Strategy and Development Intern Review

The internship was such a great experience and taught me so much. The opportunities and support offered to interns at CRUK is amazing, from CV skills workshops to a mentoring scheme during the placement. Every project was different and there was always something to do and learn from. I very much enjoyed the internship and cannot recommend it enough.

The whole team at Cancer Research UK is lovely. They are very friendly, welcoming and willing to help if you have any questions. They value the time and effort you are putting in and this is rewarded in a number of ways.

My manager was incredible. Even though she was regionally based and so wasn't in the same office as me every week, she was always available to talk to and came to the London offices regularly to have catch up meetings with me. They also scheduled in phone calls and email communication was constant. In the office there was always someone to go to within the team so at no point did I ever feel that I didn't have support available to me. Esther who manages all the interns was also available and in the office to talk to whenever needed.

Some days I had a lot to do and many projects on the go, and some days were a quieter. During the days when I was less busy this was a great opportunity to do personal development courses which are on offer. At no point did I feel bored or like I had nothing to do.

As the internship progresses I was given more responsibility as I gained in confidence in what I was doing and gained a better understanding. I felt that the work I was given was actually work that would be helpful to the team and not just pointless tasks to fill the time.

I developed a good set of work skills which will be invaluable for future jobs and at university. Personal development was also an important aspect of the internship, and the opportunities offered at CRUK allowed this to happen. The interview skills and presentation skills workshops were a great help and the development they have enabled will be an asset for future job searching.

There was a good balance of fun and work. There is always something going on in the office and the atmosphere is relaxed. Everyone is so friendly and the work ethic is great, it's conducive to getting work done but also not at all dull.

Great - As they do regular intern placements they have experience in what works well and how to run the internships really well. There are a lot of activities for interns to get involved in and as there are a fairly large number of you, you get to know the other interns which is really nice. The workshops on offer to the interns are a good opportunity to progress and develop as well as meet other people and network. I would advise anyone to make the most of every opportunity they offer you.

There were a number of workshops run throughout the 3 month placement, all of which have been very helpful. There is someone to go through your CV, both 1-to-1 and in a group, as well as offering a number of online training courses which you can do. The mentoring scheme is also a great opportunity to speak to someone within the company who will offer guidance and advice on how you can progress and develop to offer you the best future opportunities.

I would definitely consider doing the graduate scheme they offer and if that was not successful I would look at applying for a starter job with them directly.

Yes - excellent. We had a lot of socials and would meet to have lunch together in the canteen everyday. You make friends with other interns and Cancer Research are really good at making sure you know each other. On Thursday we would go for drinks after work, and there are a number of events organized by the interns for fundraising which are great opportunities to get to know one another better.

Being in London it was expensive. Travel can be costly, but they offer the option of flexi hours so that you can avoid peak time train costs and they also reimburse travel expenses up to a certain amount. They are also very accommodating with the option of working from home if needs be and this helps to save money.

There are a lot of great bars near the Angel Building and it is a very social part of London - going for drinks after work was good fun and there are plenty of places to chose from near the office.

Lots of opportunities. Not only to take part in the intern fundraising events but also volunteering for the larger charity events that Cancer Research run. This again is a good opportunity to see the amazing work that the charity does and to have see the impact your internship, and the work the charity is doing in general, is having.