Summer Analyst Review

Really enjoyed doing the internship. Great team of people at Nomura and was set challenging and exciting work that will be hopefully be used by the team after I leave. Lots of opportunity for social activity (welcome drinks, mid-term social, leaving drinks) as well as the opening of the terrace every Thursday.

I was set a 10 week project that was directly relevant to the work my desk are doing. The desk intend to build on the work I've done over the 10 weeks to further progress the project. Lots of opportunity to contribute to discussions makes you feel a valued member of the team.

The project I was set was challenging so support and guidance were required and provided often. All members of the team were very willing to help with any questions I had and frequently provided useful advice on other work-related matters. Lots of opportunity to learn through trial and error but the team were there to advise as necessary.

I was very busy with my project as there was no 'end goal' and targets were re-evaluated periodically which meant I always had lots to do. This improved as I became more knowledgeable about the work and also learnt to ask questions when needed as opposed to sticking to a problem for a very long time.

No opportunity to interact with clients however this is due to the nature of my desk. Otherwise the project I was given provided an opportunity to contribute to something that will be used in the future so giving a sense of responsibility. Also was given the opportunity to present at book clubs which carries responsibility too.

Skills may not be useful for degree studies but I have certainly developed important life skills - my coding skills have improved and developed knowledge of machine learning techniques which are of use in industry. Also built on communication and networking skills, both of which are useful for any future career.

Atmosphere was quiet but this is due to the nature of the job (quantitative - coding based) and also the number of people on my row. However atmosphere on the floor as a whole is good especially on flow trading desks. Everyone on the floor is very welcoming and willing to spend time with interns.

Organised fantastically - I was the first intern my desk had ever had and everything was run very fluidly and seemlessly. The desk had clearly put in a huge amount of effort to ensure that everything was ready in time for when I arrived on the desk, and the plan of the internship was clearly set out at the start.

I came in to the time with few of the skills that the rest of the team had, so they invested in me from the start. The team and I undertook a machine learning course together. This took a lot of resources and time and was a clear indication that the desk was willing to invest in me. Members of the team were also very willing to invest their time to ensure I understood concepts clearly.

It is not always clear how appealing the prospects are but I think this is the nature of any internship . (I think) I was offered a job by my desk but this has not yet been formally confirmed. The firm is very willing to invest in young people and develop their careers, even during difficult periods in the industry as a whole.

Social scene was good - lots of events organised by HR gave a lot of opportunity to meet fellow interns and colleagues. The firm also has a terrace which opens every Thursday and there are lots of venues nearby in which you can socialise. Definitely recommend this internship from a social perspective.

Cost of both living and socialising was very expensive however this is the nature of living in London. Cost of socialising at work was not as bad. I think the internship pay took account of this and overall was sufficient to ensure you could afford to live and socialise around the area that I worked.

The nightlife in the area was quite good - lots of easily accessible night clubs although these are expensive to get to. Plenty of local pubs and restaurants also give an opportunity to have a good night out. The downside is the cost of these activities but this is somewhat offset by the generous pay.

There are lots of opportunities for activity outside of work, such as sports clubs, although I didn't use them. Staff were also very sociable so opportunities arose through networking and conversation as well. Lots of classes run by the work gym also offer the opportunity to get involved in other activities.