Intern Review

This was a fantastic experience with a great balance of activities. My colleagues and other interns were some of the most caring, encouraging and positive people I have ever met. Working in a huge open-plan office was great for interacting with other teams and there were endless opportunities to get involved in, from intern fundraising projects to Cancer Research UK talks and events.

I felt very valued. At Cancer Research UK interns are recruited to add real value to the organisation. I was given a project to complete over 10 weeks to research the consistent problem of low volunteer retention rates at sports events and formulate recommendations. I presented my findings and suggestions at the final team meeting and the project will be continued by the next interns. My team thanked me often for my contributions in different areas and my successes were celebrated through success emails and at team meetings. My team was constantly busy organising different sports events and my support and ideas were highly appreciated.

My line manager's approach was quite hands off. He set me tasks with deadlines and trusted me to complete these and ask him questions whenever I needed help. At first this worried me as I like structure and support, but I soon grew to love this style of management as I had the autonomy to organise my time. I had weekly meetings with my line manager to discuss progress on tasks, changing priorities and any issues I was facing. I was included at all team meetings, given the opportunity to talk to people in other departments that interested me and could take advantage of free training programmes. I also opted to have a mentor for the duration of the internship who helped me understand my career options beyond the internship scheme, supported me in skill development such as time management and copy writing and offered interview practice.

I was very busy pretty much throughout. I was eased in to the workload in my first week which predominantly consisted of inductions with team members and training in everyday tasks. After that I was juggling routine tasks, an individual project and three fundraising projects with other interns. I always had plenty to do and my colleagues were willing to take work off my hands if I was struggling.

I was quickly given a lot of responsibility. Volunteers and interns are not given business critical tasks to complete but I had a lot of autonomy to make decisions, led my own projects and completed tasks without much supervision. I was in charge of the logistical management of Cancer Research UK's presence at the North London Half Marathon. I recruited volunteers and sourced entertainment including two bands. I managed my own project and was expected to complete daily tasks by agreed deadlines.

I learnt a number of skills which are highly transferable including: teamwork, time management and prioritisation, project management, inbox management, copy writing, data inputting, proofreading, reporting, problem solving, negotiating, improving processes, presenting, fundraising, recruiting and managing volunteers and providing On The Day support at events. The skills I gained during the internship relate very closely to those needed in my current role as Volunteering Assistant at Cancer Research UK, a paid role I was able to secure directly after I completed the internship.

Busy - There is always lots of work to get on with. Sociable - People like to come to your desk and have a short chat and we sometimes have team lunches. Interesting - There are optional talks and events in the office which you can go to and several clubs to get involved in. There are also activities such as yoga and massages which you can pay to join. Interns in particular are encouraged to lead office fundraising projects. Relaxed - Everyone is working but there are no strict rules. You can listen to music and chat to people as you work and most people wear smart casual clothes (although some teams are more smart and others more casual). Supportive - People are really willing to help you out. Everyone has a sense of working towards a common goal. Successes are celebrated and shared. Collaborative - On a daily basis we interact with people from different teams. Progressive - The organisation is keen to improve processes and have fresh eyes and sharp minds working on projects. You are encouraged to develop your skills, both relating to your role and your interests.

The internship scheme is very structured. The induction day gives you an overarching sense of the organisation and introduces you to some teams. You meet the other interns and are encouraged to think of fundraising activities to get involved in during the internship. You then meet your line manager and have induction meetings with other members of your team to get a better understanding of how your role relates to theirs. Each manager has their own style but they are required to support you in training for your everyday tasks and must have 1:1 meetings with you every 2 weeks as a minimum requirement. There is also a person in charge of all of the interns who is a source of added support and guidance and helps you resolve any problems (work related or otherwise). There is a mentoring scheme to support your personal development. You are encouraged to give feedback to your manager and about the internship at the end to help improve the experience for future intakes.

There are so many opportunities open to interns. There is a 'Learning Zone' on the intranet where you can book yourself onto any course available to staff. For example, I attended courses in CCMP (professional marketing email software), google analytics and volunteer management. All courses are free of charge. Each team has a 'superuser' for different types of software who you can ask for help. Some staff members volunteer to be mentors. Interns can read their descriptions and select up to 2 mentors to apply to. You can arrange meetings with anyone in the organisation. I had meetings with people in other teams to learn more about their roles and tips on getting experience and ultimately a job in their team. Every intern is given a project to complete and most teams give you the chance to present it at the end of the placement. If there is something you are interested in learning, ask for a course in it. Chances are, someone will be able to get you in touch with the right people.

Employment prospects are really good. From an intake of 36, 10 of us have already been employed by Cancer Research UK. Although you are not guaranteed a job at the end of the placement, you have a distinct advantage. The organisation likes to recruit from within with many job posts are advertised on the intranet. Even after the placement we have social media sites where alumni are told about upcoming roles. There are many chances to network and a huge variety of roles, both office and home-based. Depending on department budgets, some teams also encourage their interns to stay on beyond the internship (expenses still paid). For example, the Sports Team kept on all their interns to help out with preparations for the London Marathon (an extra 3 weeks).

I had a close relationship with other interns. We worked together on fundraising projects, had lunch together and had a number of clubs and socials throughout the week. For instance, I took part in a running club, games club and weekly after-work drinks with interns. We celebrated our time as interns with a yearbook, drinks and dinner. I still see interns who got jobs around the office and plan to meet with others who have left.

I commuted to and from Angel for free as travel expenses were covered and had free lunches up to the value of £4 each day. Near the Angel Building there are supermarkets including Sainsburys, Waitrose and M&S as well as cafes like Cafe Nero and Starbucks and shops like Boots which do good meal deals. Within the Angel Building itself, there are also 2 canteens with subsidised prices. Some restaurants in the area including Bill's and Wahaca give a discount to Cancer Research UK staff (and interns), as do some pubs. We are also situated close to King's Cross which opens up the range of places to eat and drink.

There is a lot of choice in terms of drinking and eating out. Intern favourites included Weatherspoons, Be At One and Simmons Bar. Weatherspoons is usually very busy. Be At One is great for cocktails and a bit of dancing (especially during happy hour where they do half price cocktails). Simmons is friendly and also offered discounts. From King's Cross it is also extremely easy to get to nightclubs in central London.

There are plenty of chances to go out with colleagues and interns after work and loads of volunteering opportunities. I took part in bucket collections for World cancer Day and attended marathon events. Weekly email newsletters highlight all of these opportunities.