Perfomance Manager Review

I have really enjoyed my internship. I was worried when I first arrived that I would have to sit and wait to be given work but I have been given a lot of freedom to use my skills and interests to meet my objectives in a way that is both motivating and rewarding. There were a few moments when I wish I could be more proactive but that is not always possible in such a big company.

I feel like I have become a proper member of the team, working towards the same goals and solving the same problems together. My manager has recognised what I have to offer and given me work that allows me to achieve as much possible in the short time I'm here, both for the business and personally.

My line manager has been extremely busy over my internship and has not always been able to set aside time to support me in person. However, she has always ensured that there is someone I can talk to and that the team managers all know what I'm doing to give guidance. Having a graduate as a buddy to help mentor me whenever I need it has also been invaluable.

There were a few days over the 10 weeks when I had completed all my outstanding work and had to wait for feedback or a team meeting to be able to take the next steps but overall I feel like I have had the perfect amount of work to be busy but almost never stressed.

I was given a position in the business that did not exist before and at a band level that was actually higher than most of my permanent colleagues. I think my experience may be quite unique but I have learned so much by being given real tasks and objectives that actually matter to the business.

This internship was not really in line with much academic study that I have done up to now but I have learned so much in areas that you just can't get from education. Work experience such as working in a business environment and being part of a team with the same goal, and business experience such as corporate governance and strategic planning will be a few areas of experience that I will remember for the rest of my career.

I work in an operations team where there is a lot of pressure to meet targets and where change can be slow at times that can mean some of my colleagues can become disillusioned with the work at times. With that said, everyone I have worked with has been very professional and ensured that I feel welcome in the office.

Over my internship I have had a few issues with my employment agency who Lloyds use to organise all temporary employment. However, from the prospective of Lloyds themselves they have been extremely organised from pre-start meetings to induction to events throughout the placement. They have also been great at offering development opportunities almost constantly.

I feel like they have really put a lot of time, effort and money into my development. I receive a learning curriculum every 2 weeks focusing on all kinds of different skills. I have also been given multiple opportunities to travel for work over a relatively short internship that have given me so many experiences that I have learned so much from.

This internship does lead to the possibility of a place on a graduate program that offers a great sounding opportunity straight out of university. Personally, I feel like the company is so large that I would want ensure that any team I may work on would be something that I would enjoy. On the other hand, it's because they have all of those opportunities that I am certain I could find a good job somewhere within the company.

During my internship, the company paid for my accommodation with all of the other interns in the city. This has been a great opportunity to meet new people and make some friends who I think I will stay in touch with even after we all go back to university. Maybe I will even end up working with some of them one day.

Edinburgh during the fringe is always expensive on a student budget. However, being paid a good wage by the company and having them pay for my accommodation meant that most things were affordable.

Night life in Edinburgh is great, especially over the summer. There are huge number of pubs, bars and clubs to try out with something for everyone. Even if you only want something chill in the evening there are a lot of shows on everywhere.

Part of my internship included a charity challenge to raise as much money as possible over 7 weeks. This gave a good opportunity to get out of the office on a sunny day and plan, run and attend events. There were also quite a few days out organised with the other interns that were a lot of fun.