Public Affairs Intern Review

I was able to work on varied projects across teams other than the one that I was in and was given the opportunity to really own the projects i took on. I really appreciated how I was made to feel like areal employee, enjoying the same benefits as the other employees such as discounts on the nearby gym and restaurants.

I felt like the team listened to me and my recommendations for projects. I was asked by my manager to help organise a new project management system. But, I think because they have regular interns coming and going they didn't seem very keen to bond with me as they knew I wouldn't be there for very long.

My manger was very helpful in organising projects on areas I was interested in and on ensuring that I met my personal development goals. My manager also gave me lots of 'life advice' about going for interviews and how to manage my money once i'd secured a job, which was very kind.

At the start of the internship wasn't very busy at all, but as the team started to see what I was and wasn't able to do i got a LOT more work. By the end of the internship I had more work than i could really do, because i wasn't on a full time contract.

I was given a huge amount of responsibility from probably the second week. I had personal projects that i owned and many of these involved representing my team and Cancer Research UK to external stakeholders. I successfully manged my own workflow and reported into my manager just once a week.

The internship and the skills that i've learnt have already been worthwhile as they got me an interview and a job at another organisation. I believe that these skills will continue to provide the foundation for my career in the charity sector. I've also learnt a lot about how a large organisation works in general which i think has been very useful.

My floor of the office was quite quiet and people generally kept to themselves during working hours (other than lunch). This didn't really bother me, but it wasn't particular;y conducive to forming relationships and i found that i had to put a lot of effort in to see people at lunch etc.

Generally speaking the internship was well organised, with workshops throughout that the cohort attended. However, i found it difficult that my internship wasn't the full five days a week. This made it hard to interact with the other interns and staff would assume that i was there for the full five days and ask me to do a lot more work than i had capacity for.

The organisation provided some workshops that i was able to attend (and which were quite helpful) such as an interviews workshop. I think they could invest a little more, but as the assumption is that you won't stay on after the internship it is difficult for them to do this.

I would be very happy to return to CRUK in the future, but for now i don't think that there is teh right position for me to apply for.

the other interns were very nice but as we were all over the departments we didn't all interact that much.

The cost of living was extremely expensive.

NA

There were a few social gatherings in my team, but there were maybe only three trips to the pub in the three months i was there. there isn't a drinking culture at all (which is fine!) but they could do with a few more social activities! there wasn't a welcome to the team lunch or drinks.