Intern Review

I enjoyed the internship a lot. The work was varied, challenging and interesting, and the internship itself was well-organised. There were a lot of team morale events, which were fun, and the company was always happy to assist us in meeting new people, getting involved in activities, and getting stuck into the job.

This is a difficult question to answer due to the nature of the internship. Naturally, as an intern, I was far less experienced than my colleagues, and therefore less competent with most tasks. So, with that in mind, they wouldn't value me as highly as a full-time employee. However, everyone was nice, and happy to help when I asked, so I didn't feel out of place.

My manager was always happy to help, and I was also given a mentor to whom I could ask questions. Both were very busy most of the time, but always happy to set aside some time if I asked for help. Also, HR were generally available to give support and guidance, so I never felt as if I had nobody to talk to.

Generally the workload was well balanced. I always had things to do, but I never felt that I was rushed off my feet to complete tasks, or that I was under a lot of pressure to complete unfair amounts of work on time. Sometimes, there would be slower days, but I could always use these for training purposes, or teaching myself more coding techniques, so these were still useful.

Admittedly, I was not given a great deal of responsibility. Some of the testing I did was important, and useful to the company, but it was relatively straightforward and could have been done by others. I was given my own project as well, for potentially useful work, but again this wasn't hugely pressured and could have been done by others.

The work I have completed was all technically relevant - there was no fetching coffee or anything, I was testing and coding from day 1. These skills are hugely relevant to the areas I want to go into, so it was a fantastic opportunity to learn them here. Metaswitch Networks laid on training sessions for further development which were relatively useful as well.

The general atmosphere in the office was pleasant, kind and quiet - easy to work in. It didn't feel hugely friendly, but that's probably symptomatic of the London ethos, not the company culture. Everyone was always polite and courteous, and happy to help if needed, but it was expected that when in the office you do work, you don't mess around.

The internship was very well organised. We were assigned a manager and a mentor, and given plenty of work to do throughout the internship. Also, team morale events were organised regularly, and a whole week was set aside for interns to meet each other, get into teams, and compete in technically related challenges.

Future employment prospects within the organisation are quite appealing. The salaries are good, and the work life balance is very achievable. The company itself seems to be performing well, and hiring is continuous, which suggests good growth and future prospects. Management are keen to expand the company, both in terms of number of employees, and regions of influence.

The social scene was generally quite good, although not fantastic. Metaswitch Networks did their best to promote socialising, by frequently putting money behind the bar of local pubs, and organising team morale events. However, the nature of a software company doesn't necessarily lend itself towards socialites, so if all day partying is what you're after, perhaps choose differently.

There were a huge number of social clubs and societies, ranging from sports to games, that took place at lunchtimes. It was very easy to sign up and get involved at minimal cost. Drinks were paid for by the company on a weekly basis, so socialising with workmates outside of work was easy, cheap and fun.