Internship Review at Fidelity Worldwide Investment

The Role

Role Description

The internship lasts 8 weeks and, while the first two weeks are generally spent shadowing analysts and getting acquainted with the firm, the majority of your time and the primary focus is a report that you have to prepare on a topic chosen by a project sponsor and which you present in your last week. Most days are therefore spent reading research, speaking to brokers and collecting both data and your thoughts, before compiling it in the last ten days or so into a powerpoint presentation.

1. To what extent did you enjoy your work placement or internship?

★★★★★★☆☆☆☆

Rated 6/10

To be honest, this question is a slight misnomer. The work and the days spent in the office were really interesting and I really enjoyed doing the project that I was set. At the same time, because you are trying to be as impressive as possible, working late hours and working on weekends are generally something that the interns decide to do (of their own accord, it has to be stressed). These are not fun and this does mean that occasionally it was difficult. But these hours are very atypical for employees here and really can't be seen as representative.

2. To what extent did you feel valued by your colleagues?

★★★★★★★★★★

Rated 10/10

Very highly. The presentation that you make at the end is listened to by the entire investment team and is genuinely seen not as an intern project but as research report. Portfolio managers actively ask you questions relevant to their own funds and much of my work was then used in other reports issued by the company. Consequently, you feel very much part of the organisation.

3. To what extent were you given support and guidance by management/your supervisor(s)?

★★★★★★★★☆☆

Rated 8/10

This obviously differs from person to person, but in general people at Fidelity are incredibly willing to give you their time and help. Each intern has a project sponsor and regular meetings with them are very helpful in directing you towards conclusions or putting you on the right path. In addition, other analysts were more than happy to have a look at your work and make suggestions

4. How busy were you on a daily basis?

★★★★★☆☆☆☆☆

Rated 5/10

The internship requires a lot of hard work but this is very much left up to you. If you wanted to, you could do very little each day and produce a mediocre effort at the end. Typically, however, interns want to impress and so there isn't much time during the day when you are not working. Hours, particularly towards the end, can get very long and you have to be prepared to work on at least some weekends.

5. How much responsibility were you given during your placement?

★★★★★★★★★☆

Rated 9/10

Huge responsibility. The project is seen as very important and useful by many at the firm and so you are given access to incredible amounts of information and told to pursue whatever angle you feel is best. I was speaking with CEOs withing a couple of weeks and one of the other interns had a number of confersations with a minister in the German government. Effectively you have as much responsibility as any of the full-time employees here.

6. To what extent did/will the skills you developed, and training you received, assist you in your degree studies and beyond?

★★★★★★★★★★

Rated 10/10

I did Classics at university so it was completely unrelated, and I left last year so it is to late for it to make a difference. In terms of looking forward, this is the industry that I want to be in and so it was exactly the sort of necessary education that I wanted to prepare me for this world.

The Organisation

7. What was the general atmosphere in your office?

★★★★★☆☆☆☆☆

Rated 5/10

The team were all nice guys and there were lots of after-work engagements that we were invited to, but in office hours, generally people are serious about their work so there is little frivolity.

8. How well organised was the overall work placement or internship set up?

★★★★★★★★☆☆

Rated 8/10

Well organised. There is a very set timeline and the presentation at the end meant that you always had a goal that you were aiming for. Having run an internship for a number of years, they are very well acquainted with what works and what doesn't.

9. In terms of personal training and development, to what extent did the company or firm invest in you?

★★★★☆☆☆☆☆☆

Rated 4/10

To be honest, there isn't a huge amount of personal training that needs to happen. Most of the work is self-explanatory and what is complicated is generally learnt as you go along so this wasn't a necessity. If I ever did need something explained, then people were more than happy to help me out.

10. What were the perks on your work placement?

★★★★★★★☆☆☆

Rated 7/10

• Financial Bonus
• Company Parties/Events

11. How appealing are future employment prospects within the organisation?

★★★★★★★★★★

Rated 10/10

If they offered me a job, I wouldn't even have to think for a second. It is one of the best of its kind and the work would be endlessly interesting.

Other Information

12. Was there a good social scene amongst any fellow placement students/colleagues?

★★★★☆☆☆☆☆☆

Rated 4/10

Events were organised by the firm quite often. For example, we all went to the races and a Tom Jones concert while we were here. However, the opportunities to go out did become more and more diminished as time went on and you have to expect the last few weeks to have little social life.

13. What was the cost of living and socialising in the area you worked in?

★★★☆☆☆☆☆☆☆

Rated 3/10

Fine. It was London prices so not amazingly cheap, but many meals are provided for you by the office and the opportunities to spend a huge amount of money aren't numerous.

14. What was the Nightlife like in the area you worked?

★☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆

Rated 1/10

Didn't go out.

15. Were there many opportunities to get involved in activities outside of work?

★★★★★★☆☆☆☆

Rated 6/10

As I have said, there were a number of after-work things organised and these included company football matches etc. I'm not sure how many interns actually took up the offers though.

In addition to these questions, is there any extra information you would like to leave about your experiences on your work placement that other students may be interested in?

Genuinely one of the most rewarding things I have done. If you are ever offered the chance to do an internship here, my advice is to take it!

Review 5/5 for Fidelity Worldwide Investment

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