Summer Analyst Review

My internship was not only very well organized but also had very supportive people. During my time at Barclays I had events, in which I had the possibility of meeting senior people as well as to discover the different areas of the bank. In the end of the day strong friendships were created.

I felt the projects I was assigned to were important to the team. And so, once I was doing them I was being questioned if everything was alright several times. Moreover, I felt welcome by my teams. IT seemed they really cared about my well-being and the fact that I was working with them.

During my internship I was given several projects and tasks that allowed me to be engaged with the teams I was allocated to. Therefore, not only I was doing meaningful things, that added value to the bank, but I was also being given feedback, which was crucial to doing a good job.

In a internship in markets it is not always easy to keep you engaged 100% of the day. However, the amount of tasks given by the line managers was the perfect balance to both be able to learn about the products I was assigned to but also to communicate with other people in the floor.

During a markets internship, since you do not have the FCA approval, you can not interact with clients neither trade. Therefore, you are given projects that can add value to your teams. It is true that you are working with very important information of the bank but those projects will not impact directly the performance of the desks (though they can definitely help their lives).

Such experience helped me understand how markets really work. I got to know a lot of very different desks that in the end of the day provide the services requested by clients. Apart from that got to understand where to look at when working in such a job as well as some details of it.

The general atmosphere was super friendly. Everyone would call you by your name and despite the seniority, they would show as being open and approachable. Apart from that they would also tell a joke from time to time and you would be capable to have nice conversations after work with them.

The internship was structured in a way that allowed interns to get to know the different areas of the bank, while engaging with senior people and doing meaningful work. Apart from the work itself, we had several types of different events, from breakfasts with senior people, to helping charity events collecting donations in order to help NGOs.

In the first week at the bank, we had technical training, to refresh the basics before joining the first desk. Then, every week we had workshops about specific products for us to understand their different characteristics. On top of these, the desk you were assigned to would give you on going training during the four weeks.

Barclays is a very competitive bank in the street. Alongside with it, it is a bank that invests in new joiners, by training them and providing the best opportunities to be successful. In the end of the day it is a place that gives you the opportunity to rise to where you want.

There was a very good atmosphere at Barclays amongst fellow interns. We went for drinks several times and did not have a competitive environment amongst us. Strong relationships were created and I feel I will keep a close contact with some of them even if we not end up working in the same place.

In Canary Wharf the cost of living and socializing is quite expensive, as it is one of the financial centers in London. Food and drinks are expensive, though it is also true that you can afford it, when considering the salary you receive. Definitely exist cheaper places to socialize at.

Apart from the pubs that tend to be more crowded after work, nightlife in Canary Wharf is almost inexistent. This area is a deemed for companies and as a result rents are expensive and so people tend to live away from this area. Since there are few people living there and also it is not very central in London, nightlife is not perfect.

Usually both the desks we worked at and the campus recruitment team organized events after working hours. As a result we had the time and the opportunity to participate in such activities. A good thing in markets is definitely having the time to be involved in the several activities offered by the bank.