Course: BSc Business Management– 2021/22 Placement Year
Placement: Business Analyst – Honda Car Motors

How did you find the Placement Process? How are you finding it?

To summarise, it was a roller-coaster of emotions! Before I got my placement with Honda, I had been through multiple application processes and was at the final stages with companies such as HP and Intel. This whole process had me stressed, frustrated and knocked my confidence quite a lot. However, I managed to pull myself together and was determined to keep positive and not let my emotions get the best of me. Eventually, I secured a placement with Honda which I consider one of my greatest achievements. I was never confident with interviews, online assessments, or assessment centres but this process has helped me to learn and perfect the skills that I needed. Yes, the placement process seems hard but trust me it is worth it!

Going through this process, I learnt patience with application processes.  I learnt resilience, for every time I didn’t get a placement, I took it as a lesson on how I could improve and do better. When I was going through the recruitment process with Honda, I felt confident. This was because of the experience I accumulated going through the recruitment processes, the preparation I completed to help me secure this placement and the continuous support I received from the Aston Placement team. After I completed the assessment centre, I received a phone call from the Head of HR, congratulating me on securing the Business Analyst role. The feelings of accomplishment, satisfaction and hard work finally paying off felt amazing.

So far, it has been a great experience. Having the opportunity to meet and interact with different people, gaining hands on experience in the industry, having the responsibility and benefits of a real employee! I’m excited to see what the rest of the year holds.

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Advice and Tips for Placement Searchers

My advice for anyone searching for placements is to not give up! The right role will find you. If you haven’t found one yet, you will eventually find one! If you haven’t got the placement you want yet, something better is coming your way! Be optimistic and keep positive. Do not feel disheartened if you have never made a CV or a Cover letter. The Placement Team are exceptional and will help you every step of the process. There are a lot of resources provided by the team that will be of great help. How to prepare for an Interview? A lot of people are unaware, but you can book mock interviews with the Careers team. Practice makes perfect!

Some top tips would be to always set out some time during the day or week to apply to placements. The key is to apply to as many as possible in your chosen role as placements are highly competitive. I found that the best way to keep track of my applications was to create a spreadsheet highlighting the status of my application for each one. Always have a cover letter! It shows companies you’re willing to go the extra mile. Due to COVID, most businesses have decided to keep their recruitment process remote, so they create online activities utilising Excel. There are YouTube videos and online practice tests that you can use to help you prepare. Don’t let rejection, or even the thought of it, create setbacks for you.

Finally, to all those considering taking a placement year, just go for it! It is an incredible experience to take a step into the working world. In the end, all the hard work you put in now will be the key to your success in the future.