What I learnt from my placement year
As part of my bachelor’s degree in Computer Science and Business Management (ITMB), I completed a year in industry at The International Business Machines Corporation (IBM) as a Service Manager. This was a fantastic experience that taught me how much I enjoyed managing and developing relationships with clients. It prepared me for what to expect in my professional career following graduation.
Coming from a technical background I was unsure what I wanted to do once I graduated. I knew I enjoyed getting to know people and building relationships, so I was recommended to try either HR or recruitment. Being more introverted, recruitment wasn’t the career path I had planned however it’s the pathway that has molded me into who I am now five years later.
Recruitment was the perfect opportunity to learn how to build workplace relationships, manage your time, build detailed market knowledge and of course improve interview techniques. It’s also builds softer skills such as resilience, presentation skills, time management and organisation. My success in recruitment led me to eventually train my own team just two years into my career. This has now launched me into what I believe is a long-term career in Learning and Development.
