CMB Intern Review

I thoroughly enjoyed the HSBC internship program. There was a real focus on giving interns both the chance to gain an insight into a particular part of the business and the opportunity to develop themselves professionally and make an actual contribution to the business through projects that we were given. There was also a strong level of support; the graduate mentor is one example of this.

I felt well integrated into the team. My team were very open to explaining new ideas and concepts to me and then allowing me to put them into practice by asking me to carry out particular tasks. I would receive feedback if I didn't get the task right the first time.

I sat down with manager before the start of the internship to make sure my objectives were clear. He explained to me my objectives in terms of what he wanted me to do during the internship but also tried to accommodate anything I wanted to do during the internship. We also had regular meetings to check that I was meeting my objectives.

I was always very busy. I had 2 core projects on which I worked and my manager was also keen for me to go out and see clients on a regular basis. If I didn't have work, my colleagues were keen happy to give me extra work. Intern events, such as networking lunches, also kept me busy.

I was given a large amount of responsibility both in terms of my own projects and the day-to-day work of my colleagues. I think that the amount of responsibility that I had over the course of the internship increased as my colleagues trusted me more and more to do a good job.

I think what I took most from the internship was the chance to find out about a specific part of the business which will assist me in making an informed decision about which parts of banking I enjoy working in. Thanks to some of the projects I worked on, I also acquired skills and knowledge that will assist me in banking in the future.

The office in which I worked was relatively small and the atmosphere was very positive. My colleagues got on well on both a professional and social level. We often went out for drinks after work and members of our office attended a charity netball event that was organised by a colleague.

I think the placement was very well organised. Although there were some IT teething issues, all the intern events were well structured including a mix of presentations and practical work. The way that I was evaluated was also transparent from the start and I knew exactly what was expected from me.

The employment prospects within the bank are very positive. I liked the fact that the company invests a lot of time into their graduate programs, the fact that HSBC are a global organisation with offices in many different offices and the variety of different roles which are available within the organisation.

The social scene was very good. Being in London, all interns scattered across London would often meet up in central London. We all got on very well and we often met up for drinks in central London after work and after intern events. There was also an intern cricket event.