WORK PLACEMENT FOR STUDENTS OF BUSINESS MANAGEMENT

(I) Purpose and organisation

What is a good work placement?

The purpose of this work placement is that the third-year student gets
 a thorough understanding of the real marketing activities of a company.
 He/she should also get acquainted with the day-to-day organization of a company
 The tasks given should offer the trainee a better understanding of certain facets of his field of study.
 The trainee is expected to fully integrate into the everyday activities of the company.
 Apart from participating in hands-on activities he or she should also be able to support one of the current
projects in the company.
 An analytical approach (1), autonomous work (2) and problem solving (3) as well as the ability to give
(basic) advice (4) are the keywords.

Coaching: an investment of time

 The trainee will draft a portfolio of what he has learned and which competencies he has developed. The portfolio
will be the starting point for him to interact with his in-company placement mentor about his/her progress on a
regular basis.
 On Fridays, he/she will interact with his/her supervisor at the university college who will also be in touch with the in-
company mentor.
 Period of the work placement: minimum of 60 working days. The student has to be present at least 4 days/week.

(II) Competences the student will be working on during the work placement

Tick if relevant
Analysis of business processes, and wording an advice in order to prepare management decisions.
O Takes into account business functions, business strategy, corporate culture, and the
environment
O Can define, support and monitor budgets
O Interprets financial ratios, costing and the annual accounts and provides advice
O Can convert an opportunity into a project and can draft a simple business plan
O Identifies problems and contributes to a solution.
O Can make and develop initial professional contacts with stakeholders
Communication
O Ability to listen
O Communicates proactively and efficiently
O Understands and interprets oral and written messages
O Writes reports and messages, a personal opinion or point of view, integrating business
information and numerical data
O Writes texts adapting the style to the audience and combining different media
O Writes professional correspondences 
How to target the market?
O Works well in an international/intercultural environment
O Understands, analyzes and interprets market conditions
O Delivers a customer analysis and/or a vendor rating and/or carries out and interprets a
competitor analysis
O Analyses and interprets the macro-environment
O The trainee can perform and interpret market research, and give advice
O Defines objectives, product/service, pricing, distribution, and communications strategies.
O Determines segments, target groups and defines a position
O Gives advice and prepares decisions about products and services
 O Can help to a assess and develop communication tools and the communication mix
O Drafts an integrated communication plan
O Prepares decision-making related to pricing policy.
O Drafts a marketing plan integrating elements such as product, service, distribution,
communication and pricing
O Calculates, analyses and interprets marketing related indicators
Conclusion of commercial transactions
O Calculates and analyzes commercial indicators
O Targets prospects and manages customers within the context of the commercial strategy
O Prepares and/or delivers a sales pitch taking into account the specific customer profile
O Shows a sound understanding of customer databases
O Works with CRM databases: analyzes and comes to conclusions
O Prepares and justifies an account plan.
O Has a customer friendly attitude
O Can contribute to an integrated commercial plan
O Understands the main keys to coach a sales team successfully
Generic competencies
O Accuracy
O Appearance and attitude
O Creative abilities
O Discipline
O Discretion
O Sense of initiative - proactivity
O Integrates theoretical concepts with practical knowledge
O Intellectual abilities and reasoning power
O Inquisitiveness and motivation for lifelong learning
O Organisational skills
O Perseverance, speed and concentration, stress resistance
O Autonomous worker
O Team worker

POSSIBLE TASKS DURING THIS TRAINEESHIP

Tick if relevant
O Selection of target groups
O Processing Nielsen data
O Support when drafting a marketing plan
O Support when drafting the product, price, promotion and distribution strategy
O Drafting and administring of databases (not exclusively)
O Database processing, updating statistics, processing marketing data
O Support when introducing or amending marketing IT-systems
O General tasks in the purchasing department: support in planning and assessment activities
O Creation of a sponsored magazine (assistance)
O Organization of activities and events (customer days, open days)
O Participation in and preparation of a fair, an event, a press conference, drafting press releases
(assistance)
O Support and assistance in advertising campaigns etc.
O Creation and promotion of an internet site
O General tasks in the PR department
O Customer hosting
O Preparation and creation of an advertisement
O Realization and assessment of advertising campaigns
O Tasks relating to marketing campaigns
O Preparation and realization of a folder or brochure (assistance)
O Requests for offers
O Making offers (assistance)
O Dealing with complaints
 O Support of sales and promotion activities
O Contacting sponsors
O Managing marketing, promotion, advertising budgets
Other ……………………………………………………………………..
Other …………………………………………………………………….

ADDITIONAL BUT IMPORTANT

Has your company had other interns or trainees before? What is your motivation to accept trainees?
Yes 0 no 0

We are convinced that the high quality of the marketing learning experience depends on the coaching skills of
the mentor in the field of communication, PR or marketing. Kindly introduce the mentor to us.

Which information do you want to share with us so that we get a full picture of your activities and the projects
our student will be involved in?

Data + signature + name + function

Print + scan and send to koen.coonen@odisee.be