Operational Analyst Review

The internship was really enjoyable. I got on really well with the other three candidates and formed lots of new friendships, even with interns in other departments. The campus team put on lots of social events that kept us motivated and allowed for all interns, in Brighton and London, to meet on a regular basis.

The team that I was placed in immediately welcomed me and made me feel at ease. I felt I could talk to any of them for help or guidance with my project or any other areas I wished to develop. I was able to ask my colleagues for help with my project when I was feeling challenged, and they facilitated focus groups to generate ideas.

I wanted to make the most of my internship on a personal level, and therefore expressed an interest in developing my confidence and soft skills such as presentation. My manager took this on board immediately and we meet each week to discuss weekly progress, not only on my project, but personal development also. My manager also helped to guide my project when it was necessary.

I took it upon myself to make sure I was busy when I could. The workload of the project was really whatever I made of it - I chose to undertake regular meetings and complete call listening to fill up my time. There were also the online training modules to take up any spare time too, if necessary!

It was expected of me to work independently and ask for help and guidance when I needed it. This was a challenge in the beginning, but really beneficial to the project and my decision making skills in the long run. The project I was given was of real benefit to the company, and will be used in the department even now that I have left, so in that respect there was a lot of responsibility.

As stated previously, I made the most of the internship to work with my colleagues and management to develop my analytical skills, presentation and other soft skills, decision making and relationship building. All of these skills have set me up for my final year of university and for success in any future work placements.

The office was very open plan which allowed for a combination of both a relaxed atmosphere and the opportunity to work independently when needed in the individual work spaces. This allowed for ease of conversation between my team and manager, and I could wander and ask questions as I needed to. It was easy to learn about the department as everyone was open to help and discuss their roles with me.

The campus team worked really successfully to ensure that all interns knew what they were doing. The induction day was a great introduction to the other interns, the management team and the company. Meals and meetings with senior staff members were facilitated well and allowed for a welcoming introduction. Events were planned well in advance to allow for travel arrangements etc.

As stated previously, my team and management took the time to help me with the areas of personal development I wished to focus on. I felt like they invested their time as they ensured they made space in their diary for weekly meetings and catch ups on progress. Their encouragement afforded me great opportunities in the ten weeks, such as presenting to the most senior employee in the UK offices, and asking the CEO of American Express a question during a telepresence!

Future employment prospects are very appealing, since the Graduate Scheme in the Operations department would split the two year course into three, eight-month rotations and therefore allow exploration into multiple business units. I was lucky enough to be offered the Graduate Scheme at the end of my internship!

The four interns within the Operations department all got on really well, the group instantly bonded and it was a pleasure to work with them. I lived with four other interns, including two from other departments in the company, and we all enjoyed the summer in a flat in Brighton. Overall, as well, the whole group of interns (across all of the different departments, London and Brighton) all meshed really well together during the social events where we all got together.

The cost of living in Brighton was similar to that of living at university. The amount and type of socialising would really change the cost of living, since there were lots of opportunities to explore and shop and go out in the evenings.

The nightlife was always lively, with lots of bars and clubs to explore. As a group we often went for cocktails at Be At One, and other similar places during happy hour. There were clubs along the seafront which were cool, but we also had a few house parties.

There were lots of internal networks that you could join within the company, that would meet various interests. The gym was a very reasonable price and I regularly attended gym classes after my day of work.