Operations Summer Analyst Review

I have really enjoyed the virtual experience, it was well organised, engaging and if I had not otherwise known I would not have thought it was the first time that this has been done. I am very glad that the internship still went ahead virtually! It was also a opportunity to see what work would be like if you do have to work from home more and this was good preparation for that so you can put your best self forward in what you do next.

I was made to feel extremely valued by the team, the work I was given had a clear purpose and helping to complete this project during my time at the compant was both rewarding and challenging. It seemed like the time of year when interns are there it was really enjoyed by the company and people wanted to speak to you and share their experiences and offer you any help that they could with your internship.

We had regular catch ups with our early career leads, including a 1:1 and they were always at the end of the phone we needed their support with anything. Also, the team I was on were very helpful and welcoming and always took the time out of their day to support me in anyway they could. Reviewing your objectives regularly helped you to ask for support from your line manager in you catch ups so you can stay on track to meet them.

I have actually finished uni now but this was a great opportunity to consolidate everything I had learnt and help me to discover what I really wanted to pursue now that I have finished.

Most things were already planned in advanced ahead of us joining so we knew what to expect during the weeks ahead. Sometimes things did come in at shorted notice and this would just require some diary management.

The atmosphere was really positive and welcoming albeit virtual! However if you make the most to put time in and get to know people you can create a really inclusive network that will support you as well.

Training was set up for us which included introductory, excel and how to use various portals. If this did not cover everything you wanted there was also sessions, you could sign up to and do it individually on the portal. There was work to take away from the sessions and pursue in your own time e.g. instructions on excel to help you practice so that you can use the skills in your day to day work.

I think this was a great insight into the company culture, however because we weren't in the office you do not get the whole 360 feel for a company. We were given lots of talks about the wider things you can get involved in beyond your day job when if you were at the company full time. The only thing may be that sometimes there might not have been enough work for you to get a full understanding of what it would be like but there is only so much that you can be given to do for 6 weeks as your understanding is also minimal.

The company culture came across in all the sessions we attended, all the people I reached out to it was very friendly and approachable. the consistency across the board in people’s behaviour made it clear that the experience was a true reflection of what it would be like if their on a permanent basis. The values were present throughout the internship and these were something that we needed to demonstrate as well so it made sure we were also living the culture.

This internship has made me consider the function I did my internship as a career and this is something I was not sure about before starting. The push for you to set up meeting with senior leaders helped to give you an overview and insight into the different opportunities at the company and how possible it is to move around during your career. If you did not feel that you were in an area that you could pursue due to the culture of the company you could reach out to other areas and ask you line manager or mentor to support you with this.

There were lots of networking opportunities and this was a key aspect that was greatly encouraged and you were supported in doing. Everyone I reached out to was happy to take the time to meet with in an informal capacity and it was nice to have the other interns as a network to lean into as well. The sessions were most valuable when people used their camera because you got more engagement and often you can read a lot from F2F interaction and I think this was missed from the virtual experience but you could still get a lot out of it regardless.

Some of the networking opportunities were on a really large call which can be quite daunting. However, if you take the time to set up 1:1s or meetings with a smaller number of interns you could often getter a better interaction and get to know people more. The sessions where there were other stakeholders speaking to us these were well organised and always gave the opportunity to ask questions. There were also informal quizzes etc arranged and these were also with the US cohort Lots of opportunities to get involved in however not really possible to join as an intern. It is nice to know that they exist if you do go back to the company.

The different things you could get involved in we were given a meeting to attend to learn more about them and the opportunity to ask questions this was beneficial because it is nice to see that people can pursue their passion projects at work as well. which was fun and exciting.

I would definitely recommend this internship. It is full of lots of opportunity to explore the company, the different things you can get involved in, meet new people whether that be interns or full time employers. You get lots of exposure to people across the business and I think you can leave the internship confidently knowing whether or not this would be something for you or not. If you have interest beyond the function you are currently placed in you are encouraged to try and meet people in that area to find out more about it and show that you have a keen interest to take it further.