This review was submitted over 4 years ago, so some of the information it contains may no longer be relevant.
Rating
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The Role
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The Company
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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
Cancer Research UK (CRUK) is a great place to work and I've really enjoyed my time here. The internship program really helps you every step of the way and encourages you do more than your job title. It also encourages you to meet with the other interns which is good as it's nice to be with other people who are in the same position as you.
The team I was in were quite independent and very busy so it took me a while to get used to that environment. However, I knew all the work I was doing was really contributing to the team and I feel as though the team really valued the projects I completed.
The support at CRUK has been incredible. There are so many different people you can talk to about lots of different things so I never felt lost or like I didn't know what to do. We were offered mentors and buddies as well as our line manager and the head of the internship scheme so there was always someone to advise you about any questions/queries you had.
At the start, I didn't have much to do at all and I really struggled to fill my day. However, a few weeks in to the internship I had a lot of do but not too much that I felt overwhelmed. It made me feel really valued because I knew all the work I was doing was beneficial for the team.
I found out at the start of my internship that I wanted to go into science communications and I had a lot of people to help me. Throughout my time at CRUK I wrote a lot of articles for the blog as well as some science pieces for the website. I was definitely given a lot of responsibility and it felt good that people trusted me with important projects.
My skills have definitely increased and I feel confident now that I can apply for jobs in science communications whereas I couldn't have done that before the internship. The people I worked with really helped me get the best experience possible so my CV and cover letters to future employers could be filled with science communication experience.
The Company
In my team, the atmosphere was not really what I expected but as I grew to know the team it definitely improved. Everyone was very friendly and welcoming and always willing to help you with anything you needed.
Throughout the internship we had presentations and plans so it felt very structured. I felt like someone was always keeping track which is great but I didn't want to get lost in the company. I felt like someone was always making sure everything was going well.
Everything I wanted to work on was improved in the internship. The company really helped me improve the skills I already had as well as giving me new skills that I needed for a job in science communications.
Flexi Time
Working from home
I would love to work at CRUK full time and it's my goal to get a job after this internship. The company clearly looks after their staff and really focuses on each individual throughout their time here.
The Culture
We were introduced to the other interns at the very beginning of the internship and were encouraged to do social events and fundraising with them. I really enjoyed speaking to people who were in the same situation as me and I think it helped me develop my confidence throughout the internship.
It was standard price for London.
This question is not really applicable to me as I didn't ever go out to clubs etc. but the restaurants and bars around work were really nice.
As it's a charity, there were lots of fundraising events and volunteering opportunities to do after work. I really enjoyed this aspect as it really helped me to strengthen my CV and meet new people.
Details
Internship (1 Month+)
Marketing, Science
London
November 2018