Spring Insight Programme Intern Review

The Spring Insight Programme at Bank of America Merrill Lynch was a fantastic week of learning, development and networking. I thoroughly enjoyed it and look forward to returning in Summer 2018 for a 10-week internship. The week allowed us to gain an in-depth insight into the bank, how it operates and how to find a career there.

I felt extremely valued during my time at Bank of America Merrill Lynch, there were always several HR or Recruitment staff on hand at every event to take questions and make sure everything ran smoothly. Everyone was made to feel very comfortable and it was an fantastic week in terms of the students getting on learning what they wanted to

We were very well guided throughout the week from people taking us round the trading floor to running through out time tables on a daily basis. There was a great structure and I felt that I could have turned to HR for any purpose. My fellow students and I were very well looked after during the week.

The information I received and the development I gained from Bank of America Merrill Lynch has been essential to assist me in my degree and beyond. I learnt that a lot of my degree is used every day in the role which I want to go into (trading) which was very reassuring. On top of this, it has helped me learn which areas of the bank interest me most and where to focus my career.

The week was extremely well structured with a time table given to us a few days before the week commenced. Accommodation was arranged in advance and the process was very smooth – I couldn’t fault it at all. Whilst it was structured we were able to choose certain activities/areas which meant we had flexibility whilst not being inconvenient.

The general atmosphere at Bank of America Merrill lynch was fantastic, as there were over 100 students taking part it meant that it was very lively. Obviously, the trading floor had a very different atmosphere to most other areas and it was incredible to experience what it is truly like sitting on a desk there. The atmosphere was very comfortable and enjoyable to be in, especially from a networking perspective.

I believe Bank of America Merrill lynch invested heavily into us throughout the whole week. We received many presentations, talks and activities from senior personnel within the bank which was very inspiring and motivating for us. On top of this, they also gave us the opportunity to convert our Spring Insight Week into a Summer Internship offer which I received and is invaluable to me.

There were many networking events which allowed us to be able to meet graduates and current employees. This was a great experience as we were able to learn about their line of work as well as the culture within their area and the bank as a whole. This was really insightful and gave me a great ‘bigger picture’ view of the bank and how it operates.

During my time at Bank of America Merrill Lynch I was able to learn about the culture of the bank and how it is aligned with their objectives. The key take away here was that I learnt just how important the culture of a firm and a desk (on the trading floor) can be. In this line of work you will be spending many hours with your colleagues so work place culture is extremely important.

The content given to us throughout the week was essential in helping me choose my future career path. I knew that I was interested in trading but, by meeting several staff on several desks, I was able to network my way through different asset-classes and learn as I went along. This was invaluable to me and it has really helped me find the area which I hope to specialise in.

I had my travel expenses reimbursed quickly and efficiently – it was a faultless experience. It is key to note that accommodation was provided for me, which was paid for, along with breakfast and lunch every day.

There were many opportunities to network and meet other people during my time at Bank of America Merrill Lynch. There were many social events too such as going out for dinner mid-week whilst also having some drinks with staff from the business – this was great as it was slightly more informal and you were able to learn much more about each other.

As explained above, the networking opportunities were fantastic. I left the spring insight programme with the contact details of over 50 employees within the bank, let alone staying in contact with the other students from the programme too. The opportunities were constant and very enjoyable too which led to it being a great programme

Activities outside of work weren’t explained in great depth but I was able to learn a lot from meeting employees and networking with other departments. This is an important area which I think is important because you spend so much time with your colleagues that you need to be able to enjoy yourself with them.

Absolutely – the programme was really enjoyable and I loved every day there. I enjoyed it so much so that I was sure to get in 2 hours earlier than my fellow students and leave later just so I was able to meet more people from the business. I truly loved every minute during my time there and would honestly recommend it to anyone.