Intern Review

I thoroughly enjoyed my time here at EY. Overall, I had a good time. At the start of the internship I was nervous, I was scared that I was intruding or creating more hassle for colleagues than helping them. However, all my preconceptions were wrong, because I was immediately welcomed with open arms, my team ensured me they really valued having an extra member on the project I was working on. Everybody always emphasises that it is the people that differentiate EY, and after working here, I see that for myself now.

After completing each piece of work, and handing it in, my manager would always take time out to thank me for the work. I worked closely with three senior colleagues here, and I never once felt they thought they were above me, or that they were just giving me simple tasks. After familiarising myself with the actual project in the first week, I found myself analysing data and putting together exec summaries. I felt trusted and definitely valued! Furthermore, I was always given credit for the work I did, even when it was very basic. I was asked to attend meetings, including ones with a partner, by my manager, which was flattering because she felt I would be valuable in the meeting.

There were two types of support I received at EY. Firstly, one from my counsellor, who is dedicated to my wellbeing. Secondly, guidance from managers from how to carry out certain tasks. My counsellor was great! She was not in the Churchill Place office but still tried to make time for me. She tried hard to give us a good overview of the whole firm/Advisory branch which I'm under. She set up meetings for myself and another intern to meet a Manager and a Director. In regards to work, my manager was brilliant. Admittedly, I was shy about asking too many questions, but my manager noticed this and told me its fine to ask! She is a Director so is incredibly busy but made it clear to me that it's totally fine to ask questions and put in some time to discuss the work in her diary. Also I found that people here are very happy to put me in touch with people who know about the project i.e. have previously worked on it, and they are always happy to help.

Perfect balance. The summer internship team stressed to us that interns hours are 9-5. Realistically on average I got in at 9 and stayed until 5.30pm with about a 30-40 minute lunch break. The work was in capable amounts, sometimes more, sometimes less but generally I was always kept busy. Sometimes, I would ask for work outside of my project if I wanted to learn more or gain a new skill, but it was still doable, just meant leaving a bit later and cutting your lunch break short.

I was given important tasks. My responsibility peaked when I was given a Scholar intern to work with halfway through my internship. She was doing a 4 week internship on the Scholars scheme, so pre-university. I was given complete control over what tasks to delegate to her. It was a great opportunity for me to make a friend, practise leadership skills, my explanation skills and develop team work skills. Having her was probably my favourite part of the internship. It made me realise that my manager must really trust me to give her Scholar intern to me to look after/work with. It was strange that I was being called someone's 'boss', being only the intern!

I learnt life skills, more than technical skills. That being said I learnt Visio and basic powerpoint and some excel, which will become useful when I graduate. I learnt more about how to handle myself in the workplace, how office dynamics works, and how to develop myself as a future female leader. The online learnings were not that useful, but more to do with EY in particular.

'Fun Never Stopped' probably isn't the best way to describe it. Admittedly EY is a corporate, not a start up. However, it is a very comfortable atmosphere, and after getting over my initial deer in the headlights nerves, I really started to feel at home in the office. The actual office is super modern and spacious enough given how many people work there. It is great to see Partners sitting amongst Interns. Everybody is very friendly, and twice I have struck up a random conversation, whilst getting tea, over what was on the TV. Also there is a really nice canteen on the 19th floor! Great views.

It was organised well. They set up a website for the internship well in advance of the beginning of the internship, it had a full breakdown of the agenda of our first day, so I knew exactly what to expect and where to go. The internship lacked intern socials organised by the Summer Internship Team, although friendship groups did organise some themselves. We had Partner Breakfasts which was fun- plus free food is always appreciated by students. I was allocated onto a project straight away, so never idle. We also had lunch and learns on Wednesdays.

Not much. I had a counsellor. No technical training though.

I asked if given that everybody on the internship scheme performed well, would they receive an offer, and the internship team told me that technically we could all get made an offer. EY are expanding their uptake of graduates by a lot with the new Vision 2020, so interns stand a good chance of being made an offer. I really enjoyed working at the firm so granted I'm made an offer I would most likely accept.

None, apart from on the induction day and Partner Breakfasts, organised by the internship team. However, we took it to ourselves to organise between smaller friendship groups. Which is a shame because I would have loved to get to know more people.

I worked in Canary Wharf. As you can imagine, it's an expensive lifestyle. At the end of the internship, be happy if you breakeven! Don't expect to profit...but at least you may get a future job!

Canary Wharf is very busy at night, and on a Friday night. Lots of places to get drinks. I didn't partake in Nightlife though. There are bars, no clubs.

I attended a picnic social at Primrose Hill with the Far East Network, and a Cambridge meet up at London Bridge. There was a BBQ organised by the Womens Network