Operations Analyst Review

I really enjoyed the Customer Service and Business Strategy internship at American Express as I was given a high level of autonomy and responsibility as well as opportunities to present my work to senior leaders. There were also lots of social activities and networking events which made the experience really enjoyable.

I felt highly valued by my colleagues and welcomed from day one. The project I was given had real business impact and I was encouraged to hold my own meetings. I also felt that my voice was trusted within the business. I was given regular feedback on my progress and really felt that my manager cared about my personal and professional development.

I was given a good level of advice and support by my manager – enough that I felt comfortable but I was still allowed to have autonomy over my decision making and the ability to decide the direction of my project. I had regular catch ups with the Talent Strategy intern supervisor as well, which provided a useful additional layer of support.

As I had my own project, I was constantly busy as my work involved a lot of research and data analysis. However, I feel like the work load was an ideal level – manageable within the ten week time frame of the internship and I worked 9-5. There’s no expectation to stay in the office past 5pm if the work is done.

I was given a high level of responsibility as my project was conducting a review of departmental processes with the view to implementing change based on my recommendations. One of my goals was to become a trusted voice within the department and by the end, the leadership team began the process of implementing actions from my research.

The main skill that I developed was simplifying and condensing a huge amount of research and data to form my key recommendations. This will be really helpful during my last year of university when I’m condensing my research into essays. I also value the business skills I’ve learned during this internship, which will be very helpful in my future career.

I think Amex strikes a good balance between having a collaborative atmosphere in which networking is encouraged and where people can also carry out their work. I always felt that I was surrounded by people who were willing to support me. It was easy to ask questions and advice from the people on my floor, especially if it was a quick query that didn’t warrant a meeting.

I feel that the Customer Service and Business Strategy internship was organised quite well, with a high level of information from receiving the offer to the start and continued throughout the programme. I received several phone calls to check in before I started, which made me feel valued and were engaging.

I feel that Amex invested highly in my personal training and development. At the beginning, they paid for me to complete a Strengths Finder test. We also received a full day of Excel and presentation skills training. Beyond this, there were numerous social and networking events organised by the company which maintained a high level of engagement throughout the process.

My time on the summer internship programme has really made me want to work at American Express in the future. There’s been lots of engagement and investment as well as great opportunities for continued career development. While I’ve been here, everyone has been very welcoming and I can see that there is a clear path for career progression.

Social events are encouraged by American Express and I became really good friends with my fellow interns. We did activities together outside of work and it was great to share the experience with people experiencing the same thing. Brighton was a great place to be as there was always lots to do.

I found Brighton to be fairly expensive, very similar prices to London but on the coast. Rent is fairly high but this is offset by the salary you get paid while on the internship, so it was still possible to socialise and go out to eat. There are lots of cheap and nice restaurant options.

The nightlife in Brighton was really good, there were lots of clubs and a huge range of styles to choose from. There are loads of good bars and clubs. My favourites were East Street Tap, Concorde 2.0 and the Mesmerist. It’s not the cheapest place though so I’d recommend taking advantage of student discounts!

There were lots and lots of opportunities to get involved in activities outside of work. Amex has colleague networks which provide opportunities to get involved with Spanish speakers, Brighton pride and the disability network to name a few. There are also departmental and team socials which provide a great opportunity to socialise with colleagues.