Intern Review

I have enjoyed being involved in a number of different projects that I could a lot from. The diversity of works I have performed helped me to get a wider view of what Investment is. I loved being part of a group of interns, because this offered me the possibility to engage with a lot of new different people.

Colleagues valued some piece of work I have performed, especially when my research was applied to real-world scenarios that they are interested in. Management often reached me out to congratulate for what I did. However, the distance between my desk and the rest of the team caused a less than optimal level of interaction, which I think could be improved.

My manager helped me a lot throughout my internship, particularly in evaluating best path to follow on my research projects. He provided me with insights about the meaning practitioners give to specific financial relationships between variables as well as some hints about areas of interest for further research.

This was highly dependent on the job I had to perform. Simulations were one of the main tasks I was in charge of. Simulations often take a lot of time to run, therefore I had to find some flexible tasks I could do in the meantime. I think that I have not been too busy, but also rarely bored.

I have been given full responsibility on carrying on the projects I was assigned to. My manager and I usually agree on a weekly basis about goals we would like to achieve and I can decide on my own how to. This does not mean that I could heavily affect the business continuity, since my projects were mainly research-based, therefore had no short-term impact on business decisions.

I think the skills I have acquired are will be very useful for my future career. I loved being part of such a quantitative team, because I could learn not only some important financial models, but also analytical techniques.

The atmosphere is very quiet compared to other places I have worked in. This means both that it is easier to focus during the morning, but also that during the last part of the day I people can start to be bored. I would advice introducing some more social activities and brakes, particularly in the break area.

The work placement was very well organised. My experience included a lot of development sessions that HR organised for us, as well as some meetings with people within Investments for learning how other areas work.

I think the company invested in a lot of soft skills, which I agree are essentials at the beginning of the career, but not as much in hard skills, which I was required by my team. I have developed those skills on my own through private books of some colleagues.

I would love to get a job within this organisation, especially with the team I am now working in. Members of this team are among the best people to learn financial quantitative techniques from. Their focus on innovation is a key factor in my decision to join the company if possible.

I have enjoyed living with another intern, as well as taking part to many different after-work activities. We have organised trips together as well as dinners and nights out.

The cost was high compared to the city I come from, but not too much considering that Edinburgh is a city full of tourists in this period.

The nightlife very good. I would definitely advice pubs, bars and all the shows and stands during the festival. The only thing that has not met expectations are clubs.

Yes, there were a lot of activities organised by interns. We gathered together for having dinner, some drinks out or even just to do some tours of the city.