Commercial Banking Intern Review

I thought my placement was very enjoyable. There were a variety of opportunities available including meeting clients, meeting internal employees, learning about the products available to clients, learning about other sectors of the bank- the list goes on! If you are willing to speak up and ask for opportunities then you will love it here.

Every single day my team ensured I was happy. They consistently asked me if I was enjoying the placement and asked if I wanted more or less work. In addition to this, all of the other interns are all super friendly and talkative which is really nice when starting the role

So on my placement I was guided by two managers. These were both incredibly helpful and consistently gave frequent 1:1's. The feedback I received was very useful as I incorporated it into my daily tasks. This built my confidence as the 1:1's made me feel more integrated within the team.

At the start of my placement I had quite a lot of free time because my manager was elsewhere in the country. However towards the end I felt incredibly busy. I had multiple deadlines with group work, charity work and placement projects which ensured I was never bored during this placement.

I was very much in charge of my own project which gave me a lot of freedom. Despite this I knew I could approach almost any member of the team for guidance. This meant that my stress levels were relatively low whilst being given a very meaningful role within the team.

The main takeaway I have gained is time management. I have learnt when to prioritise certain tasks and which sort of tasks are in need of prioritisation. This can be useful when prioritising study for certain exams worth a larger percentage of my degree. Additionally, I have learnt about the products used within banking which is helpful to know within life.

Within the internship and graduate community everyone was incredibly welcoming. The interns met together at multiple socials throughout the placement which meant that friendships could develop too. My placement team were also very welcoming. I felt able to ask for help at all times if I needed it which enabled me to make the most out of each opportunity.

The on boarding process was smooth with calls beforehand to ensure nobody had any questions before attending any welcome event. Upon starting, the organisation was left to our line managers. I had frequent meetings with my line manager which enabled our communications to be seamless to ensure we both knew exactly what was expected from each other at all times.

There were multiple days, which were compulsory for all interns, where we learnt about the structure of the business and what was expected from us. Additionally, I was able to attend both client and internal meetings which helped me understand what sort of questions to ask under each scenario specified.

The organisation made me feel at home from the start and because of this I would be more than happy to work for the business in the future.

Most definitely! We had regional social secs who organised multiple events. These include bowling nights, table tennis nights and pub nights. However for the more informal, spontaneous after work socials I think drinking was more of a necessity. This did cause issues for some students however I believe this is more of a problem within the industry and not the bank itself.

I stayed in student accommodation throughout the placement but had to move half way through as my tenancy expired on my university house. Birmingham was relatively cheap with my en-suite room costing £110 a week with no up front costs or deposits. HSBC also offer 25% off at a local pub which is great for socials after work.

Birmingham has a great night life scene. Broad Street is famous for its pubs, bars and clubs and was only a 5 minute walk from the office. There are also nice bars around the Brindley Place area and lots of other activities on offer such as going to the theatre.

I didn't look into this too much as there were sufficient activities within my workplace and after work socials. There were multiple gyms local to where I lived and one of my older colleagues said he plays badminton and football frequently after work, eluding to how there are activities based locally.