Account Manager Support Review

I feel as if I have learned so much about banking and Handelsbanken and the work I completed has aided that. However as a bank where the customer is the focal point I feel the inability to interact with customers did limit my potential for enjoyment and learning and meant that the nature of the work became monotonous at times.

Working with a small team in a friendly environment made me feel very comfortable and allowed me to fit straight in. I felt like part of the team from day one I felt trusted to complete important tasks from day one and then even went out with colleagues outside work hours.

There was an intern induction event which unfortunately I was unable to attend. But I received literature containing intern guidance and was also given a full day with of the trainers from the bank in a two to one setting which was exceptionally useful. I also felt as if I could ask anyone questions at any time.

I always had tasks for completion, however the issue was that it was one long task, that became monotonous and I knew I would be unable to complete by the end of my 12 week internship. This often made it difficult to remain motivated and focused on the task. and without any form of urgency or deadline I felt unchallenged by the work.

I was left to be able to get on with tasks without too much supervision or interference. For me personally I enjoyed this model of working and it allowed me to learn faster through exploration of various systems. However for those who feel more comfortable being micromanaged this may not be the ideal set-up. Although it should be said that Handelsbanken branches have a high degree of autonomy. Therefore experience is likely to differ between branches.

I feel as if I have learned so much about banking and Handelsbanken and the work I completed has aided that. However as a bank where the customer is the focal point I feel the inability to interact with customers did limit my potential to learn. The online training I completed and the use of financial systems also aided my banking knowledge and should assist me should I pursue a career in the field.

Working with a small team in a friendly environment made me feel very comfortable and allowed me to fit straight in. I felt the balance in the office between social interaction and silent work was a good balance. Also the open plan office with dividers between desks allowed for a good mix of privacy and interaction.

There was an induction day at the regional office which I was unfortunately unable to attend. However I still received all the literature that was used on the day. There is also a session at the end of the placement for feedback and extra information that was particularly useful for me.

I completed all online training that regular employees have to complete, this took the majority of my time during my first week. I also spent time with the branch manager looking at large amounts of data relating to the branch and going over exactly what it all meant which was very useful. I also spent a full day with a trainer where I could ask had free reign to ask any questions and learn about any of the bank's systems.

I have been offered the opportunity to return next year to complete another internship. Beyond that, Handelsbanken does not have a specific graduate scheme however it does seem that from conversations with my collegues and managers having done an internship there is potential for future employment with a branch of the organisation.

I was the only placement student at the branch and this is common at Handelsbanken as there is only one per branch. This does mean that the social scene suffers, however my collegues where all very friendly and we did get lunches and also went on a night out which was great.

I lived at home which meant that I was able to save a considerable amount of money. This is common amongst most Handelsbanken placement students as there are over 200 branches across Britain. This means that living costs should be cheap for most undertaking a Handelsbanken placement, as most should be able to commute from home to their local branch.

Again as previously mentioned, Handelsbanken has over 200 branches and therefore almost all undertaking a placement at the bank will likely have a different experience of their local area. However where I worked in Bedford the nightlife is fairly standard for a town of its size, with a high street of bars restaurants and a couple of clubs.

In terms of activities outside of work organised by Handelsbanken, opportunities were limited. This is where the decentralised model of the bank falls down, although it has many benefits. But the lack of directives from Head Office does mean work can seem slightly one dimensional and it does seem to tighten the budget for extra events.