Technology Summer Intern (support) Review

I really enjoyed my work placement. I was lucky to be working in two incredible teams for my two rotations. The intern class too was a really good bunch and I made a lot of close friends. Working in Canary was honestly a dream come true. The buzz was amazing and the atmosphere was a separate bubble within London.

I felt very valued. They were always willing to help and sit down with me to explain financial products or simple admin jobs. The projects I got were projects that were important but they simply didn't have time for them. After completing the projects, the best thing was that the teams started using my dadhboards. That was a proud moment.

I was given a lot of guidance. Everyone was willing to help no matter what their level in the hierarchy. I could just drop MDs an email and most would reply accepting the invitation for a coffee. The Citi culture is hugely collaborative and friendly. I would definitely recommend it to anyone who is thinking of applying.

Initially in the internship I wasn't too busy. I had the opportunity to settle and get to know people in my team and the people at the bank in general. This was good as I got to learn a lot about the divisions outside my division too. Towards the end of the internship I got quite busy with group projects and work deadlines building up. It stems from the fact that I wanted to finish all my work before I left.

I was given a lot of responsibility but also a lot of freedom to explore and learn. The projects I was given were truly relevant to my teams. The results are now helping them on a daily basis. It is a good feeling as you feel you have contributed. The best way to get into your employers good books is to take responsibility and deliver.

The skills I have learnt won't really help me in my education. However it has inspired to continue my education to delve deeper and learn more about finance. The skills however are gold dust for future roles in any firm. How to network, how to negotiate with people, how to sell yourself and how to do work when you don't have the answer are all crucial.

I was working on the Trading Floor. It is the most exciting workplace atmosphere I have ever experienced. It is always buzzing and keeps you on your toes. I enjoyed it a great deal. The people around me were very loud and funny so I definitely had a good seat. Overall the atmosphere is unique to a bank.

Citi organised the internship incredibly well. We had weekly talks with senior managers and even had a community day where we built bikes for under privileged bikes. The managers were aware of our arrival and already had a timetable in place for us. There were also socials organised in bars in London where we could networks with managers and other interns.

The internship had a few days of training at the start (depends what division you are). They actively encourage you to take raining events organised in the firm. Your team too will invest a lot in you by supporting you and challenging you with work. The very fact you have a desk and telephone in London means the company are investing a huge amount in you and expect you to make the most of the opportunity.

If you perform well on the internship Citibank will give you a conditional graduate scheme offer for when you graduate. It really helps to take some stress off for your final year as you don't have to apply for jobs anymore. The graduate scheme at Citi is also well structured with rotations so you can get exposure to various teams and asset classes.

Yes there was a good social scene among the interns. We usually went to the local bars after work on Thursdays and Fridays. We also had events by Citi themselves where we could network. My teams were also really sociable and they organised an event to Bounce to play ping pong. Overall the scene was a good one with a mix of professional networking and chilling.

The cost of living and travelling was huge but that is expected in London. The food and drinks were a bit on the expensive side too. However your salary will more than make up for it while you will build your savings too. It gets tough when you have to start buying rounds for everyone though!

The nightlife was very good in Canary Wharf. Every Thursday and Friday was very live in the bars around Canary Wharf. A lot of the bankers stay in Canary after work but people from elsewhere come here too so it's a good mix. There are also clubs and restaurants nearby if required. I had an incredible time.

There were other societies and groups which we could have joined however they didn't make an effort to hire the interns. It was hard as an intern to get involved, you had to be proactive. However there is a lot to do in London. You will have a lot of free time over the weekend as long you aren't in the IBD division.