Commercial Finance Analyst Review

I had a very enjoyable time at IBM predominately due to my management being very kind and supportive throughout my role. I learnt a vast amount whilst being there and it has really helped get my foot in the door for graduate schemes as IBM is a very large firm and a lot of other companies respect the name when you are applying.

I felt very valued by my management and colleagues as the work that I had done actually got sent to the clients and reviewed. Calls were made to discuss the work and I always got appraisal when it was due, both from the client and from my team if a job well done was conducted.

I was lucky enough to be face to face with my line manager on a daily basis to begin with, unlike a lot of the other interns that were there. As a result it really allowed me to get the required support necessary to do well in the role and perform at my best during my time at IBM. If I did not have contact with my manager the job would have been a lot tougher.

I worked in the finance department, so my schedule was generally busy. During the first and last week of every month, a 'month end' was being completed and the invoice was being sent to the client. During those 2 weeks I was extremely busy, most days sacrificing my lunch break and eating at my desk to get the work done. However during the middle 2 weeks of each month it was collecting data ready for the month end and completing any ad-hoc jobs that needed to be done, allowing the day to be a bit more relaxed.

I was fortunate enough to have a good handover from the previous intern and contact with my manager. During the first few months of my placement I was getting used to the format of the invoices and the job role. After around 2/3 months the responsibility I had increased to the point at where I was consistently challenged in my role which is actually what everyone should aim for, it makes the placement surprisingly more enjoyable. Overall the amount of responsibility I had on my role was a large amount as the work I conducted (after being checked by my manager) was being sent to the client and used in the meetings.

The knowledge that I gathered whilst at IBM has not so much helped me in my current degree of Accounting and Finance, however has helped in regards to beyond the degree. I learnt more about accruals, credit and debit payments which marginally was taught in my degree. However utilising the knowledge and applying it to the real world and professional examples has been very beneficial in finding a graduate scheme. As it allows employers know that you are not only academically smart, but can implement the knowledge in to the professional working environment.

The general atmosphere was very corporate, silence across most of the floor. The interns however used to have a laugh at times and enjoy themselves in the office. My team were great, where we would all come together, have some serious calls etc, but also enjoy ourselves with constant jokes, trivia and nice talks. Overall as an intern the atmosphere is very pleasant due to the other interns you are surrounded by.

From the first day of induction to the very end of the placement it was very well set up. 3/6/9 month reviews were conducted with a separate manager to communicate the work that you have done at IBM. As well as the fact that IBM try to keep on the previous interns for an extra few months to help with handing over the role, it is a very well thought out plan and it constructed successfully.

The training provided by the previous intern and management were great in establishing my role and job requirements. The development outside was also phenomenal with IBM's 'Think 40' scheme that the CEO enforces. It is where you are told to complete 40 hours Per year of extra knowledge development that must be tracked. Sources for the information development can be found on IBM's intranet, ranging from grammar advice to what is blockchain?

I was unfortunate to not secure a place within IBM. I applied for their grad scheme consulting department (GBS) however the roles were all filled and a hiring freeze may have been occurring during the time. As I only applied to the consulting department and not the finance department, my application was declined so I will be pursuing other options for when I graduate. The statistic I believe we were told in induction is that 1/3 of interns get offered a grad role back.

Drinks usually occurred on Thursday's in the bar after work. Most interns went and some managers as well, allowing for a good social environment. Nights out occurred quite frequently with the interns during the start of the placement, then began to slow down as the year went on and money was scarce. Overall a good social scene due to the large amount of interns that IBM take on, where most are located in the southbank office.

Accommodation was rather expensive, generally totalling to £600-£750 PM (shared house) including bills. In regards to the salary that you get and the tax incurred it really doesn't allow for much movement when living in London. Hence why you must do most of your socialising at the start of the placement then make it a once a month occurrence to go for drinks if you are wanting to save some money for when you head back to uni,

Nightlife in London will always be next to none. Going out in Clapham where a lot of interns live to going out in central London or shoreditch. Only problem is that the prices in the clubs are rather expensive, where certain prices of alcohol are 5x the price of a standard uni bar/club. The events hosted around London for the nightlife were always excellent though.

Personally for myself there was due to having a very nice manager. I met up with him and his friends on a few occasions to go drinking or to go to some activity. However for many other interns this was not the case. Other activities outside of work really rely on socialising with the other interns and seeing if they want to do any activities outside of work, such as playing tennis.