Group Functions Spring Intern Review

I thoroughly enjoyed the whole insight as it provided me with the exposure I needed to the different departments within the functions group. The whole week has given me a broader understanding into the different departments available for my future career. The networking and insight sessions have really given me the chance to ask questions to the team and learn more about their roles.

One of the aspects which really stood out for me during the week was the culture of Barclays which was really welcoming and warming from the graduates to the managing directors. This was especially noticeable during the networking sessions as everyone was very approachable and was willing to impart their advice whilst giving an insight on their roles.

The support has been amazing during the week, especially from the graduate recruiters, Akansha and Harriet, who were available to ask for advice. Guidance from graduates to managing directors has been invaluable during the week as they offered their tips and gave an insight into their journey of how they got into their current career path.

The skills I have learnt during this week have been skills which I have acquired which are outside of my degree allowing me to become a more confident person when networking with individuals from across the bank. The information I gained from shadowing departments such as risk and treasury allowed me to apply the knowledge I have learnt on my degree to the real world.

The insight was well structured as there were insight sessions as well as an overview of how the current graduates on the graduate scheme have found their rotations. This really provided a thorough understanding of the functions as well as making the sessions engaging which meant that I had the opportunity to work with my peers.

The general atmosphere during the insight was empowering as there was a sense that the people we saw in the insight sessions could possibly be me in a number of years. Additionally, the atmosphere generally within Barclays was very approachable and willing to offer advice. Also, the fact that senior workers as well as graduates took time out their schedules to speak to us interns demonstrated the passion for developing young talent.

I believe that there was some emphasis on personal training and development during the week however as the week was heavily focused on giving us interns exposure to the different functions there was little time to have session which solely focused on the training and development. The introduction session was helpful as it allowed us to focus on our strengths.

The firm significantly helped me to understand how I could contribute to the firm and the impact the work I carry out could have on the firm. It also helped me to understand how working with the firm would allow me to progress in the future and the general culture about working in the firm.

The insight has enormously helped me to understand the company culture which I believe is one of the most important factors to consider when considering applying to a company. The culture of Barclays has been one of the main reasons I have enjoyed my time attending the insight as it provided the chance to really understand what working in the company could be like.

The content of the insight programme truly helped me to understand the differences between the different departments in functions as I was, like other interns, unaware of the differences. I believe that when reading about the departments on the internet is completely different to understanding the functions by shadowing them and attending the insight sessions.

This was very generous for the company to reimburse me for my expenses as well as providing the accommodation in Stratford which meant that my commute into work everyday was very convenient and stress free. Also, by living in the accommodation it gave me the chance to socialise with the other interns on a more personal level.

There were numerous opportunities to network and meet other employees throughout the week which were all incredibly insightful and gave me the chance to ask questions one-one. This meant that it gave me chance to understand more about the roles of graduates currently on the graduate scheme and how they got their current position.

The networking events were definitely one of the highlights of the week for me as it provided a much more personal connection with different individuals from across the bank. I believe that these sessions provided me with the most information allowing me to decide on treasury as the area I would like to interview on.

I believe that this area was slightly touched upon in the graduate insight session on Friday but in the future there could be more emphasis on informing us about the opportunities Barclays offer. This would allow me to understand in greater detail the opportunities available to socialise outside the workplace with colleagues.

I would 100% recommend this insight to friends as I believe that the whole experience was very eye opening and there was a significant amount of opportunities to build my professional network which would help me in future jobs. Also, I believe even working on projects with the other interns allowed me to gain a greater confidence especially when presenting.