Assistant Manager Review

Whilst it wasn't what I originally applied for (nor does it lie in my comfort zone/skillset), I have thoroughly and sincerely enjoyed my work placement. I prefer to be deadline-orientated and the pressure of having to follow stiff timelines was one I revelled in. I have also gotten to grips with what Central Finance and, more specifically, reg. reporting, entails.

On my first day I was introduced to everyone and made to feel very welcome - my line manager (and other senior staff) gave me responsibilities that would be expected of a full-time member of staff which made me feel like I was doing genuine work rather than being there as a novelty.

Nothing was ever an inconvenience; I was always encouraged to ask questions and be inquisitive about the work I was doing which made it that much easier to understand the value of the tasks I had been given. Rather than doing it for work's sake, I felt a genuine desire to complete the work quickly and to the best of my ability

Because of the time-sensitive and complex nature of the work, a lot of the time I spent was on other tasks that were relatively easier with more lenient deadlines (due to my inexperience). I was never overworked, but there were some times where I felt like I was doing less work than I should've (entirely down to the specialist nature of the job)

At the start of my placement I had a meeting with my line manager to discuss what my role would entail. She delegated important tasks that I would be solely responsible for, which definitely gave me a feeling of responsibility - it seems each member of the team has certain things they're chiefly responsible for and it was nice to fit in with my own projects.

Despite my degree being in the humanities - and this placement being very numerical - the skills I have developed here are transferable and stand me in great stead. Working to a deadline, delegation, communication and Excel proficiency are just some of the skills that I have developed, or even learned from scratch

Being as the job role is very important, there was understandable periods where work was (as it should be) number one priority. However that doesn't mean that it was dull, everyone was incredibly friendly, funny and willing to take a few moments out of their day for a chat. Going to Fringe with my team was one of the highlights

I struggle to fault LBG with regard to their organisation. I fell into the routine of a 9-5 fairly quickly and it was easy to work efficiently. We were notified about mandatory and voluntary events with plenty of notice and given sufficient leeway by managers to attend for our personal development

LBG were great at organising meeting, events and networking opportunities to help our personal development. It was nice to be able to partake in the same events as full-time staff, especially because we're only here for a few months - it made me feel valued and an actual part of the company. I had the opportunity to work from the London office so travel and all expenses were paid which I found to be unbelievably generous.

The graduate scheme is well outlined with opportunities to talk to current graduates and people that have moved on from it - without the company being overly pushy about it. It is portrayed (and certainly perceived) as a fantastic opportunity to start far above entry level with good pay and enhanced responsibilities

As we all lived in the same accommodation, we got to know each other very quickly. The social scene was absolutely fantastic because everyone got on so well - we now go out for meals, to the cinema, day trips etc. I count these interns among some of my best friends

Being in Edinburgh it wasn't exceedingly cheap but you could always find somewhere that was reasonably priced. Where we stayed in Leith wasn't awful but the majority of things that we wanted to do (Fringe, nightclubs) were in the Old Town which was very expensive. There was always other alternatives so it was never unsustainably pricey

The nightlife was among some of the best I've experienced. The clubs are varied and plentiful and the pubs and other establishments are fantastic. Especially during Fringe, the whole city seems to be awake 24/7 and it's an absolutely unbeatable atmosphere. I would definitely come back to Edinburgh, not least for the nightlife

Work activities were well advertised on Hive so if that was something you were interested in it was definitely not hard to take part. Extracurricularly, activities with the other interns was easy to organise. Being a tourist destination there was no shortage of places to visit or things to do.