Placement Scheme

2017-2018

03 ProspectSoft Placement Scheme

04 ProspectSoft Placement Scheme

05 Sales and Marketing

06 Sales and Marketing

07 Technical

08 Technical

09 How to apply

10 Awards

11 Awards

12 Useful Links

CONTENTS

About Us

ProspectSoft is a British business delivering software to thousands of users across the UK and

worldwide. Our suite of CRM, eCommerce and eMarketing solutions are well suited to small to

medium-sized enterprises operating in the business to business sector. Each solution is developed

and supported in house and helps to drive the business of many leading UK SMEs through

unparalleled integration to six leading accounting systems.

The business was founded in 2000 and is owned by the current management team. The company’s

Head Office is in Stokenchurch, near High Wycombe in Buckinghamshire, from where ProspectSoft

creates, develops and sells its software services to more than 5,000 SME users across the UK, as

well as distributing packages in Ireland, New Zealand and South Africa.

The Scheme

ProspectSoft has been repeatedly recognised as a leading employer. We know that any business is only as good as its

people, which is why we employ the very best placement students so our clients receive the very best service. Each year

we invest heavily in recruiting, training and developing our placements. As a result 51% of our current employees did a

placement year at ProspectSoft. Our scheme has been recognised on a national scale - we are proud to announce that in

2016 we were named one of the Top 5 Small to Medium-sized Employers at RateMyPlacement’s NUE Awards; this is an

award we have also won an incredible 4 times. We have also won awards from the National Council of Work Experience

and appeared in newspapers such as The Times and The Guardian promoting placement schemes.

Our placements are integral members of the team, as not only is it about us winning the awards. Some of our placements

have won and been finalists in the ‘Best Student Contribution to an SME’ Award at the NUE Awards. Our current

Marketing Team Leader, Jess Heald, won “Impact on an Organisation” at the Inspirational Student Awards for her

placement year at ProspectSoft in 2015. The awards speak for themselves, but there are many other reasons why you

should choose to do a placement with us, including high levels of responsibility, flexibility within roles and departments,

and comprehensive training.

Right from the beginning, our senior staff have put a huge amount of effort into the scheme, from designing interviews

and assessment days, to mentoring and training throughout the year. Our Directors always reinforce how important the

placement scheme is, and therefore continue to review and refine it each year. They’ve even been approached by other

companies for advice on how to run placement schemes.

PROSPECTSOFT PLACEMENT SCHEME

Benefits of the scheme to us

Brings an enthusiastic, fresh approach to our company

Helps us develop new ideas and skills

Creates a young and innovative atmosphere

Opportunities for long-term employment

Requirements and Key Information

UCAS Points: 280

Predicted Grade: 2:1

Location: Stokenchurch, Buckinghamshire

Salary: £16,900 (13 months)

Training: 4 week intensive programme & ongoing courses

Applications: Now open

Application Deadline: 12/01/17

“My placement year at ProspectSoft

definitely exceeded my expectations - it was

great to learn such a variety of skills which were

invaluable to my final year at University. As a

Marketing Assistant and Event Co-Ordinator, I

led several projects during my year which had a

direct impact on the business including creating

a brand new website dedicated to our

placement scheme and running our event held

at Silverstone. Being asked to come back to

ProspectSoft after University was fantastic, and I

am now pursuing my career in Marketing in a

forward-thinking company with friendly,

supportive and ambitious team members.”

“I’ve had so many opportunities during my

placement year at ProspectSoft, from assisting

customers with their email marketing efforts to

running training sessions at customers’ offices. I

am still surprised by the amount of responsibility

I was given during my placement year! I really

have gained some incredibly valuable skills, that

I will take forward with me to University and my

future career. The team at ProspectSoft has truly

made this an unforgettable experience.”

Jess Heald - Returning Placement

Now Marketing Team Leader

Isobel Honour

Sales and Account Management Assistant

TESTIMONIALS Benefits of the scheme to you

Build on awareness of B2B markets

Work independently and as a team

Demonstration and presentation skills

Opportunity to develop your technical knowledge

Get involved with other departments

Opportunities for further personal development, tailoring your

year in line with your career development, interests and skills

Familiarisation Day for the successful new placements to enable

them to get to grips with their new environment, ask questions

and meet their new colleagues

Taking responsibility for tasks that make a real difference to the

business whilst working closely with managers and directors on

a range of projects, even getting the chance to lead projects

4-week training programme

Opportunity to gain vital communication skills in various forms

to use in different situations, including developing phone

etiquette and networking skills

Marketing Assistant

As a Marketing Assistant, you will be responsible for a variety of projects, mainly the execution of direct and digital

marketing communications. Reporting to our Marketing Team Leader, you will be responsible for the implementation of

eMail Marketing campaigns, social media activities, website content and the creation of promotional material. As a

Marketing Assistant you will be critical to the organisation, and will take a lead role in the running of our regional events

at prestigious venues such as Silverstone Circuit and the Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park. Not only that, but you will be vital

when considering our social media presence, as you will be managing all of ProspectSoft’s social media platforms, and

through the creation of social media reports you will see your direct impact on the business.

