Summer Intern Review

I really enjoyed my internship, I feel I got an excellent overview of what the role would entail if I were to pursue it after University. I was also really impressed at how involved I was in all the work - being involved in client work right from the beginning of my placement! I would definitely recommend it!

Everyone in the office was really helpful and I always felt comfortable asking questions. I felt that colleagues valued my help with work and also valued me in and around the office. Any work I did was always explained to me really well and any feedback I got was really helpful - I felt like my colleagues were really trying to help me learn and get the most out of the time I spent there.

I was given lots of training when I first started in the role and always felt I could ask questions to my manager who was always happy to help and answer any questions I had, no matter how small. I met with my line manager for catch-ups during the time I spent there and was given helpful feedback. We discussed my objectives at the beginning of my internship and these were always discussed in my catch-ups where I was given further support and guidance.

From my first week I was always given plenty of work to do every day, and the work was always varied. As I got quicker at tasks my workload lightened slightly as I took less time to complete everything on my to do list, but if I was ever getting short on work I could always ask some junior members of the team and they would be more than happy to give me some.

I feel I was treated the same as a new graduate joining the team would be treated. This meant that I was given a large amount of responsibility from the start, being encouraged to try out work for myself but always knowing I could ask for help if I needed it. I also had to contact outside administrators on some occasions and most of the work I did was for external clients.

I think the skills and training I received will be so valuable to me in the future, as this was my first extended period of time working in a professional environment. The professional and organisational skills I developed will be helpful in any role I pursue in the future and the technical training will be helpful for the final year of my degree as I am taking more financial and statistical courses.

The office always seemed upbeat and had a good atmosphere. People were very hardworking but always willing to chat and most people took their lunch break together which was always a good time to socialise. There were always social activities happening on Friday nights after work and even through the week; there was a bowling social, qualification drinks and even a breakfast social whilst I was there.

The Recruitment team were extremely helpful throughout the application process and on the induction day, and as soon as I was into the office all the training and help provided was always really well organised and structured. The amount of work I was given always seemed to be handled really well and communication of any events or meetings was always extremely prompt and detailed.

The training I was given in the first week and the help and support I was given throughout the internship indicated that the company had really planned and organised the training and development well; it was all really detailed and helpful and the same as the new graduates would receive were they to come into the firm. The catch-ups with my line manager throughout the placement also showed that the company was invested in my personal development as well as my training.

I had a detailed review with my line manager on the final day of my internship and the outcome of my internship will be communicated to me by HR in the near future.

As there were only 2 of us interns we didn't tend to socialise alone, but we would usually attend office socials together and would frequently chat about how we were getting on and what our thoughts were during the process.

I worked in Manchester, but I commuted there on the train from Leeds each day, which was quite expensive, although cheaper than it would have been to rent in Manchester during my internship. Socialising was on the pricier side, but wasn't extortionate and was what you would expect from a big city.

Manchester is a big city and had plenty of diverse nightlife, there really was something for everyone, although it was on the pricier side, but that comes with being a big city.

Due to the short period of time I spent doing the internship there wasn't much opportunity to get involved in things outside of work apart from the Friday/midweek socials, however, hearing things about sports days and big events outside work makes me think that there would be opportunities to get involved with things outside work if your role was permanent.