HR Projects and Communications Intern Review

by Cancer Research UK

This review was submitted over 4 years ago, so some of the information it contains may no longer be relevant.

Rating

3.6/5
  • The Role
    4.7
  • The Company
    2.9
  • The Culture
    3.0

    The Role

  • 1. To what extent did you enjoy your work placement or internship?
  • I have hugely enjoyed my internship at CRUK (and I even stayed on longer than the required time period). All those I have come into contact with, from managers to other interns, have been friendly, welcoming and supportive throughout my time here. I have enjoyed the project work, the intern fundraising activities, our team socials and the intern events - I couldn't have asked for a better internship.

    5/5

  • 2. To what extent did you feel valued by your colleagues?
  • I have felt extremely valued from day one. I think this was a result of being fully welcomed into the team, including introductions from people high up like my department manager and project manager. I was also given meaningful tasks and a lot of responsibility throughout my internship which made me feel like a full employee rather than an intern. I have been thanked for my work by all sorts of people and so I really feel I have made a positive contribution to the team I was in.

    5/5

  • 3. To what extent were you given support and guidance by management/your supervisor(s)?
  • My manager was very supportive throughout the whole three months, making sure I knew what my tasks and goals were and always being willing to answer my questions and provide support and feedback. We met twice a week to go over what I had been doing and what was expected of me in the next few days so I always felt like I had clear goals. She was also proactive in setting up meetings for me with other people in the department so that I could get a feel for the other kinds of roles in HR besides my own, meaning I felt like my personal development was being supported too.

    5/5

  • 4. How busy were you on a daily basis?
  • There were some days where I had less to do, particularly at the start and end of the placement but I imagine this is the case with most internships. The regular catch ups with my manager meant that I constantly had opportunities to give feedback on my workload and either ask for more to do or flag up anything that I thought I wouldn't manage to get done before a deadline.

    4/5

  • 5. How much responsibility were you given during your placement?
  • I was given increasing responsibility as the placement went on which I really appreciated because I could tell that my manager was happy with what I had produced so far and therefore willing to give me larger and more important tasks, trusting me to get them done in time and up to a good standard.

    5/5

  • 6. To what extent did/will the skills you developed, and training you received, assist you in your degree studies and beyond?
  • I wouldn't say that my internship has helped me in preparation for my degree, but it has been invaluable in terms of the skills I have learnt and developed for future job applications and entering the working world. It offered me the chance to get involved with a major project and my tasks were widely varied, meaning that I could try new things and develop skills that weren't even in the job description. The experience of working is such a large and busy organisation has been extremely useful because it has given me an idea of what I want to do after uni. I have learned all the essentials of working in a team within a large department, having a good relationship with my manager, meeting deadlines, communicating with all sorts of different people and receiving feedback - I now feel more prepared and ambitious about my future career because CRUK has shown me what I am capable of.

    5/5

    The Company

  • 7. What was the general atmosphere in your office?
  • The office is really large so the atmosphere is busy and bustling and there is always something going on. I also think CRUK are very forward-thinking, and they focus a lot on developing their people so there are always development and skills events going on too, which is a great atmosphere to be in as an intern.

    4/5

  • 8. How well organised was the overall work placement or internship set up?
  • My placement was well thought through because I came in at a busy time in the project I was working on so there was a lot for me to get on with and plenty of opportunities to make a valuable contribution. The overall internship was smoothly run and very flexible too - I knew what was expected of me and I could arrange my working days around other commitments. The events organised specifically for interns were less helpful and there was always a constant plug for us to get involved in other volunteering opportunities which I felt was strange because we were already giving up our whole summer to work for free, but there was plenty of support in place the whole time for interns.

    3/5

  • 9. In terms of personal training and development, to what extent did the company or firm invest in you?
  • There were so many development opportunities on offer, for all staff not just interns, e.g. lunchtime skills workshops and extra activities to get involved in. For interns specifically, there were plenty of career and employability-based events too, e.g. CV-writing sessions and presentation skills session. There was also a mentoring scheme for those who wanted it, so it felt like the company was making a real effort to develop its people.

    3/5

  • 10. What were the perks on your work placement?
  • Flexi Time

    Subsidised Canteen

    Sports and Social Club

    Staff Sales/Staff Shop

    Working from home

    Travel loan

    2/5

  • 11. How appealing are future employment prospects within the organisation?
  • The atmosphere of the company is very appealing, especially for graduates because there are clearly a lot of development opportunities. It is a charity so financially slightly less appealing but staff engagement is excellent so for a job with great colleagues where you really love what you do, CRUK ticks all the boxes.

    4/5

    The Culture

  • 12. Was there a good social scene amongst any fellow placement students/colleagues?
  • Yes, facilitated by our nominated social secs who organised intern events and intern drinks every Thursday. We were encouraged to do some intern fundraising too, which was a great opportunity to work alongside some other interns because there were no other interns actually in my team.

    4/5

  • 13. What was the cost of living and socialising in the area you worked in?
  • Central London - extremely high! Though some places did discounts for CRUK staff which was a bonus.

    2/5

  • 14. What was the Nightlife like in the area you worked?
  • Great pubs and bars, which meant intern drinks was always enjoyable!

    3/5

  • 15. Were there many opportunities to get involved in activities outside of work?
  • Yes, particularly in volunteering events, since those who worked in events-based roles were often asking their fellow interns to help out.

    4/5

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Details

Internship (1 Month+)

London

September 2016


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