In addition to this, as an assistant in this role you will have the opportunity to provide social media advice to customers

and be responsible for executing social media campaigns throughout the year. You will also be able to show your creative

side when completing tasks such as blog writing, creating infographics, holding customer web clinics, photography/video

content for our corporate and placement sites, and much more. As an essential member of the team you will develop a

strong understanding of B2B marketing through the continued drive of marketing driven strategies at ProspectSoft.

SALES AND MARKETING Sales & Account Management Assistant

At ProspectSoft we have two different sales placement opportunities in

both our New Business Sales team and our Account Management team.

Both roles include direct communication with potential and existing

clients, and you will be responsible for developing opportunities, assessing

business requirements, building quotes and confirming order - all stages

of B2B software sale. There will also be the opportunity to meet with

clients directly and the chance to manage our web analytic product where

you will demonstrate the software’s functionality to potential customers

during a sale.

In our New Business team, the Sales Assistants will be key points of

contact in the Sales department. Reporting to the Sales Director, you will

assist our sales consultants through liaising with key partners and

potential clients. There will also be the opportunity to meet with clients

and the chance to manage customers’ Free Trials of Prospect 365.

In the Account Management team, with over 400 customers, the Account

Management Assistants are always kept on their toes. You must be

prepared to be thrown in at the deep end, be able to forge relationships

with customers and team members, as well as being able to manage your

own time effectively. Your role will include everything from sales, lead

generation, demonstrations, meeting with clients and much more.

“I have developed so much as a person during

my time at ProspectSoft, and now feel more

confident going back to University and starting

my career in the technological industry. I’ve

enhanced my employability skills in a fun,

enjoyable environment.”

Cameron Heckstall-Smith

Assistant Support Consultant

Jordan Edmunds

Account Management Assistant

“Throughout my year at ProspectSoft I was given

the freedom to develop a whole host of skills in

a range of different areas. For those students

who are unsure about a placement - this is the

perfect platform to experience working across a

range of business activities, getting real world

experience in the process. I never thought I

would be given such important responsibilities

over my placement year, and I can honestly say I

couldn’t have asked for a better experience.”

“My year at ProspectSoft has been a lot of fun! I’ve

enjoyed my role working in a small passionate

team with other developers and designers.

Working with customers on live projects has given

me more confidence in myself, and the ability to

learn and improve my skills. These things I’ll be

able to use to succeed in the future.”

Laura Varney

Assistant Solutions Developer

TESTIMONIALS

Technical Support Assistant

In this role placements will become used to supporting and delivering complex software solutions in a professional

environment and working with other professionals within a project team. Dependent on experience, there is also an

opportunity to get involved with technologies such as .NET framework, SQL, ActiveX/COM and web technologies

including HTML, CSS and JavaScript.

Any experience with the above technologies and with agile development processes will be advantageous although not

essential. Successful applicants can expect to gain a great deal of experience working and building relationships with

customers on systems analysis, software development, web and mobile application development, databases, writing SQL

statements and procedures to populate and manipulate data within them. Placement students will also gain experience

with some of the industry’s latest and most powerful technologies such as Microsoft Azure, Microsoft Windows Server

2012 R2, Microsoft Windows (including Windows 8 & 10), Microsoft Office 365, Microsoft Hyper-V, TeamViewer, iPhone/

Android apps, ProspectSoft CRM, ProspectSoft eCommerce and many more.

The job also includes the opportunity to engage directly with customers to help with software installation,

implementation and training. As well as all that, you will get involved in setting up testing and demonstration

environments and assisting with the specification and designs of custom software configurations.

Assistant Front-End Web Developer Role

As a Front-End Web Developer at ProspectSoft, you will be part of a close-knit, dynamic team. You will work closely

alongside designers, developers and account managers to deliver great looking and functional, responsive websites.

Working with our designers, you will discover more about who our clients are and what they represent - your job is to

then turn that into a reality. This role is therefore all about collaboration.

You will need to have good verbal and written communication skills to be able to understand the exact customer

requirements to ensure solutions meet proposals. Using agile practices to create solutions that far exceed expectations,

you will develop high quality, testable and performant eCommerce sites. For this role, you will have the chance to use

technologies such as HTML5, CSS, JavaScript/jQuery, LESS and bootstrap. In a small business every role is vital and at

ProspectSoft we like to embrace new ideas and input them throughout departments and across the company. Therefore,

the ideal candidate would be enthusiastic and passionate with plenty of creative ideas.

TECHNICAL Assistant Solutions Developer

As an Assistant Solutions Developer, the year will be highly software

development focused and will involve the use of technologies such as

the .NET framework, ActiveX/COM and web technologies including HTML,

CSS and JavaScript. Any experience with the above technologies, SQL or

Sybase/Oracle databases will be advantageous although not essential.

Students can expect to leave their placement having had real life

experience of the entire development lifecycle.

