SummerIntern Review

I really enjoyed the various parts of the internship, as I met so many new friends and colleagues, both through the events that were on and through my personal networking. Whilst it took some time to feel comfortable in the team and the overall workplace - being so new - I eventually was able to feel more confident and ask for more work!

My colleagues were incredibly supportive throughout the experience, providing me with valuable work, and including me in team activities both in and out of the office. Of course, as it was only a 10 week experience, there was room for improvement regarding getting to know the team, and being given more work for contribution.

I was fully supported by my manager in every piece of work, and networking activity that I took part in, with him emailing me events that I could be interested in as well as introducing me to multiple people in and outside of the team. I was also comfortable enough to ask for more work, which was met with an enthusiastic reply.

How busy I was varied over the course of the 10 weeks, with some days being piled with activities and others, a lot quieter. Despite this variation, I was able to manage my time effectively with the help of my manager, and developing my skills of organization. This included asking for more work when days slowed, and prioritizing certain assignments.

I was provided with enough responsibility during my placement where I felt valued, but not taken advantage of. This included working within teams where I was given smaller tasks, to being part of longer term projects, to leading my own projects and assigning tasks to up to 22 people. This helped benefit my leadership skills indefinitely.

Probably the most valuable skill that I believed I developed during this experience was the ability to put myself out there, whether that be to ask for more work from my manager, schedule appointments with more senior people or organize networking activities. Along with the bettering of my personal confidence, my professional communicative and organisational skills have vastly improved.

The atmosphere was positive most days, largely due to the team related conversation and 'change the bank' mentality. However, some days were quieter with less energy though this was most likely due to the fact that it was the summer holidays, and that Fridays meant that people worked from home instead.

The overall internship was very well organized with various events for all the interns throughout the 10 weeks, which meant that we could network with our fellow interns, whether that be in our departments or elsewhere. The only thing that would stand out is the initial onboarding process that was found to be quite stressful.

As there was a relatively small number of interns, I would say that we were paid attention to, especially as there was a round-table organized and an understanding that any feedback was welcomed. I wouldn't say that the general company focused on my personal development as I felt this more from my manager and team.

Very appealing. I enjoyed the people and culture at this company and felt that I gained many valuable skills and values during the 10 weeks, and therefore I see that my future ventures with the company hold the potential for more personal and professional development. Gratefully, I received an offer with the company!

I was able to socialise with the fellow interns after work through our own accord as there are bars and restaurants near in Canary Wharf with good deals. This was aided by the fact that the interns chosen were very open, confident and welcoming to eachother which made the whole experience much better.

I was lucky enough to be able to live from home during this placement but I would say that the cost of living and socializing in this area is very expensive, especially for a student - whether they are working or not. Whilst the company provided networking events, more deals in the area would be beneficial - perhaps specifically for the young people working in the area.

The nightlife in the specific area was not very extensive though the bars were appropriate for Londoners. During peak times - more specifically Fridays - the area was more more lively. However, it seemed that Nightlife was more popular further away from the work area, which seemed to be actually appropriate.

As we were based in London, there are plenty of cultural and social activities to take part in, whether that be sport, art or music related. However, as previously mentioned, these activities tended to be quite expensive which meant that the cheaper or free opportunities need to be carefully scouted out.