Summer Associate: Jessica

Jessica spent three months working as a Summer Associate at IAMCO before her final year studying Commerce and Spanish at the University of Birmingham. She has now joined the firm permanently.

When I first began looking for a summer placement, I was extremely keen to gain some real hands-on business experience in a dynamic commercial environment, as well as a chance to use my language skills. After some research, IAMCO seemed to offer exactly what I was looking for, and after spending three months with the company I can happily say that my expectations were not only met, but exceeded.

Every day working for IAMCO was completely different; my first project involved researching the global biscuit industry, whereas my second required me to understand the dairy ingredients and functional foods markets. One day could be spent understanding the soup market in Poland and the next translating Swedish company accounts, so even in the short time I was there I got exposure to a number of different industries and markets.

At IAMCO everyone is very friendly, and someone is always on hand to answer any questions you may have. Also, even as a Summer Associate you are given real responsibility for real projects, something that many other summer placements are unable to offer. I was given training alongside new permanent recruits. This has been invaluable on return to university, and getting that hands-on experience has definitely furthered my understanding of consultancy.

As well as the normal project work, I was able to take part in both charity and recruitment initiatives, allowing me to get an insight into the business as a whole. Being a student from Birmingham University, I already knew what the city had to offer, but still the social aspect of IAMCO meant I got a chance to get to know my colleagues and benefit from their advice and experience from their own careers.