Summer Intern Review

It was a highly valuable experience with exposure to a diverse set of peers and staff at the bank.

I was regularly given meaningful work and managers were very keen to give regular feedback to guide my learning.

Everyone was happy to be asked questions, and gave extremely useful explanations of key concepts.

Work was somewhat cyclical as it depends on the workflow of the desk, however it was easy to keep busy with the intern-specific events or networking with other desks.

I was made to analyse portfolios for live deals as well as work on presentations for clients.

The skills will certainly carry through into my graduate position

It was extremely fun and there were many occasions where the office handed out free ice cream! Colleagues and managers were very friendly which kept the morale in the office light hearted and HR were also extremely friendly which built a nice atmosphere, making it very easy and comfortable to work there.

There were some disruptions to the programme but these were well managed by the HR teams through the cuts at the bank. However, interns were kept well in the loop regarding the programme and we were reassured of our position. We were then welcomed with a detailed presentation about where the bank stands which was very reassuring.

Training for a week was good, however somewhat basic. A course on excel for example would have been very useful to help us get going on our desks much quicker. The initial training was very basic and not necessarily that applicable to what was required on the desks that we would be working on

Extremely appealing as there is a clear cut conversion system which you are informed the result of on the final day of the internship programme. This ensures you know where you stand and are able to easily plan your future. I would highly recommend this for those looking for a clear path into the bank.

There were many fun events for interns to take part in as well as weekly drinks that we organised amongst ourselves. The local area helped with this, as well as the training week where were able to build strong friendships with the other interns in the programme. Taking lunch together became a good social activity.

Central London is naturally very expensive, but the salary allowed for this high expense. Rent was around £1000 a month, lunches cost around £7, however the allowance for dinner during late working means costs are somewhat lower, as well as the allowance for a cab home. Travel was less than expected.

Many bars in the local area to enjoy with the colleagues after work, especially right around the corner from the office. London has no shortage of nightlife whatsoever, so there is always something to do, whether it be bars or clubs or anything in between. This depends of course on where you live.

There was a CSR day in which we worked at a school mentoring students from a deprived area to ensure they understand career prospects and the importance of their education on changing circumstances. There was a strong CSR opportunity base, particularly for full time employees which is exciting. There was also an intern vs grads football match.