Spring Intern Review

Overall I had a lot of fun during the insight program. The other interns were ambitious and driven, so it was a motivating environment to be in, and the employees I interacted with were helpful as well. The work was challenging but not impossible, and the training sessions were interesting even though they didn't directly help with the final project.

I felt more valued than I thought I would! Everyone I interacted with treated my views seriously, and was more than willing to answer my questions. It was a bit trickier to see how the work we were doing would contribute to the firm overall, but in terms of social interactions I definitely felt valued.

There were a wide variety of training sessions that gave insight into the different teams at the firm, and we also learned some of the technical skills we might use when researching something. The general training sessions for all employees were a bit basic in level though, and I felt like we could have been given a bit more guidance for our final presentation at times. Nonetheless, I felt like I learned a lot by the end of the placement.

The information I received was mostly useful for getting a sense of what it might be like to work at the firm, but I am sure that I will be able to use the skills I developed during my degree and beyond. In particular, we were really taught how to speak up and ask questions in a professional environment.

The insight was well structured for the most part: there was enough time for training and for working on our project and networking as well. A social event or two might have been nice over the weekend, but I felt that the structure during the weekdays enabled us to make the most of the internship.

Contrary to my expectations, the atmosphere during the insight was great! I got along well with the other interns, and I had a few particularly positive experiences with interacting with employees too. You felt like you were being valued as a person, and not as a means to tick the 'networking' box.

The employees I spoke to were quite honest about their experiences working at the firm full time, and the work we did gave a good insight to it as well. I feel like if I were to join the firm full time, I'd know quite well about what that would entail.

I felt I got a good insight into the company culture for the most part, particularly in terms of how people work together at the firm. At times, the opinions people were giving me felt a bit too rosy, but I appreciated the information that I was given about the company culture.

It was incredibly helpful in giving a sense of what a career in my division of the firm might involve, and in particular I now know more about what exactly it is that I like and don't like about it. This experience will definitely be a valuable reference for deciding on future internships and careers.

There were quite a few networking opportunities which were quite nice to attend, and they were useful in terms of helping one gain the skills needed for networking successfully. However, I wish there had been more social events organized for the evenings or weekend to get to interact with interns in a more informal setting.

If they are interested in the particular division they are applying for, this can be a great opportunity to get work experience in the field whilst learning more about it. It is important to be passionate about the field you're applying for, because if you are you'll really be able to make the most of the program.