Spring Intern Review

I thoroughly enjoyed the insight, as I learnt many new skills, met some great people and gained a lot of useful experience. They treated us very well and was a very relaxed environment. This meant that there was little pressure in the placement and could be ourselves and truly enjoy it.

They treated us very well, with many breaks and stops for food throughout the day. This meant that we were able to keep energised for the activities. We were placed in very good buildings, not some back offices so we felt more valued in this way. The lunch was a clear indicator that they valued us.

We had advice on the projects we carried out from industry experts and graduates. There was feedback given to us at the end as well. There was plenty of opportunities to ask for help and advice regarding CVs and interview skills. They were very approachable so this was easy to do.

The interview has prepared me for pressurised experiences and now I know what to expect. The opportunities to network meant that I was able to build confidence when talking to new people, which will be very useful in the future. There was a large amount of time to build on my teamwork skills.

There was a good variety of activities, including work shadowing, networking and group projects. This was interspersed by insight talks. They were well spread out and placed to make sure we didn't lose concentration. There was a good balance everyday. There were also many breaks to give us enough time to socialise as well.

Everyone was friendly and the ice breaker activities on the first day meant that we got to know each other very well from the very start. This made the atmosphere for the rest of the week much better than I was expecting. The organisers were very friendly and approachable so there wasn't any awkward encounters.

There were opportunities to learn more but the CV and interview workshop session was very limited in scope. It didn't expand on the basic skills that we needed. Other than that, the experience was very useful. We had opportunities to develop public speaking and teamwork skills which I found useful.

The work shadowing sessions allowed me to see exactly what the graduate roles did in a day to day job. I couldn't see specific details because of confidentiality issues but a got a good general understanding. The speakers gave a good overview of the company which helped show the scale of the company.

The networking events gave us the chance to ask the questions that we wanted to know, and in this case, about the culture. I general the claims were very consistent but I wasn't sure whether this was an honest interpretation because it didn't fall in line with the answers I was expecting.

The roles were split into two directions, technical and non-technical. This shows me the differences and the skills needed for both. I have now got a clearer realisation over the path I would prefer to take and that it is a potential path for the future. Without this experience I wouldn't have the same level of confidence.

We were given a set amount for expenses and then informed that we will be given travel expenses as well. The process for claiming this is quite complicated and not very fast. I am not sure how it will end as this is sorted after the insight week. This did not influence my decision for choosing this company.

There were two different events for networking - speed networking and then an evening drinks session. This was very useful as they provided different styles of presentation and conversation. The drinks were more suited to those confident to meeting new people and introducing themselves which allowed them to benefit most.

With the regular breaks, there were plenty of chances to talk and socialise with each other. There was an app that allowed you to see the group before starting and to introduce yourself to the group. We formed a strong group that even went for a meal after we finished the week.

There wasn't much talk about the outside of work opportunities. Just walking form the building to the tube station allowed me to see exactly how social people are after work in the social spaces outside the offices. On Friday, when we went for a meal, we went to a place with great atmosphere with many workers. There was little mention of it from workers at the insight week though.

Yes, given that they had an interest for technology. It is a great opportunity for those who a re interested but don't have any prior experience. There are many ways to benefit from it but you have to make sure you put in the effort to make the full gains.