Summer Intern Review

I enjoyed my 4 weeks at Knight Frank immensely. The 4 week summer internship was my first job/experience within the industry and has cemented my view that this is the career for me. I was very fortunate to work in a division (Capital Markets) that I want to work in going forward and feel the experience gained will assist me greatly, initially in my studies and then in the long run once graduated.

Given my lack of experience within the industry there are obviously certain tasks that I am simply unable to undertake however I feel the immediate team (Portfolios) and others within the division have been very pro-active in involving me in projects. They have also always been very willing to answer any questions I might have. I have been invited on work events (both formal and social) which has made me feel welcomed in to the group.

The majority of my day to day interaction and direction has been given by the Associates in the team rather than the Partners. I do not believe this to be a bad thing whatsoever and is to be expected given the business of the Partners. Any news tasks given have always been followed by clear instruction on how to carry it out.

Having had 5 years of work experience since University I am of the opinion that being busy is the best way to be. Therefore I have been happy with the level of workload experienced. The first 3 weeks of my internship coincided with the immediate reaction to the BREXIT vote so was a very interesting time in the industry with a lot of work to be done. The last week of the internship was a bit quieter as deals were either completed or cooled off.

As mentioned already, given my lack of property related experience I was pleasantly surprised with the level of responsibility given to me and thrived on the required timelines.

I think that the experience gained will be invaluable. To be able to be able to relate things being taught in class to actual real life examples will be a great asset. In terms beyond university the networking and relationship building that the programme has offered has been excellent.

The atmosphere in the office, particularly the Capital Markets section, is fantastic. The right balance of professionalism and fun. The constant buzz of agents on the phone means that there is never a eerie silence and the various teams are always walking over to each other to discuss various goings on in the market. I am looking forward to comparing the environment against CBRE when I undertake a months experience there next month.

I personally liked the set up of the internship. While other companies may fill your diary with various intern specific events and lectures the mentality at KF is to let you crack on with the work in your team and really get to know the area.

I think the real investment comes when/if they employ you on the Graduate Scheme. For the summer internship program it is more of a chance a) for you the individual to decide if you like the company and b) for the company to decide if they see you fitting into the KF way. Having said that I have felt very welcomed into the team and always brought in on things where possible.

I am very much hoping to come back to Knight Frank in a permanent role in the future. I believe that doing a summer internship definitely stands you in good stead however is by no means a guarantee. Having spoken to a number of people also currently on the grad scheme they are also very positive about the whole experience.

I was unfortunate to miss a couple of the intern drinks organised by KF due to clashes with Capital Market events. However the interns were also pro active in organising 'unofficial drinks' outside of the office.

Pretty standard London prices on the whole. The West End is obviously an affluent area of the capital but there are still more affordable options for lunch and socialising. London is an expensive city on the whole.

I frequented a few pubs with some interns as well as grads and more senior staff. All of them were good spots. The area in general is more suited to the very rich so I am not sure about nightlife after pubs but for a pint or two after work there are a number of options.

Very good. I was invited to play in the KF cricket team as well as in a beach rugby tournament. So overall very happy, considering I was only there 4 weeks with the opportunities offered. I also was able to attend the Capital Markets summer party which was great fun and a great chance to get to know the team better.