Max Khan joined Reed Elsevier as a graduate recruit in October 2007. Working as an associate in Corporate Strategy, he took up a post at our London headquarters, just off Trafalgar Square in London.
He’d looked at other openings for graduate recruits but found that a number of deciding factors swayed Reed Elsevier in his favour.
“The role I was offered gave me good exposure across a variety of company activities,” he says. “The company's business units all have a distinct character, customer sets, markets and products. This gives the work unparalleled diversity.”
Does it make a difference that Reed Elsevier is a global business? “A global company gives you the opportunity to work in many different environments and cultures all of which have very different dynamics. It is therefore an excellent opportunity to meet and work with new people and gain experience with different ways of working.”
He says he noticed a difference when being interviewed for the post, compared to other companies he went to talk to. “The ‘softer’ side of the team stood out…perhaps because it was relatively small.”
And since joining the group, those softer aspects of working life have been in evidence. “You can strike a good work/life balance – personal commitments are respected and looked upon favourably. Team working and collaboration are encouraged.” He says it is “very important” to him that he works for a company with a strong commitment to corporate responsibility.
He would encourage other graduates to look at Reed Elsevier as a place to launch their careers. “It is an interesting business with a rich and complex variety of activities across different market segments and geographies. Combined with that, Reed Elsevier has a friendly and collegiate atmosphere and gives graduates a good opportunity for personal growth and development.”