Placement Year Review at Barclays Capital

The Role

Role Description

Depends on which team you join. I joined in Technology: software development, team meetings, showing demo's to business analysts and users.

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

★★★★★★★★☆☆

Rated 8/10

For my first rotation I was given a diverse workload which were all technically challenging.

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

★★★★★★★☆☆☆

Rated 7/10

We interns/graduates are free resources for the teams that we join and so we can be considered expendable in a way. However, I found it easy to assimilate into the team and work to a really friendly yet professional atmosphere.

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

★★★★★★★★★☆

Rated 9/10

My manager was supportive and clear in his words. He knew exactly what he wanted from me and out from me.

4. How busy were you on a daily basis?

★★★★★★★☆☆☆

Rated 7/10

Really depends on yourself. If you can balance the workload, you can still find time to have a pint after work.

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

★★★★★★★★☆☆

Rated 8/10

This also depends on yourself. The more you do (and the less you make mistakes), the more likely you are to be given higher priority tasks that require an increased amount of attention.

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

★★★★★★★★★☆

Rated 9/10

Great training before I hit my desk, and the skills you learn on the job are fantastic for any CV.

The Organisation

7. What was the general atmosphere in your office?

★★★★★★★☆☆☆

Rated 7/10

In my team, the atmosphere was always positive (sometimes cynically negative...).

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

★★★★★★★★☆☆

Rated 8/10

Campus Recruitment are really helpful and can answer most questions you may have even before you start.

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

★★★★★★★★★☆

Rated 9/10

The company pays for a few drink event that interns/graduates to and they're almost always very enjoyable.

10. What were the perks on your work placement?

★★★★★★★☆☆☆

Rated 7/10

• Company Parties/Events
• Healthcare/Dental

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

★★★★★★★★★★

Rated 10/10

If you have a successful internship (i.e. by doing your job properly), you're likely to receive an offer to join their graduate scheme.

Other Information

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

★★★★★★★☆☆☆

Rated 7/10

Depends on the batch of interns but it can be considered fairly sociable.

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

★★★★★★☆☆☆☆

Rated 6/10

Standard London prices for drinks, etc.

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

★☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆

Rated 1/10

Absolute none. Got to get the last tube around 12am.

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

★★★☆☆☆☆☆☆☆

Rated 3/10

Not much really.

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?

Apply early for the internships as places can fill up quite quickly.

Review 88/88 for Barclays Capital

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