People Advisor Review

I've really enjoyed my internship, it was even a lot better than I thought it'd be. I've really enjoyed being part of a great time and I feel as though I've actually made a difference in the work I've done. I have enjoyed the flexibility I've had in my placement in being able to network and partake in activities that suit my interests. The only reason I didn't rate any higher is because I don't think this is the job I want to do in the future.

I do feel valued by my colleagues due to the responsibilities that I've been given. I didn't have to run every work that I completed past my manager and I think that made a real difference. I also feel like I was trusted to make the right decisions, but also supported when I needed help. It is hard to fit in when you don't completely understand everything that's going on but my team have done everything they could to make me feel welcome.

My manager was fantastic in providing me with all the support that I needed. Even in the contact prior to the placement, he assured me that all the support I would need would be in place and made sure I didn't have any worries. He did everything he could to make sure I didn't miss out on any opportunities throughout my placement and when I needed help he went above and beyond in making sure this was in place.

I think I had the perfect balance of tasks. At the start of my placement my manager & I agreed focuses for my placement and this made a great difference. It meant that each day I knew what I would be doing, but also provided me with flexibility to help with ad hoc work because I was able to schedule my time efficiently. There was always something that I could be getting on with and this made me look forward to coming into work, even with deadlines that would be a little more stressful I was able to balance my work so that I could unwind afterwards.

I was able to take lead in agreed areas and with the weekly conversations I had with my manager I was able to ask for more responsibilities or stretch opportunities if I wanted them. But, I always felt comfortable in approaching my colleagues if I was worried with the amount of responsibility that I had. It was almost overwhelming to begin with as I've never worked in an environment like this, but my team did everything to make me feel comfortable with this responsibility.

I think everything I've learned throughout my placement will assist me both with my degree and beyond university. I had great networking opportunities which will be useful throughout life, making presentations and then presenting these will also be useful and I am a lot more confident in doing so (this was one of my biggest worries before starting!) But also day to day tasks like managing my time, working in a team, making decisions and thinking of the small details in a project were very useful.

The atmosphere was really friendly, it was quite relaxed which surprised me at first but it meant that I settled in really quickly. I felt comfortable approaching anyone and it was an environment where people could lead on / collaborate with one another. There was friendly conversation each day and I will miss the environment.

My placement was set up really well, but from talking to colleagues I really think it depends on your line manager and team. I felt like I had a focus throughout my placement and so never felt lost / disorientated. Emails kept us updated with events and these were easy to keep track of.

My line manager was great in tailoring our conversations and my placement to suit my needs and development. Although at times I didn't feel like my work was supporting him, it was even better because instead of just shadowing or joining a team I was able to take an interest and join in on areas that suited me. I was also able to focus my time on developing skills that I needed to improve, rather than just helping the needs of the business. I was also able to take all the time I wanted to look on the learning hub and join any courses etc that I wanted to.

I have really enjoyed working for this organisation. I love the culture here and the group stands for everything I value. I like the processes and I also like the career prospects of being here, I like the idea of moving around teams and the flexibility is also something many companies don't have. I would give a 10/10 but the current job role I am after isn't available here, but this may definitely change in the future!

There was a really good social scene. Staying in the same accommodation as many meant there was always events going on. Having the Facebook chat was really efficient as well as no matter how social you wanted to be, there was always someone that was willing to join you. There was a couple of group wide events too which were great opportunities.

The cost of living was okay. Accommodation was paid for, which made this a lot more feasible as without it I'm sure many people wouldn't have been able to afford it, but given the area I'm not surprised. Food, toiletries etc aren't too bad, socialising is very expensive but that can't be helped in London and we were paid a good salary.

There was always places to go for drinks / dinner where I worked. It is mostly banks so it's not too crazy, but it's everything that you'd want to find after work. There is a more clubbing scene not too far away either so there's something for everyone to enjoy.

There was a couple of events after work, but most of the activities were work related or during work. But again, this depends on the team, how social they were and area that you were placed in. People organised activities amongst themselves but there wasn't too much else going on.