Investment Banking Summer Analyst Review

by Barclays

Best Student Employer

This review was submitted over 4 years ago, so some of the information it contains may no longer be relevant.

Rating

4.8/5
  • The Role
    4.9
  • The Company
    4.7
  • The Culture
    4.9

    The Role

  • 1. To what extent did you enjoy your work placement or internship?
  • I truly enjoyed my time at Barclays Investment Bank as everyday there is something new going on and everyone around me is genuinely kind and supportive. They did not treat me any different with an official employee so I am able get exposed to a wide range of business areas the team is involved in. In addition, there are a lot of events organised for summer interns such as networking events, MD breakfast, Factset training etc. I expanded my banking professional knowledge through attending all the events. HRs and all the managers have put a lot of efforts to make this internship a great experience for us.

    5/5

  • 2. To what extent did you feel valued by your colleagues?
  • The atmosphere within the team was phenomenal - every member of the team was very supportive and the projects I was assigned were very interesting. I manage to build fairly good relationship with every member in the team – not just professionally, but outside of work too. I had catch up sessions with both the MD and Directors on the team. I also had the opportunity to learn various deals and do a lot of tasks with different members of the team.

    5/5

  • 3. To what extent were you given support and guidance by management/your supervisor(s)?
  • My buddy was being extremely supportive to me. Whenever I have queries he would pause what he his doing and help me. The other analyst on my team also acts as a buddy to me and teaching me a lot of things every day. Also, my line manager has given up a lot of time to teach me various deals with different structures to ensure I gain a better understanding of the business we do.

    5/5

  • 4. How busy were you on a daily basis?
  • I am quite busy throughout the day. I come in at 9am and finish at 10-12pm. The hour is long but I don't feel the day is long at all. Everyday my schedule is quite full including some conference calls and meetings to attend and making meeting note summary.Also I do a lot presentations for the team and MD, and I create spreadsheet for certain deals. All the tasks are very meaningful and I think I am gradually adapting to the working lifestyle and the workplace etiquette now as well as building up some industry knowledge.

    5/5

  • 5. How much responsibility were you given during your placement?
  • A huge amount of responsibility has been given to me. I have joined numerous conference calls and meetings, attended more than five client meetings - including one with the CEO of the client company. I have also been asked to draft official term sheet and write e-mail directly to clients. I have been involved in quite a few live deals and I really feel like I am being valued and have been given real responsibility.

    5/5

  • 6. To what extent did/will the skills you developed, and training you received, assist you in your degree studies and beyond?
  • I believe I progressed a lot in Excel spreadsheet skills and presentation skills from the training received in the first week and daily tasks. More importantly, I have gained a deeper understanding of the industry and the business we do. From all the client meetings and conference calls, I learnt how to behave in front of clients and act as an ambassador for the firm. Also I grasped the essential interpersonal skill which is required to build up the trust with colleagues and clients. Those skills I have gained here will definitely help me throughout my career.

    5/5

    The Company

  • 7. What was the general atmosphere in your office?
  • Every team members are very kind. They spent time every day to catch up with each other on their weekend and holidays. But when everyone is working, it is very intense.

    5/5

  • 8. How well organised was the overall work placement or internship set up?
  • Very well-organised. Nine week summer internship in total,First week is training. Then we spend six weeks in our primary team and two weeks in second cohort. This gives us the opportunity to get to know two different teams and explore other areas.

    5/5

  • 9. In terms of personal training and development, to what extent did the company or firm invest in you?
  • The first week is training. Barclays hired an external company to conduct the technical training. I found it very informative but the pace is too fast that I couldn't really follow.

    4/5

  • 10. What were the perks on your work placement?
  • Subsidised Canteen

    Financial Bonus

    5/5

  • 11. How appealing are future employment prospects within the organisation?
  • Barclays has a very bright future as it will have a new CEO soon. The strategy will be more focused on the Investment Bank side of the business. I personally think it is a perfect for a junior banker to join the firm.

    5/5

    The Culture

  • 12. Was there a good social scene amongst any fellow placement students/colleagues?
  • Yes all the interns are very friendly, we have lunch together quite often. However, we haven't had any chance to go out for a drink together as everyone i very dedicated to work at their desks.

    5/5

  • 13. What was the cost of living and socialising in the area you worked in?
  • The canteen is quite cheap, even Starbucks in the canteen is heavily subsidised. Canary Wharf rent is expensive, but the salary should be more than enough to cover the costs of living in Canary Wharf.

    5/5

  • 14. What was the Nightlife like in the area you worked?
  • I work in Canary Wharf, there is no nightclub here but a lot of bars around. Our team went onto a team drink on roof terrace in a bar which was fantastic.

    5/5

  • 15. Were there many opportunities to get involved in activities outside of work?
  • I get the option to be involved in community work.

    5/5

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Details

Internship (1 Month+)

London

July 2015


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