This review was submitted over 4 years ago, so some of the information it contains may no longer be relevant.
Rating
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The Role
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The Company
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The Culture
- 1. To what extent did you enjoy your work placement or internship?
- 2. To what extent did you feel valued by your colleagues?
- 3. To what extent were you given support and guidance by management/your supervisor(s)?
- 4. How busy were you on a daily basis?
- 5. How much responsibility were you given during your placement?
- 6. To what extent did/will the skills you developed, and training you received, assist you in your degree studies and beyond?
- 7. What was the general atmosphere in your office?
- 8. How well organised was the overall work placement or internship set up?
- 9. In terms of personal training and development, to what extent did the company or firm invest in you?
- 10. What were the perks on your work placement?
- 11. How appealing are future employment prospects within the organisation?
- 12. Was there a good social scene amongst any fellow placement students/colleagues?
- 13. What was the cost of living and socialising in the area you worked in?
- 14. What was the Nightlife like in the area you worked?
- 15. Were there many opportunities to get involved in activities outside of work?
The Role
I have thoroughly enjoyed my time at the Bank. The people have been extremely friendly and helpful and my role has been very interesting and exciting as it is at the heart of the financial markets and I can see the effects of my work in the news every day. The work that I was given was very interesting and I was able to use my knowledge and express my opinions through the work that I did.
My team have always been very friendly and helpful. They have helped me with anything I need and been willing to explain anything to me, but they also come to me for help with their help and ask me for explanations of things. They value my opinions and the knowledge that I have built up since starting a t the Bank.
I have had two line managers since starting the Bank and they have both been extremely helpful and friendly. They have always been willing to explain anything to me and help me with anything I need.
On occasions I have been extremely busy especially when my manager has been on leave and I have had to cover his work, and there have been occasions where I haven't had too much work to do but overall my work load has been optimal.
During the internship I had a lot of autonomy in deciding how to do my project. All of the interns I spoke to this year (including myself) found that we were responsible for projects that really mattered.
I received training on Microsoft programs and am now extremely competent in using Excel which I expect to be using in the future. I have also developed my soft skills and am more comfortable with presenting at meetings than I was when I started work. My confidence has improved greatly since starting the Bank.
The Company
My team have always been extremely friendly and fun to work with as we treat each other with respect but also socialise with each other outside of work. The whole office is very friendly and everyone is willing to help you out and explain things to you.
When I first started there wasn't much work for me and I felt that my team were slightly un-organised with my arrival although the overall program was very organised and well set out. However, once I got settled into my team, things became more organised as I became familiar with my role and responsibilities.
They are willing to send you onto courses/conferences both within and outside of the Bank if they feel as though they will benefit me in my role, however in more busy times, we were restricted in the things that we were allowed to go to.
Flexi Time
Sports and Social Club
National Travel
Company Parties/Events
The Bank is an amazing place to work as the atmosphere is very friendly and the work is extremely interesting as it is central to the financial markets. The pay, however, is a disincentive as is is low compared to similar roles in the private sector.
The Culture
Yes several nights out for the interns were organised and paid for by HR. Most of the interns also went out together one night a week for drinks, and many of the interns had lunch together. We all still keep in touch.
The Bank is in the financial district in central London, so it is unlikely to be cheap. There are a number of pubs nearby that are reasonably priced, it's probably best to find these on the internet and book a table in advance.
There are a lot of pubs/bars nearby which are always popular on Friday nights. I went to a few of these with the other interns. The nightlife seems to be very good in this area, but I wasn't there long enough to experience a lot of it personally.
There is a gym on site. The Bank also has a sports club at Roehampton which interns get free access to. This has a wide array of sports teams rugby, cricket, football etc and a variety of teams which play for fun or competitively.
Details
Internship (1 Month+)
London
September 2015