Summer HR Intern Review

I had a really great time at the company, meeting enjoyable people and learning a lot. A summer placement gives you the chance to trial the company and the role and Barclays was a great company to do that at. Barclays has really strong company values and I believe that I have made a number of long standing connections within the company.

I felt valued by my colleagues whilst I was at Barclays. I was given huge amounts of responsibility and accountability and therefore I had other colleagues coming to me for help and I would have to advise on my area of knowledge and work. All employees were happy to answer any questions and seemed interested in our development. Being invited to social events also meant I felt valued.

Whilst at Barcalys, I felt very well supported, I had an incredible line manager who mentored me, pushing me to reach my set goals. Frequent one on ones meant I felt supported and I sought guidance during these sessions if I needed it. We would also use this time to check on my progress. Other interns are also a great source of support when you want to ask any question you do not want to ask your line manager or team.

I was always busy, but I enjoyed this. This was mainly down to the fact that I had been set challenging goals by my team and I also sought additional responsibility. There were times that I felt quite stressed but I always knew I had the support of my team. I also did lots of networking to keep busy. This allowed me to find out more about different areas of the business.

I was given large amounts of responsibility during my placement and it was mainly down to myself on how I was to reach my agreed goals. This was challenging at times, however, I did have the support from my line manager should I needed it. As I gained the trust of my team and colleagues, I was granted more and more responsibility.

I grew in confidence each day and developed a whole range of skills during the placement, which will benefit me back at uni and throughout my future career. In particular I developed analytical skills and presentation skills, both of which will benefit me once I return to uni. Having to present to senior members of staff improved my confidence and I had to think quick on my feet to answer any questions. I believe all skills learnt will benefit me for life.

There was a really positive atmosphere in the office at Barclays. It was a buzzy and fast paced environment, yet no intimidating and I also felt people were friendly and welcoming. I appreciated the company values that Barclays holds, which diversity and inclusion being widely celebrated. Furthermore, there was a great social element to working for a company like Barclays.

The programme was well structured and overall a very positive experience in terms of set up. From the first day, myself and my line manager established meaningful objectives where I would have an impact on company performance. Frequent review sessions allowed me to ensure I was on track to meeting such objectives. I had an extensive final review where I could review my work and discuss future areas of improvement.

It is clear that Barclays does invest a lot of resource into the interns and this is all geared towards encouraging the interns to apply for the graduate scheme. Not only financially invested in but also invested in by my line manager and team who coach and mentored me so that I could deliver the best possible results.

Employment prospects are appealing. I will be applying for the graduate programme to go back and work full time.

There was a really great social scene amongst fellow placements students, often lunching together most days and frequently going for drinks and dinner in the evenings. We always kept connected via messenger and group chats and we would use this to arrange social events. We also had an end of placement event and some networking events organised by Barclays.

I am not going to lie, being based in London, the cost of living is high. Rent and travel are the main expenses, but food and socialising are also very expensive. There are, however, slightly cheaper places once you start to find your way around, avoid tourist areas at all costs! The good thing about Barclays is that they do provide a generous salary so if you budget well, you will not struggle with money.

The nightlife in London is really fantastic and you really cannot fault it. Although I would often go to different areas after work, there are still many bars and restaurants in Canary Wharf. The bars are always busy, especially on Thursday and Friday nights and there is always a good atmosphere.

There was a wide range of opportunities to get involved in activities outside of work. Many of these were organised by individual employees such as the various sport teams. This ranged from football and softball to netball. Community activities and local volunteering is heavily encouraged by the company and many employees take time off to become involved in charity events and projects.