Account Manager Support Intern Review

I really enjoyed my two month summer internship working at Handelsbanken. It provided me with a great insight in to how the bank operates as well as the banking sector in general. Everyone I came across at the bank was very welcoming and supportive and this aided my overall development.

I felt during my time working in the branch that I was valued by my colleagues. I was given plenty of tasks that held certain levels of responsibility which showed that my colleagues trusted me as well as valued my contribution in the branch. Despite being an intern, my colleagues would ask my input on tasks, showing that they valued my opinion.

My peers in the branch were very supportive and were able to assist me with a lot of my tasks. Especially in the first few days when I was getting used to the new systems and the daily routine, they were able to guide me in the right direction. I had training modules as well which I had to complete at the start of the internship which gave me solid starting knowledge.

On the whole I was quite busy. Because my work was so varied, this kept my engaged on a daily basis. My daily routine was very much 9-5 and I was never pressured to meet deadlines or hit any targets. Some days were quieter than others but I was able to effectively manage my time.

In terms of assisting with customer queries, I was given the responsibility of dealing with these issues so I would sometimes be the point of first contact the customer would have with the bank. A lot of the responsibility was internal meaning that I would be assisting the corporate or banking managers with any issues they may have.

I don't think the skills I learned would assist me too much with my studies (I study Economics), however it has certainly given me more confidence with respect to my soft skills. This is something I'm sure I can take into future networking and interview scenarios. It has given me plenty of competency based answers I can draw upon during the future.

One of the largest positives I took away from my internship experience was the atmosphere in the office. I really enjoyed working with the people in my branch. There was only 6 of us so I got to know everyone well and this made each day an enjoyable and positive experience.

I think considering the internship has only been running for 4 years or so, it was well set up. I can only see it growing in the coming years as the bank consolidates itself in the UK market. I enjoyed the fact there is only 1 intern in each branch, meaning that we do learn a lot on the job and develop quickly, and everyone has a unique experience.

I think because my internship was only 8 weeks long, there is not a huge amount of time spend on personal development and my time really was spent as if I was a full time employee. Being in a small office as well meant the managers could not afford to spend too much time focusing on my own personal development, which was fine. I felt as if I succeeded in my personal development by completing tasks in the office and engaging with my daily routine.

I think there are very good future employment prospects within the bank. The flat hierarchy structure is very transparent and this is encouraging for an intern who might be looking to progress up through the bank. The bank will actively encourage progression by supporting any professional qualifications that might be taken as long as they are relevant to the job.

There was a good social scene amongst the interns and the younger professionals working for the bank. Working in London and having a cluster of branches close together certainly helped with this! After work drinks were organised, as were events up the head office which was a good opportunity to catch up with the other interns.

Working in London was not cheap. From the cost of my season ticket for my daily commute, to the price of a pint of beer in the city, it was expensive. But then this is a well known fact in London anyway. For one of our after work drinks the Bank did pay for our drinks which was very generous of them.

London obviously has a well known nightlife and you are a bit spoilt for choice. In reality, I didn't go out very often and in fact chose to go to pubs and bars instead. There is always the option though if you do want to, although again, it is not cheap!

I was able to attend a networking session up the Shard with my branch manager which was a really good opportunity. In working for a bank, you are always coming into contact with a wide variety of clients, whether it be corporate or individual. This will always present opportunities for activities outside of work.