Residential Research Intern Review

I thought that the insight placement was relatively enjoyable. It was a really good exposure to the residential department in Knight Frank. For a 2 week long experience, I felt like I wasn’t handed too much responsibility due to my short stay, which is why I would have preferred to stay for at least a month. I got the opportunity to oversee the diverse range of work that goes on in this department and other departments. I had the opportunity to swap desks with another intern for an afternoon, this was very enjoyable and also added to the experience.

I felt particularly valued when I was given a research task that allowed me to correspond with a number of Partners and Associates in the firm who offered me specialised insight towards the project. The research was then taken up to the Head of Residential Development to progress further. The interns had a meeting with Andy Hay, Head of Residential, who we had a chance to speak to. He was very friendly and highly valued the research team, explaining plans to expand and grow the department. It was after speaking with him and the other Partners that morning that really made me appreciate and value my placement with the research team even more.

I received a great deal of help from the contact that I report to. She understood that as a work experience that stretches over 2 weeks, I would want to take advantage of as many opportunities as possible. She corresponded with different office managers and departments within the firm, and arranged to have me at a different desk for the afternoon. She also regularly checked up on me, emailed me to make sure I had enough work to do and that I was happy. I also received a lot of support from the graduate manager, who replied to my emails almost instantly.

As I had the opportunity to work within the research team, it has been really insightful to see how data is used, analysed and evaluated for different purposes. I have produced a few market reports for different cities as a part of my course, so seeing first-hand how the research team operate and deliver these projects was extremely insightful for me.

At the beginning of the internship, we were given a timetable of events that was very well structured, schedules training sessions, breakfasts and networking events. I thought that this was a very good idea and allowed the interns/graduates to socialise. Aside from this timetable, each intern had a different schedule depending on where they were based. My office manager would let me know of the day schedule in the morning, so it was rather well organised.

The team I worked with were rather intense, but I also learnt a lot about the tasks they do and how the department operates. The office was quieter than a lot of the other departments, but it was still a social and friendly environment (They take turns daily buying snacks to share for the rest of the department).

We had a very thorough training session that was named “Maximising Impacts” during our second week of placement. It was a very interesting session that taught us about personality types and when best to adapt behaviours according to different situations. The training session made us rate the way we do things, and ways to go forward in terms of improvement.

It was really helpful. I was seated next to workers who had been with the firm for a number of years and I really got to understand the projects they deal with on a daily basis. It was also very interesting because I also sat next to a graduate employee, and two new people also joined the team on my second week, the team are very welcoming and friendly.

Although I was only with them for two weeks, I essentially got to experience operations in three departments due to the schedule arranged by my office manager, these were: residential research, customer care and the international residential office. The insight was very eye-opening and I now have a better understanding of how the company operates and their culture.

Initially, I had applied for the Residential Internship because I wanted to see the residential development department. However, opportunities for these placements are particularly rare for interns. I was placed in research, and although it was an enjoyable experience it is unlikely that I will be pursuing research for my future career. However, I do know what my next steps are, and this internship has very much helped me come to this decision.

All internships are paid, however travel costs are not reimbursed.

There were many opportunities for networking in our program. We had a drinks mixer for all the interns and current/new graduates, breakfast meeting with Andy Hay, Head of Residential and other Partners from the firm and networking events outside of the firm especially for interns/grads from Knight Frank, CBRE, JLL etc. The interns make a lot of effort with each other to meet up and get to know one another. We’ve decided to share linkedIn accounts too.

Very well put together, organised. Everyone is very nice and understanding; you can ask questions and expect an honest answer. The company really value their graduates and their interns because they could potentially be working for the company in the future. So much so that current employees take time out of their schedules to speak to us. Allistair Elliot, who is the Senior Partner attended the mixers session.

There were a wide range of opportunities available to us. The email system is very well developed and organised, allowing you to find anyone you want. We set up an email loop amongst the interns at the beginning so we could share networking/sports events. I received invitations to play Cricket and Hockey (competitively with other companies) during my two weeks here.

Yes, I would recommend this opportunity to a friend. The placement really helped me to understand how the company runs, what they value and how they’re going to continue growing over the years. For people studying a RICS accredited degree or a Real Estate related course, Knight Frank is one the largest and most successful companies out there. It is a highly valuable experience.