Summer intern Review

It was an interesting insight into the world of commercial banking, and allowed me to explore the different functions HSBC can provide to different sized enterprises and corporations. The internship was 2 months long which allowed me to work on some large projects, and to see them through to the end, which meant I felt like I was contributing to the team.

The team was very welcoming and they all looked after me very well. I was never short of work, and if I didn't understand something they were willing to help and explain. My jobs were not restricted to that of my small team, but included roles in other teams which make up the department which allowed me to meet many more people, and gain an understanding of how they support each other.

My line managers were very supportive of me in aiding and assisting my learning - looking both within and outside the team for opportunities which would enhance and enrich my experience. They organised for me to spend days away from the office, and to sit in on client meetings which felt like they trusted me to do so!

I was kept busy because I asked for more tasks to do. The initial workload I was given did not take as long as expected, so it was down to me to find more work. Some of my projects ticked along in the background, and then I had day-to-day tasks as well, so some days were much busier than others. It also depended on whether other members of my team needed me to complete tasks for them and their clients.

I was pleasantly surprised by the amount of responsibility I was given. From the first day I was set to call clients on a daily basis to get information and feedback from them, and for this I needed access to all my teams emails. This showed a level of trust and responsibility that I was allowed to have such close and personal contact with clients.

I have always hated talking on the phone, so being pushed out of my comfort zone taught me certain skills in that aspect. On a more general basis, learning and gaining corporate skills such as minute-taking, presentation skills and how to host conference calls are invaluable, and a skill which you will always need. The ability to network and make connections is also incredibly useful, and something which will benefit your career

The atmosphere was very friendly and lively. People were always making jokes, having fun and generally making it a very fun place to work! It was quite a young office, and people had friends in all the teams of the department which made it feel very together, and not fragmented. It was a pleasant surprise to find it was the opposite of the oppressive, corporate environment one might expect to find. The team were welcoming, and always did things together at lunchtimes and after work

The internship was well-organised, both in terms of central intern-specifics, and my actual work placement. I was invited in for the morning prior to my start date so I could meet my line managers and we had a useful discussion on both our expectations and what could be done to meet those and ensure I got the most out of the internship. There was always someone to contact if I had issues

Once a week we had 'lunch and learn' meetings in which we met senior people in different jobs and different sectors of the business which helped us to see the varying roles available in the business, and perhaps what we might like to do in the future. There was also plenty of opportunity to meet with people to discuss your future and the route you needed to take to arrive at your end goal - everyone has time for you and is willing to help you achieve your goals.

The 2 year grad scheme stands you in good stead to make it into management level quite quickly. Your career is 'managed' meaning you are helped to get jobs which will lead you to the top of the organisation. If you perform well enough on the internship you will be given a place on one of their grad schemes

The social side was great! There were about 40 interns placed in London and we would meet up at least once a week, go out for dinner, drinks, on a night out, and even to parties and events together at weekends. It was a good way to find out about other people's placements, and what their part of the business was like, as well as making friends - I still meet up with loads of them now!

It was London so naturally it was very expensive - but it was worth it! Going out in London can be cheap if you know the right places to go, so research it first! It was good being in London because that is where the majority of interns and opportunities will be placed, so it is probably a sacrifice worth making.

There is so much choice in London - from bars in Canary Wharf where you would go for work dos and drinks with your team, to many other places in Shoreditch, Soho and beyond - there is something for everyone. We tended to stick to areas close to CW because that's where we were all placed, but if you wanted to venture further then that's great too!

HSBC is such a massive corporation that there is something for everyone. I got involved with the apprenticeship scheme which was an incredible opportunity. The grad community is also a great way to meet other grads and get involved in some of the community projects they run. Working with young enterprise groups and other such projects is another way to get involved outside of work