Retail Banking and Wealth Management intern Review

I enjoyed the placement thoroughly. It gave me a great insight on two different aspects of the retail banking industry. My first four weeks working in a branch were a great stepping stone for my second placement in the Canary Wharf headquarters. Seeing how the two collate was interesting and overall a great experience. A few socials were also organised by HR/grads/other interns which were a great opportunity to network.

With the branch placement, I felt slightly less valued than I would have hoped. I assume this is due to the fact that there was a limited amount of work I was given to do. However, the project I had completed was highly valued and positive feedback was given to me in my end of placement review. In the specialist placement, I was constantly explained by my colleagues/manager the value of the work I was doing and how it benefits the team, which made me feel much more constructive.

Both placement managers wanted to see me grow and make the most out of my internship. They were willing to sit down with me for reviews and also answer any questions I had. They also did a great job of introducing me to other employees and making me feel welcomed as a part of the team, to the extent that if I needed help, I not only had my manager to speak to but anybody on the team.

In branch, there were days when I did not have much to do, on which days I took the initiative and kept myself busy, by shadowing different staff - no day in a branch is ever the same due to different customers and their needs. In the head office placement, I found myself a lot busier and was given tasks to work on.

I was involved in tasks such as shadowing different roles in branch, conducting mystery shops & following up with a report, conducting prospect events for sixth formers, work on Excel and doing tasks that benefitted the team in the long run, not just being given something to do for the sake of keeping me busy. Having this responsibility was good due to the fact that I feel I have taken something away from the internship with me.

The internship itself will not assist me in my final year of my degree - as my modules are not linked to retail banking. However, beyond my degree this experience has been extremely valuable. My competency skills have been sharpened, and this is an asset in my career. Having the experience of both a branch, and head office placement was a unique selling point of this internship as the skills gained and needed from both placements are different yet equally useful.

Branch: generally everyone was upbeat and very friendly. Everything in branch revolved around customers - from lunch break times (not for myself, but other employees) to what kind of appointments are appropriate for me to observe. Team meetings were productive yet lighthearted. Head office: quieter than branch, however it broke the stereotype of headquarters for me, which I always assumed to be extremely serious with only formality between colleagues. I found that the team in was placed in were busier, yet still all very close with one another and do also have fun whilst working. There was even a dress down Friday on my floor!

The internship was slightly less well organised than I would have expected from HSBC - being a huge global brand. Placement details were only given out a month prior to beginning the internship (luckily, I was not asked to relocate but for those who were, it only allowed a short period of time to arrange for accommodation etc.). When reaching my branch placement, I was not immediately provided with system access, and took approximately a week for it all to be sorted out. I was not given a pass and hence was constantly asking other employees to let me in to the back office and staffroom. However, some aspects were very organised - induction, head office pass and laptop given immediately, always knew who to contact and how to speak to my HR manager.

HSBC itself is one of the biggest banks in the world, and this alone would scream the fact that employment opportunities are endless. I personally loved the culture and atmosphere at HSBC and being able to come back for the graduate scheme would be a privilege. The career progression ladder is a challenge for new graduates to take on and is a great incentive to constantly work efficiently.

London, as it's reputation would state, is a very expensive city. Fortunately, I live in greater London and hence was able to commute from home and avoid paying rent. When working in London however, a territorial allowance is usually paid, which does help to compensate for the high living and socialising costs.

Being in central London for both my placements, the nightlife was as good as you can expect it to be. The variety is huge - you can find anything from cheap to high-end luxurious bars, with the same broadness in terms of music genres. Canary Wharf on a Friday evening has a unique atmosphere that I had never experienced. On the sunniest days, lots of people were out on the grass for a drink, with great bars just surrounding the area.

We had two compulsory volunteering days as part of our internship programme. These were not only a chance to help out and give something back to community, but also to meet and socialise with the other interns. We were put into teams with people we may not have known before - which was the case for me, and I came out with new friends on the internship.