Summer Analyst Review

I got a lot of support for the presentation. People explained things and took time out of their busy schedules to help me out. I felt free to ask questions whenever I was stuck. I was integrated fully into the desk and was constantly given feedback on how to make the most out of the experience.

Because I was on a markets-related desk, I had to get in early at 7am and it remained fairly busy during the mornings. It starts to get mellower through the day but it also depends a lot on seasonality as summer months are quiet. I was usually out by no later than 9pm.

The graduate on our team went for a core leave so I had to take over his work as an intern. It was daunting at first but I was doing all the work I would be doing if I was hired which meant that I was adding real value to the team and people gave me more and more responsibility as a result.

I was given one-on-one software training by Bloomberg. A lot of graduates from different areas took time out to show the interns how systems work and how to become more efficient. I could go to team members of any rank to ask questions. The most important thing I learnt was probably how vital attention to detail is in this job.

Everyone was really friendly and they understood the fact that you come from a university with little practical knowledge so everyone is patient with explaining things and tolerant towards first mistakes. The people on my team had worked together for a long time and were great friends so it was really fun!

There were a few hiccups initially as I was assigned to two business areas and there were some problems with training but after the initial transition period, everything started to flow and I felt just like any other employee. HR was quick to help and intervene wherever there were problems.

We had a full first week of training by professionals which was more than what some other banks offered. It included technical skills and soft skills as well which was helpful for the job but will remain valuable off the job too. Again, grads from other areas took the initiative to teach you technical skills which was helpful for personal development. There were a lot of lunch and learn sessions and lectures by senior people in the firm.

Since the firm invests so much into the interns, they really do want to retain us. The job is only ours to lose. After talking to some team members, it seems that you're never stuck in one role for too long. With the pooling system, you can work with a lot of areas and gain knowledge and skills that you otherwise wouldn't be able to gain.

The HR team organised a lot of social events. From the initial meet and greet before the internship began, to the mid-term boat racing event and the final farewell party, I felt like I never lost touch with people on completely different floors. There were learning sessions and I saw everyone at least twice a week. We would go for drinks in the evening if everyone was free.

Canary Wharf itself is expensive to live in but the company compensates you well enough. We were paid a stipend on top of our weekly salary towards living costs. Drinking and clubbing is just as expensive as anywhere else in London. The company reimburses you for dinners if you stay after 8pm and for taxis after 10pm so I never felt that I had to worry about money on top of work.