Business Analyst Review

If you want a relaxed, less corporate and people orientated culture American Express will be the company for you and the Internship will be a great way for you to get a foot in the door. There were two social events planned for the interns which was great fun, but the whole 10 weeks wasn't always rosy.

The great thing about American Express really is the people. From your leader to your manager, team buddy and even graduate buddy, there are always people who are there to help, solve issues and give you guidance. Because you go in as a band 30 (higher than gateway entry) you already are given a certain level of respect and people already know that you have the ability to do well.

The guidance from my manager was daily, this was really invaluable. It meant that I never had to suffer in silence and also ensured that I was on the right track as he could always see what I'd been up to. Support and guidance from the program manager(s) was less obvious, but having such a supportive team around me made up for their lack of input.

Project work naturally has peaks and troughs and I strive on challenges and being constantly busy which means that I found this quite difficult, there were days when I was busy and stressed but there were more days when I was searching for work to do. Being only a ten week placement it is difficult to get a project which can be completed but which is also fully occupying, I'm not sure if the balance has been nailed just yet.

Amex don't hold back when giving interns responsibility which is great - you certainly won't be doing any coffee runs or photo copying over the 10 weeks, You're given a project and for me, I was totally reliant on myself and I had full control over the steps, processes and final delivery of the project. You really are project managing!

This experience has been a real learning curve both professionally and personally. 10 weeks may not seem like a long time but the amount that you learn and develop is surprising. For me things like communication, confidence and patience have really improved through my time at Amex. These are skills that I know I can take with me back to uni and ultimately with me when start my career.

Relaxed, less corporate than expected and fun. John Street is a wonderful, shiny new building where the atmosphere is great. What I like most about amex is that everyone is approachable. This means that as an intern I could approach anyone in the building, from CCPs (the guys on the phones) to do call listening, to VPs who practically run the show. The open door policy is truly unique and something which is a great strength of Amex.

Definitely room for improvement. The program manager had recently got the position and that was quite clear, the previous interns frequently commented on the difference in how things had been run in their year and how things were being run now. Its not something that I see being an issue in the future though as there is a lot of focus on improvement of the scheme.

I think it was very much up to us to do our over development, whilst through things like the mid-program check in with managers and receiving constant feedback it was clear to see where you were doing well and then where you could improve but in terms of the company investing in our training and development I don't think it was there, however, I know that this happens on the graduate program and as a company, Amex are very keen on development and opportunities to continue learning etc.

Amex is very keen on career development, whether that's horizontal moves across business functions and business areas or vertically, climbing through the bands and reaching the top. Because Amex is such a global company, the opportunities are endless as there Is also the opportunity to have an international career.

Frequent trips to the pub

Brighton is an expensive city, however, the pay over the 10 weeks is certainly enough to enable you to enjoy yourself. Amex is also great because using your ID badge lots of bars, restaurants and shops in the local area offer staff discount which makes life a lot cheaper!

Brighton is probably known for its nightlife, there is definitely something for everyone, whether that's a cosy bar, gay clubs or just the typical pryzm night out.

Amex run a community project called 'albion in the community' this is where amex employees can volunteer and go out into the community and help out with charities or local schools. We went to Stanmer Park to do some gardening with an organic gardening project, it was a great experience to give back and also allowed the group to bond and work together in a non-work setting.