Summer Intern - Equities Review

The internship has not reached my expectations. I would not like to work at UBS.

I was given one project to complete independently over the internship. Any benefit from this project will only be gained when I am no longer here. My colleagues have not been enormously friendly. Though I have not been the classic intern fetching lunch and coffees, I have felt far from involved in my team.

My colleagues have paid little attention to my work. I'd be very surprised if, over the nine weeks, contact time with my manager has amounted to even an hour. However, the few brief meetings have been helpful.

The project has kept me fairly busy, but I have experienced very little variety.

My project is very safe, and similar work is being undertaken by my team. I am unsure of how much value my work will have added.

I hope that my writing will have improved. Patience is a skill that I have had to build quickly.

The atmosphere in the office was fairly painful. Any replies to a 'Good morning!' may at most be returned with a grunt by the majority. There are no jokes, no banter and very little small talk. You are here to work.

The calendar presented to us at the beginning of the internship is pretty much void, as usually events are cancelled or rescheduled at short notice. Interns gave final presentations at the beginning of the penultimate week. This is bizarre to me as now we must sit feeling judged and awkward.

The first three days of the internship (easily my busiest) were spent sitting in long lectures from staff we have not seen again and in training that I have largely had no need for. Many lectures and teach-ins have been organised throughout the internship from various areas of the bank, which have been insightful and interesting. A trading game was set up, which has significantly improved my understanding of markets. All interns are assigned a buddy (recent grad). It is stressed throughout the internship that this is a nine week job interview, and as such it is impossible to feel as if you can tell anybody about any doubts or worries that you might have without receiving a black mark against your name or an explanation that 'that's the nature of the job'. This applies across the board, from buddies to line managers, and especially HR.

Prospects are based largely on headcount, which is not revealed to us. One department decided not to take interns after students had applied and another department alerted interns soon before the internship that they would not be hiring.

We often go for lunch together and for drinks on Friday nights and weekends.

London is expensive and there is little UBS could have done to change that. UBS give a relocation allowance of £1000, which is great. However, this is only given half way through the internship, is taxed, and far from covers rent for nine weeks. Many friends at other banks received £2000.

The City offers a wide range of pubs and bars. UBS is close to Shoreditch, Old Street and Brick Lane. Any central socialising is only a tube or bus ride away.

Some interns attempted to set up football matches at weekends.