Successful applicants can expect to gain a great deal of experience

working and building relationships with customers on systems analysis,

software development, databases, writing SQL statements and

procedures to populate and manipulate data within them. Similar to the

Technical Support Assistant Role, placement students will also gain

experience with some of the industry’s latest and most powerful

technologies such as Microsoft Windows Servers, Microsoft Windows

(including Windows 8), Microsoft Office 2013, Microsoft Office 365,

Microsoft Virtual PC, Microsoft Exchange, Citrix Go-to-assist, ProspectSoft

CRM, ProspectSoft eCommerce and many more.

You will be working closely with our Head of Development, playing a key

role in ensuring the success of the latest releases of ProspectSoft CRM

and Web Solutions. Other placement activities often include full

development projects, setting up testing and demonstration

environments, and assisting with the specification and design of bespoke

software developments for customers. On commencing your placement,

you will receive six weeks of training in all aspects of our product stack

and our development methodologies.

“Working at ProspectSoft has given me an

amazing opportunity to develop both my

technical and personal skills. I have been able to

work on a variety of projects in different

technical areas. The people at ProspectSoft have

been great to work alongside and are the main

reason I have been able to gain so much from

my placement year.”

Stuart Reeve

Assistant Solutions Developer

Lauren Hines

Marketing Assistant & Events Co-Ordinator

“My placement year at ProspectSoft has truly

been an unforgettable experience. The team

have always provided me with every opportunity

to thrive, from the huge responsibility I’ve been

given to the immense amount of support I’ve

received along the way.”

“Through working at ProspectSoft I’ve

developed skills that a degree doesn’t teach you,

skills that will be invaluable when looking for a

job after University. It has also given me a

focused mind set for my final year. I’m glad I

chose to work at an SME as opposed to a large

organisation, as I felt just as valuable as a long-

term employee. Not only this, but it was also an

enjoyable environment to work in.”

Nikhil Vedi

Technical Support Assistant

TESTIMONIALS

HOW TO APPLY

Step 1 - Registration and Application

Register at placements.prospectsoft.com/register to create an account on our portal, choose

the role you’d like to apply for, then upload your CV and Cover Letter.

If applying for a Technical role, shortly after you’ve uploaded your CV and Cover Letter you’ll

receive a short technical test via email. Please complete this as soon as possible so we can

review the rest of your application.

Applications for all roles are now open

Step 2 - Telephone Interview

The second stage of the process is a telephone interview which typically lasts around 20-30

minutes.

This interview is designed to be a chance to get to know you and understand why you’d be

suited to the role.

Step 3 - Assessment Centre

The third stage of recruitment is the Assessment Centre, an opportunity to meet you in person!

For the Sales and Marketing placements, the first half of the day includes group activities and

team building exercises, as well as an individual 5-10 minute presentation on a topic of your

choice.

For the Technical placements, the day will consist of coding tests and members of the senior

management team will speak about the company and roles.

The day concludes with interviews with the members of the senior management team.

Step 4 - Familiarisation Day

If you secure a placement with us here at ProspectSoft, you’ll be invited to our Familiarisation

Day, which is an excellent opportunity to get to know your fellow colleagues you’ll be working

with during your placement year.

The day involves a tour of the office, meeting other colleagues, presentations and lunch!

2010 2009 2003

Top Small to Medium-sized

Enterprise

Winner

AWARDS - PROSPECTSOFT

Top Small to Medium-sized

Undergraduate Employer

Winner

RateMyPlacement Best SME

Winner

Top Small to Medium-sized

Enterprise

Finalist

Top Small to Medium-sized

Undergraduate Employer

Finalist

Top Small to Medium-sized

Undergraduate Employer

Finalist

Best Work Experience Providers

Winner

Top Small to Medium-sized

Undergraduate Employer

Winner

2016 2015 2014

2013 2012 2011

Best Work Experience Providers

Winner

This was the year our

placement scheme started.

Since then, the placement

scheme has become an

integral part of ProspectSoft’s

philosophy and recruitment

drive.

NOTES

AWARDS - PLACEMENTS

2016 2015 2014

2011

Best Student Contribution to

an SME

Victoria Dyke - Winner

Best Student Contribution to

an SME

Rachel Pitman - Finalist

Inspirational Student Award for

Impact on an Organisation

Jess Heald - Winner

Best Student Contribution to

an SME

Francesca Firth - Finalist

Alice McLinden - Finalist

ProspectSoft Placement Site: placements.prospectsoft.com

ProspectSoft Placement Blogs: blog.prospectsoft.com/blog/category/placements

Facebook: www.facebook.com/ProspectSoft

Placement Twitter: www.twitter.com/PS_Placements

LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/company/prospectsoft

Instagram: www.instagram.com/ps_placements

RateMyPlacement: www.ratemyplacement.co.uk/company-profile/389/

prospectsoft

Dovetail House,

Wycombe Road,

Stokenchurch,

HP14 3RQ

01494 486301

careers@prospectsoft.com

USEFUL LINKS