Summer Marketing Intern Review

I really enjoyed the internship. As the internship was my first real corporate experience, I was looking for a structured programme within a big company that would train me, teach me new skills and allow me to interact with individuals with different levels of seniority - Amex definitely delivered on this. The events organized for the interns were also great, and unique (London Eye, Thames Boat Cruise, etc.).

Amex has a great culture. Unlike other internships where managers make up work for their interns, I was given work that actually served a purpose in the company, and that someone would have had to do if I were not around. My opinion was valued, and I feel I made some useful contributions to different projects.

I was afraid I was going to be thrown in the deep when I first started - this was not the case. As I did not have any background in marketing, I needed a lot of hand-holding at the beginning, and my manager really delivered on this. I was slowly able to take on more and more responsibility as I felt more comfortable in the role.

The nature of the work I did meant that there were very busy times, and some very slow times. This could not have been prevented by my team or my manager. However, this was not the case for all teams. Most of the interns seemed to have the right balance of work most of the time.

As the internship went on and as I became more comfortable, I was given more responsibility. I really appreciated this, as this kept me focused and challenged. Even as I was given more responsibility, there was always someone I could ask for help when I needed to, which was great.

As my degree is not relevant to marketing/business, I won't be able to use the skills I developed in my degree. However, I received training and developed skills that will be incredibly useful in any corporate environment, whether I get the offer to return to Amex as a graduate or not.

Amex has a great culture, the atmosphere is very friendly and welcoming. I always felt like a valued member of the team, and was happy to participate in my team's social activities (drinks, day out in London, etc.). There always seems to be some social activitiy going on, which is great.

The organisation of the internship was fantastic. The Campus HR team did a great job, with an intern-specific induction day and training, as well as social events throughout the internship, which included an open bar, a visit to the Brighton offices a visit to the London Eye, a volunteering day, and a London boat cruise.

I was really impressed at how much the company invested in us. We each got a brand new computer, and they got external experts to come give us training on Excel and public speaking. My manager also always had time to answer any of my questions, which was great considering how much work she had to do.

I would love to work with Amex after my graduation, if I get made an offer. I will also have a better idea of what type of marketing I am interested in (e.g.: digital, acquisition, events, etc.) and what teams I would like to work in, so I think I would enjoy my time at the company even more.

The interns formed a tight-knit group. We always had lunch together, and even ended up seeing each other on the weekends, to celebrate birthdays, etc. There was a bit of a London/Brighton intern divide, but this is to be expected considering we didn't see each other as often. Overall, a great group.

As anywhere in central London, the cost of living and socializing was very expensive. I know that this was an issue for many interns that were not able to live at home during the summer. However, Amex employees got lot of discounts in the area near the office, as well as at London attractions (London zoo for example).

London is a great place for nightlife in general, and I really enjoyed living in a big city for this reason - there is always something going on. However, the office is in central London and the cost of clubbing/going to a bar is very expensive, and often unaffordable for students.

There were many activities you could get involved in, such as volunteering. My team also had a particularly good social calendar, with bar trips and team building exercises. Ultimately, it is up to you to decide how much you want to get involved in, but the opportunities are there if you are inerested.