Analyst Review

My placement year was a fantastic insight into the world of investment. I enjoyed the variety and importance of tasks I was asked to do, and was given responsibility early on, which was a great show of trust. I have been involved in stimulating, interesting projects and have learnt a huge amount along the way.

My colleagues were a huge part of why I enjoyed my time at M&G. The working environment is very relaxed but hardworking, and I enjoyed the responsibility given to me by my colleagues and managers. They were all friendly and approachable, and were more than happy to take time out of their day to sit down and explain something or just have a chat, no matter their seniority.

My manager was always on hand to speak to should I have needed to, and supported me fully with whatever aspects of the business I wanted to explore. I was given great advice and guidance on various aspects, and this allowed me to grow and develop as an individual. We scheduled meetings for feedback and they were invaluable in helping me understand my strengths and weaknesses.

Understandably so, working in a deal based team meant that work was a mixture of being busy or not. This however was a good balance for myself as it meant I had quieter periods to consolidate what I had learnt or do extra reading to supplement the work I was doing. I was never in a position when I didn't have any work at all, but my team allowed me to be flexible with how I approached it.

I was given a surprising amount of responsibility, having come into the business with no previous work experience. My technical knowledge was also lacking at the start, but my team managed to give me important and relevant work regardless. As I learnt more and more, naturally I was a lot more independent and was essentially doing a full time role.

The skills and training I received and developed over the course of the year are skills for life. A lot of the more technical knowledge is useful for my degree and specifically investment & finance, but the life skills and knowledge I have gained will be useful irrespective of my future career.

M&G is well known for having one of the best cultures in the city, and this was immediately evident. People work hard and complete their jobs, but there is no element of rushing or high pressure in the workplace. The people are fantastic and easy to get along and work with, and I was immediately made to feel comfortable after joining, which definitely contributed to how enjoyable I found the experience.

The work placement was organised to a high standard. HR were approachable and easy to talk to, and I would be available to help whenever I had an issue or a question. I was originally supposed to be there for 6 months but HR happily extended my placement to be 12 months long upon request.

As one of two placement students (the other being in a different area of the business) there was limited opportunities for crossover in training. Training and development was more team based, and depended on the team around you more than a central function. At the start we did have insight sessions to introduce us to different areas of the business. which were very useful.

M&G are great at looking at the long term. When you come in as an intern or a graduate, or even as a full time employee, they want you to stay with the business for a long time. A lot of the employees have been at the business since graduation and this reflects really well as a prospective graduate.

During the summer, there was a great social scene as many events were planned for the students. After the summer interns had left, as there was only 2 placement students we had our own social events. My team were very sociable and we went out for drinks fairly often, so that is team dependant.

London is notoriously expensive, and this is well documented. Rent is high, and the cost of socialising is also fairly high. There is however plenty of choice with which to spend your time.

London, especially the city, is buzzing every day of the week. The surrounding areas, Camden & Shoreditch are also available to enjoy.

M&G have multiple societies and clubs for you to join and spend your time with, and really help with the social aspect. There are also two volunteering days you are encouraged to get involved in every year, as interns we spent one day doing wildlife/gardening work.