Investment Intern Review

My internship at M&G was an amazing experience. Everyone was really friendly and the entire scheme is well organised. I have learned a lot about finance and worked on various different projects. HR team organised many social events, including mid-term drinks, treasure hunt, ping pong, networking events, which I really enjoyed.

In my team, we had a lot of company meetings and my colleagues always asked me for my opinion. They were always interested why I agree or disagree, even though I have never worked in finance before. Other interns were very nice and always willing to help. I believe we will stay friends after the internship.

My supervisor helped me a lot throughout my internship. I was constantly asking him questions and he was always willing to help. Furthermore, he gave me a feedback on everything what I have done, which I really appreciate. During my internship, I have met people from other divisions that were also very helpful.

I was working approximately from 7.30am to 6pm. On some days, we had many meetings, so I was very busy and had to eat lunch at my desk. On the other side, some days were very quiet and I was at my desk the entire day. However, I believe you can always ask for extra work if you want to.

I was assisting my manager on everything, except buying/selling shares. He trusted me with financial models, even though I have never done them before. I was working on a long term project that was presented at the morning meeting in front of the entire floor. My opinion on a stock was always valued.

I believe the skills I have developed during my internship will greatly assist my degree. I have improved my Excel/Powerpoint skills, presentation skills and worked in a team. I have also got used to work with numbers and improve my analytical skills. Working on a long project taught me time management and persistence.

Everyone at M&G is very friendly and the structure of the company is flat. You can approach everyone, from an analyst to a director. Traders always had food and shared it with everyone. Some teams were bigger than others. There is also a difference between the atmosphere on different floors.

Compared to banks, M&G does not provide interns with training or induction, therefore you learn everything at your desk. Since you cannot rotate, what you learn depends on your manager and the division you are placed in. However, you can always seek for more work. Social events and insight sessions are very well organised.

The company provided me with amazing 8 week training under a good leadership. I have also managed to attend a private companies conference, got my own terminal with a trial subscription. Furthermore, you are provided with free Lynda access, online videos about investments and free books from the company's 'library'.

I believe M&G is a great place to work! There is a reason why people there usually stay for more than 25 years. It offers great benefits, a steep learning curve and a lot of independence. Leaders at the company expect results, but also trust their employees with work. I believe the company is expanding and there are man opportunities for graduates/interns.

Every Friday, we will go for drinks with interns. Usually we went to Wetherspoons because it is cheaper than other bars. Other interns were fun to hang out with. Socialising with team depends on your supervisors. Some teams are very sociable and spend a lot of time in pubs, whereas some teams have families and go home straight after work.

M&G is based near the bank station in zone 1 of London. City of London is not the most expensive area, but is not cheap as well. A pint after work costs around £5, weekly rent for a decent flat around £200. There are some cheap places in the area, for example Wetherspoons. M&G provided for and drinks for all the social events organised by M&G.

There are some nice bars, for example Madison Rooftop bar, but it is quite expensive. There are no very posh clubs in the area, but some very expensive private membership clubs. However, you can always socialise in pubs near London Bridge area (Belushi's) or go to cheaper clubs (Queen of Hoxton near Liverpool Street).

We had a party in the equities department that was organised with M&G, which was very fun. M&G HR team also organised some other social activities, like treasure hunt, mid-term drinks, drinks with grads, etc. I met with my buddy couple of times outside work. In general, it depends on the team you're in and on your personality.