Summer Analyst Review

I really enjoyed the placement. I have done placements at other firms and have not enjoyed them anywhere near as much. The placement was varied which I enjoyed, the team was great, and there was a lot of us based in the same office so the social scene was also great.

My colleagues treated me as a fellow colleague. I had real work to do, this was in line with the work that analysts would be doing. I was trusted with large important projects and had access to senior management to present these. I also worked with other interns who were also great to collab with.

The organisation of the scheme was above anything I have experienced. We had a buddy and manager system which is very supportive. This means that no matter the issue you always have someone to go to, to either set work or advise on any situation. The scheme also had organised sessions.

On a 10 week internship it is difficult to have long meaningful projects set. It is also difficult for the team you are moving into, to apprehend the speed and efficiency of which you will complete work. I found myself consistently asking for more projects. I understand this may be a reflection on the time restriction of 10 week internships.

The role I was in did not have too much responsibility. However, I was completing work that was in line with other analysts in the team. This therefore lets you experience what it would be like if you moved into the team full time post-graduation. This allows for assessment of whether you fit the job and the team.

Team asked me at the start what I wanted to get out of the internship. Therefore I could shape some of the projects I completed in order to benefit my course and career going forward. I met with as many people in the firm as possible and wanted to improve my presentation skills, both of which I was allowed to do.

People expect the office to be very very corporate and a difficult place to work. However, I found this pre-conception was wrong. The office was fun to work in, it is a very collaborative environment where people are working together and having meetings. There is also a snack budget which is great!

I have never been on an internship so well organised as this. We had division wide sessions with senior leaders and affinity networks, we also had specific role inductions and meetings with everyone in the immediate and wider teams. This gave a great overview of the firm and provided access to senior management.

The firm offer GS university where you can expand your skills on online courses from coding to excel etc. This is a great opportunity when you have any spare time. There are also mandatory trainings that new joiners have to complete. These are all useful stepping stones to acculturate with new roles.

The success rate is potentially high for interns wanting to receive grad role offers. It is a very difficult scheme to get onto therefore you are essentially in a great position to get an offer. Interns are put with teams that are hiring therefore again, it is a great opportunity that acts as a 10 week interview.

There are just under 500 interns in London therefore there is a large social scene. Interns are often international too so it is great to explore the new city with them. Often people also live very central so it is easy to organise plans on the weekend. Often the social scene is Thursday evenings.

The area where we work is quite expensive. It is full of offices and office workers, therefore they can charge a premium. Next to St Pauls just a short walk away there is a great shopping centre for chain brands which is accessible on a lunchtime. The food outlets are also a plenty.

The nightlife is quiet after 8pm as people often go home and the area is mainly for workers. however the office is so central that it is within 20/30 mins of anywhere you can go out after to social. There are great restaurants a short walk away to St Pauls in one direction and Covent Garden in the other.

There are activities offered by the firm outside of work such as social football and netball teams. There is also a company choir. However you do not have enough time on the 10 week internship to join these teams and schemes as you are focusing on work and getting a job at the end of it.