This review was submitted over 4 years ago, so some of the information it contains may no longer be relevant.
Rating
-
The Role
-
The Company
-
The Culture
- 1. To what extent did you enjoy your work placement or internship?
- 2. To what extent did you feel valued by your colleagues?
- 3. To what extent were you given support and guidance by management/your supervisor(s)?
- 4. How busy were you on a daily basis?
- 5. How much responsibility were you given during your placement?
- 6. To what extent did/will the skills you developed, and training you received, assist you in your degree studies and beyond?
- 7. What was the general atmosphere in your office?
- 8. How well organised was the overall work placement or internship set up?
- 9. In terms of personal training and development, to what extent did the company or firm invest in you?
- 10. What were the perks on your work placement?
- 11. How appealing are future employment prospects within the organisation?
- 12. Was there a good social scene amongst any fellow placement students/colleagues?
- 13. What was the cost of living and socialising in the area you worked in?
- 14. What was the Nightlife like in the area you worked?
- 15. Were there many opportunities to get involved in activities outside of work?
The Role
Considering that it is "just" an internship, I think it was great. I took care of the quality assurance checks mostly, which was not always so enjoyable, but I eventually got to manage projects as well, and the QA checks do help a lot to learn certain things about different languages and the industry.
I guess that for people who work there permanently it is only normal not to get attached too much as interns leave after a short amount of time, but I was invited to a team event, team lunches, after work drinks and very often I had super nice conversations, also about personal things, with some colleagues.
Support and guidance by my mentors could not have been any better. Taking into account the level of stress they are exposed to, I think it was impressive how they managed to take care of an intern, do the necessary training and respond to what seemed like an endless list of questions. They deserve a lot of recognition.
At the beginning it was rather well balanced due to the fact that I lacked experience. The further into the internship the busier it became for me. However, I'd rather be busy than bored so it was fine with me. There were a few quiet days as well, but I wouldn't say that I was bored. It was more of a break.
Right from the beginning they would let me contact our suppliers without their constant supervision, which helped to develop a certain kind of self-confidence. I was told to complete a task by a certain time and it was my responsibility to make sure I met the deadline. In case I needed assistance, I was always welcome to ask for it.
Thanks to the skills I developed I now have a permanent position in a similar field. I am more than certain that, without this internship, I would have not got it. Also, it allowed me to see how the industry works and what to watch out for if I continue working in it.
The Company
Everyone was rather busy and occupied with their own things, so there was not much chatting/fun going on. It was totally OK, however, to talk, turn on the radio, laugh or have a quick snack at your desk. It's very chill and no one is overly strict. The dress code is rather informal than business casual too, which makes it more of a feels like home environment.
There were some things certain people were not aware of, but nothing too severe as in nothing that kept me from having a good time. There was a check list about what to do at the beginning, during and at the end of internship. Training was organised and feedback session took place too.
The mentors were responsible for training and they did put their ongoing work aside to be able to show me things I needed to know. There were no specific training sessions organised by the company as such, but I don't feel like I should have had those. What I was taught by my mentors was totally sufficient.
Company Parties/Events
Healthcare/Dental
I would want to stay there because of the atmosphere and the team. However, the internship made me realise what I really want to do in life and therefore, I looked more into other places to work, where I can do what I love, because the current company, unfortunately, does not offer any of these positions.
The Culture
The relationship between all interns was fantastic. We met outside of work to do activities together and, in my case, I have found friends for life. At the beginning, there were meetings for interns only so that they could get to know each other better and develop a relationship, which was brilliant. These meetings should be kept in the future.
Thankfully, the internship was paid, which helped immensely to "survive". The area is, like the rest of London, pretty expensive and you have to manage your life well so that you don't spend too much/lose the overview of your spending. There are a lot pubs around that welcome you to a after work drink with colleagues.
The aforementioned pubs are great, but I haven't ever stayed later than midnight, so I cannot really tell. However, it is very central and it doesn't take long to get to areas where the nightlife is very busy. Transportation links are excellent as well.
As mentioned, as an intern you are part of a big intern family that do a lot of activities together, it depends on their personal interest and intention. They organise it themselves, the company is not involved (and shouldn't be obviously). We went to museums, cinemas, restaurants, pubs etc. together, had a country-themed dinner night, went to a different city...
Details
Customer Service
London
September 2018