CMB Intern - Relationship Management Review

I really enjoyed my placement with HSBC. I was given a broad range of tasks which allowed me to really get an insight into the inner workings of the business and to see what my day-to-day role would be like if I were to work in a similar role in the future. The company culture and values were also something I appreciated and something I would look for in any future company I was to work for.

I felt extremely valued in the team I worked with. I was given tasks which I felt allowed me to add value to the team, and early on in my placement I was given the opportunity to present about myself to the team which helped them get to know me. I was fully included in all of the team's activities, including exercises classes, social events after work and even wedding dress shopping!

I felt extremely well supported throughout my placement. My line manager proactively offered to have weekly one to one meetings with me to check that I was happy with what I was doing and to see how I was progressing with my projects. He consistently ensured I was getting what I wanted from the internship and gave me lots of opportunities for personal development.

At the start of my placement, I sometimes found myself at a loose end with little to do. However, I found that as I got more involved in different projects and proactively sought out people to meet with, my diary quickly filled up, leaving me with a good balance between time in meetings outside the office and working on my projects in my laptop.

I feel that I was given just the right amount of responsibility. On the projects I was assigned I was given full autonomy to work independently, but with the support of my team and manager if I needed it. I also went to meetings where I would not have had enough knowledge to go by myself, but going with a colleague meant they could take the lead and I could benefit from seeing another part of the business.

I definitely feel that I have learned valuable life skills during my placement. I have improved my presentation skills, developed my confidence in a professional environment, and learned how to work with colleagues and different locations via the intern project I was given. Additionally I have gained a wealth of industry knowledge.

The atmosphere in my office was generally positive - everyone was very welcoming to me. There was a clear team bond amongst the majority of my colleagues. Like most companies, there were some office politics, but this did not impact the overall positive working atmosphere that was present throughout my placement.

I think that the internship team has organised the placements really well - giving us a opportunities to interact and maintain relationships with other interns with central events and intern projects, and giving lots of information to line managers about what is expected and what we as interns need from them.

HSBC invested lots into our personal development, ensuring it was a priority throughout the placement. It was one of the main objectives we were given to focus on, giving a self-assessment at the end, and we were also given a number of training sessions on developing our personal brand. We were also given learning experiments detailing behaviours of professional high-fliers so we could create a strong first impression in the professional world.

Throughout the internship, the central intern team has made it clear that interns who perform well will be offered a place on the graduate scheme without interview. They have clearly outlined what they are looking for and what makes a good internship, and have detailed the structure of the graduate scheme if we are successful.

I was placed in an office with no other interns, however I maintained relationships formed at central events and attended casual social events with interns when I was in other cities. Within my team there was a strong social culture, with regular social events at dinnertimes and also after work.

I think working in the centre of a city makes it difficult to be extremely cheap, however the cost of socialising was not more than I anticipated and not any more than I had encountered elsewhere.

The nightlife in Liverpool was great, with lots of options for bars or clubs to go to depending on what you were looking for. I had a number of opportunities to try new places and to see the nightlife scene.

There were many opportunities to get involved in activities outside of work. The building I worked in offered lunchtime exercise classes twice a week, which I was invited to by colleagues, as well as being invited to go with them to classes at the weekends. The team also organised a number of social events such as meals out and drinks after work.