Finance Summer Analyst Review

I have thoroughly enjoyed my time at Barclays. In my time at Barclays, I found that there was a very open and transparent culture allowed me to be able to speak to many colleagues for support and guidance to tackle any technical aspects of my work or any IT issues.

I believe I was valued very highly by my colleagues. I felt I was introduced very warmly by my wider team and they often introduced me to other individuals that my team worked with. This allowed me to reach out to these individuals with more confidence when I needed to collaborate with them. I also felt that my team and line manager set me objectives that will provide real value to the team once completed. This especially made me feel like a valuable team member.

I believe I was given a very good level of support and guidance by my line manager and wider team. I tried to rely less on my colleagues when completing my tasks, however when I felt I needed support I felt I could reach out to my colleagues at any time. I often had regular catch-ups with my line manager to discuss the progress of my tasks.

I was busy on a daily basis throughout the course of my Internship. I always aimed to make further progress on my set objectives each day and I felt I was given enough time to achieve this. Aside from completing my set objectives, a usual day would consist of meetings with my team and department, as well as Intern related meetings and projects.

I felt I was given a lot of responsibility during my Internship. My line manager and I set my work and personal objectives at the start of my Internship. This really gave me a strong sense of responsibility for the for the Internship process, as it gave me a clear understanding of the work I needed to complete with a set deadline.

I believe the skills I developed will help me in my final year at University as well as my future career. I thoroughly improved my communication skills using emails and conference calls and I believe I can take this skill forward in both my degree and career. I also improved my Microsoft Excel skills, as I was using this application every day during my Internship.

The Internship process was very organised. Interns were given a performance review pack which consists of set objectives that align with the values at Barclays. This pack was also used to set work related objectives by line managers and Interns, which was useful for the middle and end term reviews. Throughout the Internship, HR had also set up a speaker series which involved senior stakeholders talking to Finance and Treasury Interns, which gave us a good insight into their career.

The social scene amongst fellow Interns was very positive. Interns had 2 days of training/induction which involved many team related activities and networking opportunities. Finance and Treasury Interns were given an Intern project which lasted 6 weeks. This project bought the Interns closer together which helped build networks and relationships. There was also a session in which Interns would share what their roles and objectives are. I felt this gave Interns another opportunity to network and learn about different areas of the Bank.

I was working in Canary Wharf, London so naturally the cost of living was higher than most areas of the UK. However, Barclays offered an Accommodation bursary which covered my rental costs. There was many bars and restaurants in Canary Wharf and I felt that the cost of socialising was a fair price, given the location of our office.

I believe there were endless opportunities to get involved in activities outside of work. At Barclays there are many networks you can join and volunteering opportunities to participate in. I tailored my interests to the networks I joined and actively participated in. For example, I took part in a 'Lifeskills' session, which aims to help Unemployed individuals with interview techniques and skills.