fact, I would do the placement all over again in a heartbeat.
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