This review was submitted over 4 years ago, so some of the information it contains may no longer be relevant.
Rating
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The Role
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The Company
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The Culture
- 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
I enjoyed it much more than I thought I would. The job is very creative and really keeps me on my toes, and it rarely bores me. Also I have been given tasks that make a genuine impact on the bank, which makes me feel like my contribution is valued.
Very much because of the huge amount of responsibility that I was given almost immediately. Our team is small and relatively new, so I got down to some real work that had a significant impact. Within a week I was talking to various people across the bank, making big decisions and treated as an equal.
To be honest, I couldn't have hoped for a better line manager than I got. She was very patient, kind and understanding. She was also very fun to be around and new how to have a laugh when appropriate. My team were all great and helpful people, they made me feel welcome.s
I had a lot of work to do and my line manager outlined my whole work stack in my first week at the bank. So I always knew what I had to do to progress, not only myself, but the team and the bank to meet our ambition.
I was given a significant amount of responsibility out the door, given I was just a summer intern. I was leading on several projects, some of which were going to be seen by people at the top of the bank, who work closely with the CEO.
The skills I learnt don't particularly connect to my degree as my degree is unrelated to the internship, however the skills I learnt at this internship such as time management, challenging an idea when I don't agree, using any and all resources to compliment my work, etc.
The Company
It was very relaxed because we have moved away from the traditional office style and there was no longer a dress code, so I wore jeans everyday. I also worked in 2 different offices during the week and the atmosphere was very much the opposite of intense.
The work within my team was very well organised and structured. However going outside of the team, I realised that there was definitely room for improvement as the intern council were very disorganised in what they did. There weren't many intern events which didn't help in creating a community for the interns.
A great deal because we had an expenses-paid 2 day induction in Edinburgh, and I am working living in London. They are treating us like true employees, and not restricting very much unless it is very confidential and hence not for our eyes.
Subsidised/Company Gym
National Travel
Company Parties/Events
Staff Sales/Staff Shop
Working from home
Healthcare/Dental
Based on what I've seen, I would enjoy working for RBS in future if I am offered a place on the Graduate Scheme. RBS/NatWest has shown to me that they are very progressive and that they know how to treat their employees and customers.
The Culture
The intern council did not organise very many events. I am currently in my 5th week in this internship and I have only been to 1 social event and, frankly, it was rather poor unfortunately. But they are organising more and I am hopeful for the future.
I have lived in London for 2 years now and as everyone knows, London is not a student friendly city. Paying £179 per week is considered cheap for London, and paying £5 for a pint is considered reasonable. But there is so much to do, so its a trade-off really.
Pretty lively with a few pubs, bars and clubs here and there. My favourite is the Odeon cinema which is sometimes open till quite late, but maybe that's not the average persons idea of nightlife. There are always various events to go to like festivals, events and meet ups all over.
Outside of work there are endless opportunities. It is London after all! This city never sleeps and you will find plenty of things to do all over. Think of any activity you could possibly think off and London has it. I've heard that you can even go skydiving off of a building.
Details
Internship (1 Month+)
Commercial Banking
London
July 2019