Investment Consulting Intern Review

Overall, my internship at Aon was thoroughly enjoyable. Technical issues and a lack of initial structure to my workload meant the first couple of weeks didn't run particularly smoothly. However I can imagine this is prevalent in the majority of offices and from about week 3 onward I was given more responsibility and felt fully settled in. It was a great office to work in and there were many opportunities to socialise with colleagues outside of the office.

Incredibly so. There was a great balance in the office between getting required tasks done and a relaxed atmosphere in the office. Any work I was asked to do by colleagues was explained well and feedback was always positive and constructive. Invitations to post-work drinks and networking events further enhanced the relationships I built.

The support and guidance from all team members was very well received by myself. Due to the nature of the work my manager was often out at client meetings but there was always someone else I could talk to if necessary. My manager was always happy to give advice and I never felt like he put me under too much pressure. There is also a very good system in place where a recent graduate is assigned to be the intern's buddy.

As stated before, initially the workload was too low and days tended to go quite slowly, But as time went by and I was able to carry out tasks independently, a pretty much perfect balance was achieved. Furthermore, due to the inclusion of the charity work as part of the internship, if there was a time where I was quieter, this was something I could always look at.

Obviously there is a large number of tasks that can't be carried out by an intern. The tasks I undertook were often requested by senior colleagues to then be checked. But I was allowed to crack on with these pieces of work without feeling like I was being watched. I felt the responsibility I was given was at the right level.

Immediately I was surprised by how much of what I had studied in my degree (Economics), was relevant to the work I was involved in during the internship, particularly the more financed based modules. To see this then applied in the real world was very interesting. The skills I developed have definitely helped with my degree, and the work is very well tailored to a future career with Aon, which will no doubt prove invaluable.

The atmosphere in the office was probably one of the best parts of the internship. Obviously I was aware that work I was carrying out was being assessed however it never felt this way. I was immediately welcomed into the team, and at no point did I feel like the 'intern'.

Overall, the internship was organised well. The induction and final presentations in London were run very efficiently. There were initial IT problems but I think this was probably to be expected. Once I was fully settled in, I felt the internship ran very smoothly and there was constant support and guidance available both from the Leeds and the London office.

I would say to a great extent. Especially being based in Leeds but with activities occurring in London, there were no qualms over the requirement of regular train journeys and hotels so I could attend said events. A lot of time was put in by other colleagues to ensure I was comfortable with the work I was carrying out.

Since the completion of the internship I have received a job offer. I would say that the initial application process is probably the hardest part of the internship. If successful in obtaining an placement, it's made clear that a high proportion of interns do receive a graduate offer.

Being based in Leeds there was only one other intern and thus opportunities were lower to socialise when compared with somewhere like London. However, post-work drinks with colleagues were regular, as well as the opportunity to attend events with asset managers. Overall there was a good balance.

Being in Leeds its relatively cheap compared to down south. It can be quite pricey at some venues but on the whole it isn't a deterrent to attending events/ going out. I was able to live at home during the internship but the cost of living can be quite cheap in some areas.

Leeds is a really good night out. There's a good mix between pubs, bars and clubs, something for everyone really.

There were many opportunities. This ranged from networking events to attending a Yorkshire county cricket match in hospitality. Furthermore my second day at the Leeds office was spent on the golf course. I was always invited to these events and actively encouraged to attend.