Finance Intern Review

I thoroughly enjoyed my time at Disney, not only did I have amazing opportunities to develop my skills to help in my future finance career, but I also had access to amazing work perks such as consumer product freebies and early cinema screenings!

I felt very valued by my colleagues, particularly my manager whom i worked very closely with and got along extremely well with. There was constant praise about my performance and how valuable I was to the team throughout my placement.

I felt very supported throughout the year - I had catch ups with my manager as necessary, and spent a lot of time during my first few weeks reviewing pieces of work and receiving feedback as necessary, which enabled me to develop throughout the year.

Due to the team which I worked in being quite high up in terms of management, sometimes it was quiet for me whereas the rest of the team were significantly busy. However, for the majority of the time, there was always something to be working on. I also undertook an increased amount of tasks to the intern prior to me, so I believe that this is something which is being worked on.

Again, as previous, because of the team I was positioned in, sometimes it was difficult to completely take charge of projects. However, there were aspects of my role which I was given full responsibility for, which compensated for the other areas where this may have been harder to achieve.

Placement year was the best decision i've ever made. After leaving Disney and having worked in finance for a year, I believe that I am much more ready to complete my degree and aim for a 1st class degree. Throughout the year I have gained invaluable experience, and can now confidently say that I am proficient in Excel, as well as many other finance-related software! This year has developed my confidence, and I can now carry this forward into my future career.

The atmosphere was amazing - Disney has a very laid back and bubbly environment. From the dress code being smart casual to the constant opportunities to watch the latest releases (and at Christmas even during work hours!). There were always events which we could get involved in, where characters would come an visit the office and we could take part in activities. Everyone was friendly, and due to the many many interns in the building, it was very easy to make friends at the start of placement (there are over 100!).

Very organised. At the start, I had a week handover with the previous intern from the prior year. This enabled me to get a grasp of the roles and responsibilities for the job. Although it was a busy period, he did his best to ensure that I was ready for the year ahead. I did however believe that a two week handover would have been more helpful (considering it was a finance role and there was a lot to cover during my first week). My team listened to this feedback, and I undertook a two week handover just before leaving my role.

In terms of training, a lot of it was on-the-job, learning throughout my handover with the previous intern, and then with individual members of the team throughout the year who covered different aspects such as using software, through to basic Excel shortcuts. Although there was no formal training, I don't think that this impacted upon my ability to complete my internship, therefore don't think that this was an issue. I felt supported, and knew that whenever I had a query or needed support, someone in the team would be able to offer their help.

After leaving the company, due to my performance throughout the year, my manager commented that should the opportunity arise, she would definitely hire me to work within the team or recommend me to another team. Although there are no formal grad schemes with the company available, I definitely think that having had completed a placement and made connections, there is an opportunity to return in the future if a vacancy becomes available.

Yes, although I lived back at home during placement, there was always something to get involved in, and always something planned. Due to the number of interns who work at Disney, there are always events put together such as unofficial Halloween/Christmas parties, as well as events organised within friendship groups. In terms of colleagues, there are always team lunches for birthdays, and dinners for special occasions to get involved in!

Being in London, it's always bound to be pricy. I was lucky enough to be able to live at home during placement which made it a lot easier (rent in London is expensive!). However, there were always ways to work around it for those who weren't as lucky - happy hour at local pubs, and local company discount which came in handy for lunch. Nights out on the other hand - very expensive in London compared to your average student night out!

In the area I worked (Hammersmith), would definitely say it was more of a after-work drinks location rather than one to go on a night out. However, it was easy to head elsewhere - central wasn't hard to get to at all.

If you wanted to, there were always things available. From lunch yoga classes, to joining the triathlon team. Interns also were heavily involved in Disney VoluntEARS, which enabled us to take part in volunteering activities throughout the year.