Intern Review

I really enjoyed meeting people within the company and learning more about their roles. The work I did was varied and interesting, though understandably it was nothing too 'high level'! I had the opportunity to get out and see sites which allowed me to get a really good feel for what the team do.

My colleagues were really friendly and welcoming from the start, ensuring I was comfortable with what I had been asked to do, and including me in social events. Even small things like always involving me in chats about what they got up to on the weekend really made me feel like part of the team.

My supervisor was always on hand to ensure I was getting on okay with work etc., and I felt I could go to them with any issues (although I didn't have any). The work I was given was from different members of the team though, so support and guidance came from then rather than my manager/supervisor.

As it was a quiet period in the business there was not always much work on, but I was given other things to do such as reading reports and research. The quiet period also allowed me to go on more site visits than I would otherwise have been able to do, which was a bonus!

I felt that the work I did was useful and necessary, and I was trusted to get on with it. I had really good support so any queries I had were answered, which helped with the quality of the work I did, and so increased the responsibility I had. However, the work I was doing would always be checked and possible edited by members of the team (understandably!) and so I knew that any work I did wouldn't be going directly to a client etc.

I learnt a lot about the industry, but also about work in general - the importance of team work, collaborating with team members, fully using available resources, properly listening to other people's opinions etc. This will be useful for any work I do in the future. I also learnt specific technical real estate skills which will help in applying for real estate jobs.

The atmosphere in the office is very open and collaborative - people are always getting up and going to speak to someone else, so it is by no means silent (which I see as a positive!). Everyone was friendly and keen to find out more about me which was nice, as I felt welcomed and part of the team.

The internship felt really well organised - and not overly organised either which is a bonus! We had weekly talks from people all over the company which were really beneficial, allowing us to get a really good overview of all that is done here. We were encouraged to socialise with other interns which made the whole internship really enjoyable, and the support provided by HR was really good.

I felt that the company had a real interest in ensuring that we had the best possible time and had opportunities to broaden our experience, which is an investment in itself. While specific skills developed depended on the team, the effort made by the graduate recruitment team really showed how keen they were to help us make the most of our time here.

Having spent 4 weeks here I come away thinking how great it would be to work here. The work that people are doing is varied and interesting, and the culture is one that really appeals to me. I feel that I have done my best with every piece of work that I have been given, and got along well with me team, so hopefully their feedback will be positive too!

All of the interns were very friendly and sociable, and this was helped by the HR team organising events for us, including drinks twice throughout the placement. We went for lunch together daily, and casual drinks in the evening were a common occurrence. It was representative as well of how full time employees get on in the firm too.

Being based in London obviously meant that drinks prices were higher than elsewhere in the country, but we discovered places with more reasonable prices! Transport costs are manageable, and by living further out from the centre it's possible to get a cheaper rent. It would be possible to get by for the internship on the wage we received as interns.

Being based in London means that there's many options! In the immediate vicinity of the office there were plenty of pubs and bars, and there were clubs dotted around too, so we were never short of choice. Some are a lot pricier than others, but there's a whole range so there's something for everyone.

There were some sports events on but these were mostly passed on through word of mouth and by other interns, so unless you knew someone who currently played in the team then it wasn't obvious how to get involved. I think as a permanent employee or member of the grad programme the opportunity to get involved would be more readily available.