Operations Intern Review

Very much so enjoyed my placement. The office environment was very welcoming and friendly as everyone took the time to stop to say hi and give a quick synopsis of the work they and their team carry out. From day one I felt included in the team and valued as a member of staff. The work was challenging and interesting enough to ensure that no day dragged and the whole internship was an interesting and eye opening experience.

I felt like part of the team almost instantly, although I may not have the individual knowledge that others possessed they still took the time to include me in all the morning briefings and if I had any queries at all they encouraged me to voice them. This allowed for a more in depth understanding of the work the team carried out and how I can contribute in such a fashion as to benefit them the most. I was definitely treated as another colleague as oppose to just "the intern".

Every week I had a 1-2-1 with my line manager to have a casual catch up and to assess how I was getting on with the tasks assigned to me as well as any issues I found myself facing. These 1-2-1's although on paper where weekly at any moment I could ask my manager a question and it was made clear from day one that there where no silly questions. Additionally I had a 1-2-1 with the department manger every fortnight and throughout the course of the internship I met with the Managing Director twice to discuss how I was finding my time at Morgan Stanley.

Throughout my time at Morgan Stanley I had a mix of both daily tasks and reports to produce as well as coursework to produce over the course of the internship. This allowed for me to time manage myself which did lead to some days being busier than others however it was never anything too extreme. Additionally if I found myself with nothing to do after finishing my work I had the opportunity to work shadow other teams or ask if there was anything I could do to help the rest of the team.

The daily tasks that were assigned to me where vital to the firm, as I was in a unique team facing both traders and clients some of the tasks that I had could affect the customer satisfaction if done wrong. Additionally I was tasked with producing procedural documents for future new starts and producing a booklet to be issued to everyone on the team, these tasks where just to be finished by the end of the 13 weeks so it was my responsibility to manage my time carefully to ensure I achieved these.

I have learnt how to work independently and improved my time management. These will be vital skills for my final year of university as I have to produce my dissertation at the end of the year. The confidence I gained in knowing I am able to operate in a real working environment is also a major boost as it is calming to know how I work and operate in that sort of environment as well as knowing I have some experience in it before graduating.

The atmosphere was incredibly welcoming. The office and all those working in it were very friendly and would introduce themselves as well as ask how I was finding my time with the firm. Additionally I found it remarkable how professional they where on the phones dealing with clients and how easily they found the time in between calls to chat with one another to discuss any issues they may be having but also to catch up with one another. I felt this ability to switch between the professional phone calls and friendly chats to be comforting and helped me to feel at ease in the new environment.

The internship was well organised, we had our introduction over the course of a few days and then where placed within our teams. This meant we were able to create a network of interns before hand but they did not keep us in the induction period for too long. Additionally planned talks and team2teams meant that the days varied and allowed for you to meet other teams to better understand the firm as a whole as well as get you more evolved as a colleague. HR had also arranged nights out for the interns to signify certain way points of the internship.

The initial induction spanned three days to give a crash course into what we would be doing. There was also numerous online training to get through at the start as well as periodical training the further into the internship we got. Additionally, the first few days with the teams meant that I was working along side someone to pick up the procedures and daily tasks I would be responsible for. Furthermore there where numerous learning opportunities where it was possible to see what teams do and how they interact with one another. Work shadowing also helped me to develop my time whilst there.

I have been offered a place on the 2017 graduate scheme so long as I do well this academic year. I have accepted this offer as I very much enjoyed my time with the firm and found the culture of the office to be very welcoming. Everyone I met was willing to take time out of their day to help me in any way they could.

HR organised numerous nights out for the interns as well as this we would go out fairly frequently even if just for lunch. The induction period allows for you to get to know your fellow interns well and exchange contact details. Additionally the in house instant messenger caters for the possibility of arranging things on the fly so it was very easy to organize something such as dinner or drinks after work with the fellow interns.

I am unaware of the cost of living near the work as I was placed in Glasgow and live in the suburbs of Glasgow so I opted to just commute to and from work each day. The night life is reasonably priced and the city is relatively small so it was easy enough to go to somewhere reasonably priced. The cost of going out was not too high and if it was an official work night out then it was usually subsidized be it free foods or drinks.

Very vibrant, as the office is in the heart of the city it is easy enough to organize a night out. Through working in my team I was invited out on various occasions and thoroughly enjoyed myself each time. Additionally the work organised events are usually at a nice bar that is open late with plenty of choices to go to afterwards if you so pleased.

Activities outside of work were encouraged whether that was charity work or going to society nights to find out more about the various causes that people within the work and passionate about. There where also unofficial five a side football matches that both interns and full time employees played.