Alanna's success story: Securing an Industrial Placement at Volkswagen Financial Services

Alanna is a Management student from University of Manchester. She secured an Industrial Placement as a Sales Account Management Intern with Volkswagen Financial Services in Milton Keynes, through Bright Network.  

First, please tell us a little bit about yourself.

"I'd describe myself as someone who's always been curious, hardworking and motivated by growth. When I was younger, I didn't have a fixed idea of one 'dream job', but I was always drawn to roles where I could understand how things work, solve problems and connect with people, which naturally led me towards business. That was a big reason I chose to go to university; I wanted to challenge myself academically, open doors to new industries and build a career where I could keep learning.

Over time, I realised I'm particularly motivated by roles that sit at the intersection of people, data and commercial decision-making, because they allow me to analyse, communicate and see real-world impact."

What motivated you to apply for your role?

"It combined everything I was looking for in a placement: real responsibility, exposure to clients and the chance to build my commercial and relationship-management skills. What really attracted me to VWFS specifically was the reputation they have for developing young talent and the way they blend finance, mobility and customer experience.

I liked that the role wasn't just about numbers, it was about understanding customer needs, supporting account managers and seeing how commercial decisions directly impact performance. It felt like the perfect environment to learn, contribute and I could genuinely picture myself thriving there."

What was your application journey like?

"My application journey was definitely a learning experience. To prepare, I spent time researching VWFS, practising commercial-style interview questions and reflecting on examples from work and university that showed the skills they were looking for.

I was most nervous about the assessment centre because it felt like the most high-pressure stage, especially presenting to assessors and working in a group task. But once I got there, the atmosphere was much friendlier than I expected. One piece of helpful feedback I got was to slow down and be confident in the points I was making. It reminded me that they really want to see how you think, not just how fast you can respond!" 

What are you most proud of about your journey?

"The resilience I built throughout the placement process. At the beginning, I faced a lot of setbacks: rejections, long waits, online assessments that didn't go to plan and it was emotionally draining at times. The biggest challenge was staying confident in myself. But each setback forced me to improve: I refined my interview style, learned how to better communicate my strengths and kept showing up even when it felt discouraging."

How did Bright Network help you secure your role?

"Bright Network helped me get this role by showing me the role to begin with! This allowed me to apply and track it on the deadline tracker which kept me organised."

What are your tips for people looking to follow in your footsteps? 

"My biggest tip is start early and stay consistent. Placement applications can be overwhelming, but breaking them into small steps makes a huge difference, an hour a day goes further than you think. I'd also say don't be afraid to apply broadly. Some of my best opportunities came from roles I hadn't initially considered, but make sure you're tailoring your applications. Showing you understand the company's values really does set you apart.

If I could go back, I'd back myself sooner. In the beginning, I held myself back from applying to certain companies because I didn't think I had a chance. The turning point for me was realising that employers really value potential and attitude. If I'd adopted that mindset earlier, I would've saved myself a lot of doubt.

Several things helped me massively: YouTube interview walkthroughs is great for practising structure and hearing how others approach answers. LinkedIn is not just for networking, but for seeing what skills others in similar roles highlight. Practising out loud with friends or family makes the real interviews feel much less intimidating. And finally, some of the best advice I had was that the interviewers are not try to catch you out, they're trying to get the best out of you."