Summer Intern Review
by Barclays
This review was submitted over 4 years ago, so some of the information it contains may no longer be relevant.
Rating
-
The Role
2.5
-
The Company
2.4
-
The Culture
2.6
- 1. To what extent did you enjoy your work placement or internship?
- 2. To what extent did you feel valued by your colleagues?
- 3. To what extent were you given support and guidance by management/your supervisor(s)?
- 4. How busy were you on a daily basis?
- 5. How much responsibility were you given during your placement?
- 6. To what extent did/will the skills you developed, and training you received, assist you in your degree studies and beyond?
- 7. What was the general atmosphere in your office?
- 8. How well organised was the overall work placement or internship set up?
- 9. In terms of personal training and development, to what extent did the company or firm invest in you?
- 10. What were the perks on your work placement?
- 11. How appealing are future employment prospects within the organisation?
- 12. Was there a good social scene amongst any fellow placement students/colleagues?
- 13. What was the cost of living and socialising in the area you worked in?
- 14. What was the Nightlife like in the area you worked?
- 15. Were there many opportunities to get involved in activities outside of work?
The Role
It was a struggle initially because of the lack of support given by my team. The workload and the expectations were not appropriately set for an intern.
The team dynamic wasn't the best; there was constant tension and I had to seek support from the Graduates. However, again, the Graduates were extremely supportive throughout the internship.
I was given barely any support, particularly in the beginning. I had to set everything up myself, while also commencing on my desk work. The expectations were extremely high and sometimes I struggle to keep up.
I was extremely busy. I had to stretch my working hours to accommodate the level of expectations set. Although it gave me a good chance to showcase my work, it also puts a lot of pressure.
I was preparing a deck that was presented to an MD while also running an end-to-end Thought Leadership project that was presented back to senior stakeholders. I was accountable for every piece of work that I put forward.
The main skill developed was stakeholder management. My role gives me exposure to senior stakeholders (directors and managing directors), and from that I learnt how to communicate and engage in discussions with more senior people. The nature of my team also built my resilience.
The Company
My team's atmosphere was constantly tense. However, the overall floor has a vibrant atmosphere. I always feel like I could freely talk to people and build collaborative relationships with people from different teams.
It was quite organized. The HR arranged various networking and learning sessions for us to attend. There was also a weekly drop-in session, however this did not continue. It'd be great if the drop in session had been continued.
HR always makes us feel like we could walk and talk to them about anything, anytime. Unfortunately, it was stopped midway.
Subsidised/Company Gym
Company Parties/Events
Staff Sales/Staff Shop
Working from home
It was stated in the beginning that there was a place for all the interns if we want it. However, it became less certain throughout the internship.
The Culture
Yes, everyone gets along with each other and are generally supportive of each other doing well.
It was quite pricey, but seeing as we only socialize on Fridays it is still affordable.
It was good although we usually go to Shoreditch for a night out
There was some, such as the soccer tournament and the pub quiz night
Details
Internship (1 Month+)
Accounting, Commercial Banking, Investment Banking, Retail Banking
London
August 2018
