Summer Associate Review

My internship was quite enjoyable. It was my first-ever professional work experience, having previously only tutored, and despite virtual working I felt welcomed and included in my Department and Team. My work was challenging but flexible enough to suit my working style -- I was responsible for cataloguing the FCA's past research, which was a task that I could sit down and focus intensely on, but also comfortably work around other commitments such as meetings. My line manager also sought to add some variety to my experience by putting me in touch with graduates and associates in other divisions, as well as arranged for me to make a presentation on the research catalogue. In addition, I had the opportunity to get to know some of my fellow interns by means of the community project. We all enjoyed working with each other productively over the duration of our internship.

My team, despite all of them holding senior positions within the firm, made me feel very included and more than just an 'intern'. I was invited to weekly meetings and was even given an opportunity to deliver a presentation, which was positively received. On the community project side, I was able to find my place within a group of outstanding interns; we all came from different academic and cultural backgrounds but was able to connect with each other and appreciate everything that we each had to offer. This was reflected in allocating responsibilities to each other for example, where everyone had a clear task and no one felt excluded or redundant.

My line manager was extremely supportive throughout my internship, despite the fact that he was very busy. He was always able to make time to have a chat with me, and have regular catch-ups to discuss my progress and performance objectives. He has also proactively arranged for me to speak to graduates and associates in other divisions to broaden my understanding of the firm and its operations. He also provided valuable constructive criticism, for example giving me feedback on my presentation to the team and advice on how to deliver an impactful presentation in a professional environment.

I was able to complete my core task by the fourth week of my internship. This compelled me to approach my line manager to ask for further work and go beyond what was initially expected of me. I was always occupied with a task, but having completed my core task did relieve some of the pressure. Towards the end of my internship, I became a little busier with the community project especially in meeting with the team more often to rehearse our presentation. Never throughout the internship have I felt under excessive time pressure, nor ever feel 'underused' as an intern.

I completed my core task by the fourth week of the internship, but was able always able to ask for more responsibility to keep myself busy. For example, in addition to cataloguing research, my line manager arranged for me to make a presentation in front of my divisional team. Responsibility is varied and, in my case, there is a good level of flexibility in being able to ask for more responsibility. On the community project side, we agreed on responsibilities and delivered those to our own discretion.

The skills I developed are mostly soft skills and I believe will be invaluable for my studies and beyond. For instance, in cataloguing the FCA's past research, I was able to hone my skim-reading skills, which would be beneficial for saving time while maintaining quality when doing readings. The Kaplan Training sessions were also helpful in providing concrete frameworks to assist us in developing our skills, such as introducing to us time management techniques (Eisenhower, Pomodoro, etc). and their significance, which was greatly appreciated, rather than just giving generic advice on how one can manage their time.

Although the internship took place virtually, the overall atmosphere was very welcoming, both within my divisional team and my community project team. I felt at ease being a part of a team consisting of senior associates and managers. There were also efforts within the division to arrange for safe physical meetups in parks, for example. In my community project, we all got to know each other quickly, and the atmosphere became more relaxed and informal amongst team members.

This year's internship experience was very unique due to it taking place virtually. However, I believe more regular communications from the team would have been hugely beneficial, not least to reduce the uncertainties that I as an offer holder faced. For instance, we had very little information of what the internship would entail until days before our start date, and thought that it would be helpful if there were more regular email updates explaining what was being done to adapt our internship virtually. I also received my laptop when it was already four days into the internship, meaning I had a delayed start on my core internship task.

The firm did not invest in personal training specifically, although interns were invited to participate in Kaplan Training sessions delivered to the whole group, as well as complete intern training on the FCA's online system. However, I do feel that I had the opportunity to develop myself under my line manager and more senior colleagues who gave valuable advice. My line manager in particular set my performance objectives with myself, and regularly met up to discuss progress and any actionable points to further my personal development.

I was told that offers are made to most interns participating in the programme. I was able to complete my core task by the fourth week of the internship, and went beyond what was expected of myself by proactively approaching my line manager and taking on more responsibility. I have also delivered a presentation in front of my divisional team which was well-received, and colleagues indicated that it was clear and helpful. My line manager has indicated that his feedback for me is currently positive, and offers for the Graduate Scheme are given out based on the line manager's recommendation to the Graduates Team.

In divisional team meetings among senior associates and managers, the atmosphere was professional but relaxed. Colleagues were very inviting to each other regardless of their position, and everyone seemed to get along comfortably. I was also invited to participate in a departmental quiz alongside more senior team members. Among fellow interns in the community project, we bonded with each other quickly and our meetings often ended with relaxed catch-ups and general chat. Everyone was very supportive and there was an accommodating social environment where we were all comfortable interacting with each other.