Spring Week Intern Review

It was a fantastic opportunity to understand JPMorgan's working environment, which I would definitely recommend to anyone interested in gaining an insight into what the banking industry is really like. The programme included group activities, work shadowing and social and networking events. As I took part in the "Spring into Technology" programme, we also had coding challenges, which were a great way to get to know other interns and develop your team-working skills, as I found being a team-player is one of the main characteristics of people working here.

All the people I met were really helpful and willing to spend time talking about the company and what they do. It was a pleasure to get to know other interns as well, as we are all people with the same interests and ambitions.

We were assigned group mentors to all our challenges, who were all really prepared and helpful. All the questions we had about the working environment, recruitment process and interviews were answered.

During the 3 days, I feel like I developed some of my soft skills such as communication, teamwork and time management, which would not necessarily assist me in my degree studies but which I believe are of vital importance in any future career. Tips on how to succeed at assessment centres were also really useful.

Everything was well organised and running according to the schedule we were given at the beginning of the week. The schedule was tight and we got to experience a lot in a short time, but we also had lunch breaks and shorter breaks such that the days weren't too tiring.

The atmosphere was friendly and welcoming. We had a social night on the first day which helped us get to know the other interns better such that we felt a lot more comfortable working together in the following days.

We all got fast-tracked for a summer internship for the following year, such that we were all given a big head start. We also got a presentation on how to succeed the assessment centre, while the insight itself into the company represents a huge advantage in the recruitment process. We also got to develop great skills that I believe would prove useful regardless of whether we will be offered an internship or not.

The work shadowing was a great opportunity to decide whether you would want to work here or not. I learned about the work the do in the technology division, the company culture, the team dynamics and the various projects they work on, such that it was a lot easier to decide if this kind of job would be suitable for me or not.

On of the things this Spring Week was focused on was making the company culture come across: they do have a people-oriented culture, which values team players and people capable of working closely with others. We got to see the coordination between the departments and to understand what other qualities they after in potential employees.

After the spring week, I believe I have a more realistic understanding of the industry and whether it suits my personality and skill set. However, it is still not enough for me to make a clear decision on my career path, which I believe can only be made after having hands-on experience rather than just after work shadowing.

This spring week is not a paid programme. However, travel expenses to and from London were paid for, as well as accommodation expenses for people not leaving in London. The hotel was really nice and very close to the train station, for which we had the travelcard also paid for. Lunch was provided every day, while dinner only for two days out of three.

We had networking events every day, as well as the possibility to speak to employees during the breaks. The last day we also had a graduate panel, with people who once were in a similar position as ours, who talked about their journey at JPMorgan.

For each event, we were encouraged to ask as many questions as we want, and everybody was approachable and helpful. It also happened that we were approached by people working there, which was really great and showed us that they are indeed interested in us and our time there,

Yes, during networking events. I also learned about various 'societies' they have withing the company, which I found really interesting.

Absolutely, even if you are a bit reserved as to whether you are interested in technology in banking, this is a great opportunity to actually find out for sure. On the other hand, if you already know this is what you want to do, a spring week can really set you apart. It's also a great way to meet new people and develop skills that are useful in any industry.