Internship Review at Citi

The Role

Role Description

I was a summer intern in Fixed Income Capital MArkets Origination for 10 weeks, and I was stationed at the Infrastructure and Energy Finance (IEF) desk for the whole duration. IEF provides mainly debt financing as well as advisory services to clients who are engaged in large-scale projets in infrastructure, oil & gas, alternative energy, power etc. My daily work involved researching for information, helping out with parts of the pitchbook needed for presentations, administrative work with internal company memos, basic pricing calculation and generally helping out various deal teams whenever I can. Occassionally, I was fortunate enough to get the chance to listen in on conference calls and attend client meetings as well. My biggest task during the internship was preparing the draft for a project's info memo to be presented to important overseas government organisations.

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

★★★★★★★★★★

Rated 10/10

the experience was way beyond my imagination of a typical banking internship. When I expected some mundane tasks, but in fact everyday was interesting and the steep learning curve meant I never stopped learning. I actually looked forward to going to work every morning (even on Mondays!). As I told the graduate recruitment team, I'd rate my experience 11 out of 10.

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

★★★★★★★★☆☆

Rated 8/10

My colleagues were professional and expected the same of me. But they were always kind enough to answer all my questions and never asked anything unreasonable of me. Some asked me along for coffee from time to time as well. Overall I was made to feel welcome from start to finish, and it made me really integrated into their culture and eager to contribute my best.

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

★★★★★★★★★☆

Rated 9/10

I was given a mentor/buddy who also sat at my desk, so he was the first person I went to for advice and questions. Generally everyone was willing to guide my learning and development, and were most willing to answer any queries. They were also kind enough to sit and listen to a rehearsal of my final internship presentation.

4. How busy were you on a daily basis?

★★★★★★★★★☆

Rated 9/10

Busy is always better than being idle. Most days ended late, but hey you'll get used to it. And it was not like I was the only one left while everyone else went home. I was as busy as the team was busy, so it's necessary to help your team until the job is done. But we were given freedom to take small breaks in between, whether for a meal or coffee.

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

★★★★★★☆☆☆☆

Rated 6/10

Sufficient responsibility and I was always eager to ask for more work once i had completed the previous task. Doing the small things well enabled me to gain the trust of my colleagues who slowly gave me more and more important tasks to do. The work I was given were within my skillset and nothing was expected of me that was beyond an intern's level of knowledge.

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

Primarily the people skills are the most important. The skills gained with Microsoft Excel, Word and PowerPoint are definitely beneficial for school work, but the entire experience is simply life-changing and broadens your horizons. The professionalism of your colleagues rubs off on you and it changes the way you handle things.

The Organisation

7. What was the general atmosphere in your office?

★★★★★★☆☆☆☆

Rated 6/10

Busy and bustling atmosphere typical of any investment bank. My desk was not bad as my colleagues were serious workers, but know when to joke/relax too. It was fun and not overly stressful there.

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

★★★★★★★★★★

Rated 10/10

Great efficiency from the screening and interview process, down to the actual internship itself. A clear timetable and programme was in place from beginning to end and HR coordinated with the colleagues of each intern fairly well.

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

★★★★★★★☆☆☆

Rated 7/10

Typical investment at a banking intern's level, with basic training and constant contact with HR and graduate recruitment team. Weekly talks were given by members of various departments of the bank, to offer a broad insight into the bank's operations.

10. What were the perks on your work placement?

★★★★★★★☆☆☆

Rated 7/10

• Subsidised Canteen
• Subsidised/Company Gym

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

★★★★★★★★★★

Rated 10/10

Very fortunate to secure the job offer, especially in current market conditions.

Other Information

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

★★★★★★☆☆☆☆

Rated 6/10

Pretty good attendance at the social networking events organised by HR.

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

★★★★★☆☆☆☆☆

Rated 5/10

It's London! Not cheap at all but bargains can be found.

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

★★★☆☆☆☆☆☆☆

Rated 3/10

nightlife on weekdays is in the office. on weeknights, it seemed not bad though.

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

★★★★★★★★★★

Rated 10/10

london is bustling with activity, enough to keep your weekends occupied and make you recharged again for Monday.

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?

Citi is a truly diverse place which values meritocracy. You will meet people from various backgrounds and countries. Working with them will not only improve your skillset, but it will also prove to be a thoroughyl enriching and interesting experience.

Review 68/68 for Citi

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