Summer Intern Review

by Barclays

Best Student Employer

This review was submitted over 4 years ago, so some of the information it contains may no longer be relevant.

Rating

4.1/5
  • The Role
    4.4
  • The Company
    3.8
  • The Culture
    4.0

    The Role

  • 1. To what extent did you enjoy your work placement or internship?
  • I really enjoyed the internship altogether. It was a friendly atmosphere from the get - go and a great relationship set up between the other interns from the start. It was lovely being around Canary Wharf and having exposure to senior individuals in the financial services industry at an early stage

    4/5

  • 2. To what extent did you feel valued by your colleagues?
  • I felt like a very valued team member from the first moment. It was important to everyone on the team that the interns had an input into what was being recommended in new projects and into what ideas would be published in the weekly meetings and reports that came from this.

    5/5

  • 3. To what extent were you given support and guidance by management/your supervisor(s)?
  • I was given good advice from someone who was a confidante from the start and became my line manager later on the process. She was a rock during the internship and made me feel very valued and like I had a place to turn to when I was confused or needed help.

    5/5

  • 4. How busy were you on a daily basis?
  • I was relatively busy on a daily basis, completing ad hoc tasks and the longterm projects I had been assigned. All of my projects were due around the same time so I did manage to clear up some time to meet and greet with people to grow my network around the time there.

    5/5

  • 5. How much responsibility were you given during your placement?
  • I was given a fair amount of responsibility throughout my internship in working together with some medium level employees and some senior employees. Some of my projects were presented to very senior individuals which was a very rewarding task and allowed me to benefit from networking skills and learning of their expertise.

    5/5

  • 6. To what extent did/will the skills you developed, and training you received, assist you in your degree studies and beyond?
  • They helped me to a great extent. I think I definitely grew my confidence during the time there and this was a crucial skill to use throughout presentations and interactions with other senior stakeholders at university. I was also able to use my new communication skills in teamwork opportunities, which was very valuable.

    4/5

    The Company

  • 7. What was the general atmosphere in your office?
  • The general atmosphere was great. I thought it would be quite boring sitting in an office all day, but the team was so lovely and so young that it really made everything very vibrant throughout the entire time there. They were all really friendly and I remember walking in every morning to their laughter.

    4/5

  • 8. How well organised was the overall work placement or internship set up?
  • The organisation at the start was quite tricky as I was not given my final objectives until about half way into the internship. This was because I had to switch out line managers as my previous line manager was off on holiday and had not accounted for it. After that, things ran smoothly.

    4/5

  • 9. In terms of personal training and development, to what extent did the company or firm invest in you?
  • They helped us to familiarize ourselves with a wide range of industry specific topics. I remember the first day we had an entire day of training, where we learnt all about the stakeholders and important senior individuals in the company, as well as regulation and compliance. There was digital training throughout.

    4/5

  • 10. What were the perks on your work placement?
  • Flexi Time

    Subsidised/Company Gym

    3/5

  • 11. How appealing are future employment prospects within the organisation?
  • They are such a vibrant organisation and have a very diverse team which makes them such a fantastic place to work at. I would definitely consider coming back, and was given a graduate offer to join them, which is a very attractive offer to me as I know how friendly the company is.

    5/5

    The Culture

  • 12. Was there a good social scene amongst any fellow placement students/colleagues?
  • The social scene amongst other fellow placement students was great as we had such a strong bond both within and without our own department. We always had lunch together and would go for after work drinks which gave us a true impression of life at a large international Bank at Canary Wharf!

    5/5

  • 13. What was the cost of living and socialising in the area you worked in?
  • The cost of living in London is very expensive. It has amazing opportunities throughout which makes spending money a very tempting task - especially for a student from the North. Nonetheless, I think socialising in Canary Wharf is lovely as everyone is so open and happy to chat over drinks after work.

    1/5

  • 14. What was the Nightlife like in the area you worked?
  • The night life in London is fantastic. There is such a diverse scene and it was great to explore the city with the various amount of students and colleagues that we had. London offers something for everyone and really allows everyone to explore their own taste palates during the time.

    5/5

  • 15. Were there many opportunities to get involved in activities outside of work?
  • Yes, there was a lot of sports activities and upskill sessions that we could get involved in during our time there. Our colleagues were also happy to help us out in booking of the process. There was also after work yoga sessions and active sessions around Canary Wharf for colleagues.

    5/5

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Details

Internship (1 Month+)

London

March 2020


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