Corporate Partnership Intern Review

I really enjoyed my internship! I felt like the organisers put a lot of thought into the projects I would work on and how to help me get the most out of the experience. It was a chance to see what working in a big charity is like and showed me that this was something I wanted to pursue. I was a great experience learning to manage my own time and taking on different responsibilities, and every day presented new challenges and opportunities.

I felt really valued by the people I worked with closely, and it was always emphasised how important my work was and to what extent it would help others. I sometimes felt disconnected from my wider team as there weren't many opportunities to meet them/ work with them. I frequently offered my support to the team but only a few individuals would take me up on the offer- I feel that I could've been of more use to the team in this way.

My manager was amazing! She supported me every step of the way and was always there when I needed anything. I worried before starting that I would be seen as a bit of a hinderance when there were more important things to be done, but my manager always made me feel comfortable and valued. We had a lot of one-to-one time which was really valuable, and there was always a lot of focus on what

I feel like overall I had a great balance, with just the right amount of work to be getting on with, though this did vary throughout the internship. My manager was always updated with what I was working on and frequently asked if I had too much/not enough work, so there was the opportunity to be honest about my workload. It is largely down to being able to manage your own time and find the right balance for you, and I feel like I had the support/ guidance to do this.

I had multiple projects that were often supervised by different members of staff, so in this case I had lots of responsibilities to balance. However, my projects were mainly research tasks that didn't play a significant role in day-to-day work of the team. This is why I chose this internship and this what I wanted to do but just for clarification for this question, I didn't feel like a vital team-member. In this sense I didn't feel stressed or pressured, which is a good thing!

I completed this internship as a graduate and it has helped me to significantly develop key skills. Throughout the internship there was a focus on what skills I wanted to develop and pinpointing specific ways that would could do this during the 12 weeks. Personal and professional development was really emphasised throughout my time at CRUK and the benefits to me where always clear- and have already helped me to secure a job!

I was working from home and my team were almost all remotely-based so I didn't experience an office environment. Before I started, I was worried that working from home would be being boring/difficult, but I quickly felt involved and discovered that if you reach out to people they are always there to support you. I had frequent (at least once a week) meetings/ working together days with my manager and other team members, and there were opportunities for me to attend team meetings and forums. After a bit of practise and guidance, working from home became a joy!

The organisation was excellent as it didn't feel forced or rigid, but I always felt that my workload/ responsibilities had been considered with great thought. The organisation of intern-wide activities/ events e.g. the induction, thank you events etc, was excellent and well-thought out and it was clear that the organisers really cared about our time with CRUK. The induction event was great and really well put together, it really felt like a good way to start the 12 weeks.

There was a massive focus on training and development, and the best thing about this was that it was tailored to each individual's placement and needs. There was a lot of online training during the first weeks that was really beneficial but there was also the opportunity to attend workshops such as an interview/CV workshop. These were really well organised. In terms of personal development, during my first weeks there was a lot of support and guidance for identifying skills/ experiences I wanted to work on and with my manager we set out a plan for achieving this. It was extremely well organised and we frequently re-assessed my goals with the end result being I had achieved everything I wanted to and more. My manager went out of her way to find opportunities for me to learn new skills or experience new things which was amazing.

The employment opportunities were so appealing that I successfully applied for and was offered a job with the charity. Throughout the placement, the focus is on the individual and what they want to do/ where they want to go. I made clear from the beginning that I was interested in pursuing a career with CRUK and working with my manager and mentor really helped me with this. As interns we were also frequently updated on vacancies that might appeal to us/ suit us which was great. It was excellent to get an insight into CRUK as an employer and it is clear from my internship that they really care about their staff, this is part of what was so appealing about future employment prospects.

There was a good social scene amongst interns, but as a home-based intern I wasn't so much involved with this. There were weekly gatherings after work and people really made an effort on people's birthdays which is nice. Also, lots of fundraising activities and events helped to get everyone involved and meant there was always an extra pair of hands. In terms of my team, I enjoyed socialising and catching up most days and having colleagues nearby was great.

I was living and working at home which meant that the cost to me was minimal. The flexibility offered by my home-based internship meant that I didn't have to travel everyday and a certain degree of expenses were covered when I did have to travel to meetings/ events. Working from home was not very social but the low cost to me was great!

As I was working from home this question doesn't really apply to me as the home-based interns are often located in different areas/ regions. However, I am assured by fellow-interns that the nightlife near the office is great and there are lots of nights-out that are in budget and enjoyable. Proactive interns frequently organise events that all the interns are invited to and there are always lots of chances to get involved.

There were lots of opportunities for the London-based interns outside of work as there are frequent emails about activities and social events going around. When I did travel to London, there were opportunities either side of activities to socialise with my colleagues. The organisers of the internship also put on a thank you event which gives interns the opportunity to socialise in an informal setting.