Intern Review

The internship was a thoroughly interesting experience. I was given a wide range of different tasks and responsibilities, and the work was stimulating rather than the monotonous and time consuming tasks that interns are often made to do. I was positively surprised by the amount I was included in things like meetings with senior people or team discussions, and so I was able to get a more rounded view of the job.

My team were hugely welcoming, and made me feel comfortable from the start, encouraging me to voice opinions and enter in on discussions, even though I clearly had limited knowledge on the subjects. There was a willingness to give me responsibility but it never felt like I was put under unnecessary pressure or was expected to do more than was possible.

My team were happy to give me help or advice whenever I needed it, and never seemed irritated by being asked stupid questions! I got some really invaluable advice from some fascinating people during my internship. Similarly, the HR department and the support network of mentors and buddies gave another place to seek out support should I need it.

Generally there was a very good balance - I usually had tasks to get on with but wasn't overwhelmed by work. On rare occasions when my team were preoccupied with something I found myself without any work, but I was encouraged to use that time to find out more about the project we were working on and do background reading, which turned out to be very helpful later in the internship.

By the end of my internship I was able to contribute work that was used and valued highly by my team, which felt like a great deal of responsibility after just 10 weeks! Considering the constraints on the industry in terms of compliance and being unable to speak to clients etc., it was the most responsibility you could reasonably hope to get without having sat the CFA exam.

I learnt a huge amount about businesses and how they are valued and understood within finance. These are skills that would be useful in many industries, in terms of knowing how to look at a business and understand its strengths and weaknesses. I also gained a much greater understanding of financial markets and how they operate.

It was a very friendly office, where people were happy to look to each other if they needed any help, and there was a generally pleasant atmosphere. It isn't a rowdy or loud office, but there is a sense of friendliness, and people chat to each other, go for drinks after work and are generally sociable.

There were no hiccups whatsoever in the running of the programme, as far as I can remember, despite the internship involving a large number of people, multiple events, training courses and lectures. The HR team were very good at keeping us informed of upcoming events and information.

We were given a huge amount of investment in terms of lectures, training courses and even external outings and team building exercises. It really felt like a substantial commitment had been made to ensure that we gained something from the internship. Some of the speakers included very senior people, and the training sessions were very well run and informative.

There is a good chance of employment at the end of the scheme if you work well on your team and perform well at the other intern events through the 10 weeks. It is certainly competitive and there is no guarantee of a job at the end, but the prospects are really good if you do well.

We got on fantastically as an intern group, and went out for drinks after work pretty regularly. I developed some really great friends over the course of the ten weeks, and the intern group in general was full of very well balanced and sociable people.

Considering it is London, there is always a high cost associated with living, eating out, going to bars etc. That being said, I was able to find affordable accommodation and have an active social life on the salary we were given, and I was even able to save some money for my final year of university.

It's central London! There's a load of great options for any type of night out.

The company offers sports and social groups and encourages the interns to get involved, and outside of work there are any number of options in London for those wanting to join a sports team or any other activity.