Summer Analyst Review

As an intern, no two days are the same. In addition to the intern training programme, I have the opportunity to interact with my line manager on a daily basis to check on my progress. It differs between areas but I was assigned a long term project to work on and present at the end of my internship. Outside of that I spent my time meeting new people every day from across the bank and learning about their business areas

I definitely gained better interpersonal skills and how to manage my time better. Emailing people in a corporate environment was very new to me but it got easier with practise. Additionally learning how to produce professional looking slideshows was one of my biggest take-aways which I will definitely find useful regardless of the role I take on in the future. Confidence when speaking to people at all levels of the organization was also a skill I developed.

I was given responsibilities appropriate for my level of expertise. Before embarking on actual projects, the main focus for me was to understand my business area and the day to day activities in the division. The learning in my opinion is far more important than small responsibilities here and there. I found much greater value in booking meetings with people and gaining practical advice for career progression following graduation and how to best make use of my limited time at the bank.

I was lucky to be able to check in with my manager on a daily basis and have another director check up on me regularly. I was not left alone by any means. The intern training program really equipped me with the knowledge to understand the organization structure holistically and then be able to apply it day-to-day. Graduates in the company were also extremely supportive and willing to give up their time to offer their advice.

As cheesy as it sounds, everyone is super friendly. When you tell someone you are a summer intern they instantly want to help and support you. The emphasis on diversity, equity and inclusion truly came across from the first day. Outside of it being part of compulsory training, DE&I events were happening every day and picking the ones to go to became the challenging bit. Barclays truly cares about having a diverse workforce and it didn't feel superficial

I really enjoyed working as part of a team with such differing levels and types of responsibility. People aren't friendly just because they have to be but because they want to be. I was initially scared about joining such a huge company but it truly does feel like a family now and working here in the future is now my main goal. I would most certainly go back if they'll take me on board!

Yes

I would definitely research into the barclays mindset and values. These are key talking points in the interview stages but also at various stages during the assessment process. Be prepared and be different! Even if you come from a completely unrelated educational background, show you are versatile and display your unique outlook on things. Be open minded and talk to as many people at various levels of the organization. This is a once in a lifetime opportunity. Grasp it with both arms