Strategy Analyst Review

The work itself was really interesting and fun to get stuck into. The social aspect was so great despite the whole internship being virtual - we had various events as an intern cohort including a murder mystery, an escape room, intern lunches, and WiFi Wars, as well as fun challenges every week. What really made the internship so enjoyable was the people - the team put so much effort into making the 10 weeks a great experience, and everyone I had the privilege to meet was so friendly and encouraging.

During the internship I didn't feel like a stereotypical 'intern'. My insights were listened to, valued, and acted upon. My participation in our daily team meetings was always listened to and I very quickly felt like part of the team. I was given space to raise any questions, concerns, or insights that I had. My colleagues were always willing to put in time and effort to support me, answer questions, and help me with my project. They genuinely care about me, my work, and my future career.

I had almost daily meetings with my mentor, bi-weekly meetings with my buddy, and weekly meetings with my manager. The topics of these meetings were flexible to what I needed to use them for. Towards the start of the internship I was asking lots of questions about different industry-specific definitions, and I was encouraged to ask all of these. Closer to the end of the internship I used these meetings to help improve my presentation, then to ask for career advice. In addition to these helpful meetings, I was always able to reach team members over messages with any questions I had during the day, and these would always be answered promptly. I'm really impressed that I've felt so supported while working remotely.

I had ownership of my own project, so there was a lot independence for me to be as busy as I wanted to be. I very rarely worked over-time, and when I did it was my choice because I wanted to practise my presentation. When I had lots of meetings in the first couple of weeks my team was very understanding of this, and didn't expect me to do extra work on top. Equally, I never felt as though there was nothing to do - once I completed an aspect of my project there was always something else to look in to. The internship had a great work-life balance.

I was assigned my own project which I had ownership of. I was given support and guidance, but generally encouraged to lead the direction of that project and look into any aspects that I found interesting. It was my responsibility to see this project through from initial analysis to final presentation. In addition, I was also given responsibility of one of our team meetings which was a great opportunity to have. I was responsible for setting the agenda, and chairing the meeting itself. Also, fairly early into the internship my manager assigned me a task, the results of which were used for important monitoring.

Technical skills I developed include coding with SQL and using Excel and Powerpoint. I was given several opportunities to present to different members of the company, including senior members, developing my presentation skills. In addition, I was encouraged to network, which is an important skill to have in any job role. As an analyst I've also developed my critical thinking and analysis skills. As well as this, there were lots of development sessions focusing on softer skills such as remote collaboration, personal branding, and mindset. All of these skills are applicable to both my degree and my future career, and I'm so grateful that Capital One invested this much in my individual development. I now feel equipped for my early career.

The intern cohort was very open to socialising. We had a social call at the start of everyday which was optional, and a great way to start the day. Team meetings and 1-to-1 meetings had a friendly atmosphere. Dress code is casual which helps create a comfortable atmosphere where you're valued for your work and ideas rather than what you wear.

Very organised. Great structure from on-boarding to my project to off-boarding.

The company invested a lot in our personal development. We had several sessions run by external companies to help improve our soft skills and encourage us to think about our careers. In addition, we had talks from various senior people in the company including the UK CEO who shared her experiences and advice. When asked, associates were always willing to give their time to you to help you develop. There were various opportunities to get involved in different groups around the company such as the women analyst group.

Future employment prospects are very appealing, especially due to the opportunity for progression. Careers are very much led by the individual - you make your manager aware of your personal career goals and they'll do their best to facilitate the achievement of those goals. Being employed by Capital One also means being a part of their incredible culture: friendly, supportive, and encouraging. A lot of emphasis is placed on the development of associates. GradComm is a group within Capital One that you are a part of as an intern or grad, and it's a supportive community that holds social events as well as development trainings and other meetings of interest, which is another appealing aspect of joining CapOne.

Lots of social events were run by the intern team, and even more were put in place by the interns themselves. Even though this internship was virtual I still feel that I've made great friends and had fun social experiences.

Nottingham is a fairly cheap city to live in, and the cost of going to pubs/cinemas/clubs etc is very cheap.

Nightlife in Nottingham is great, and full of variety so there's something for everyone.

There were lots of groups to get involved in such as REACH (for BAME associates and their allies), Mind Your Mind (a group focusing on mental health), and the Women Analyst group. In addition there were team fun events and social events with other interns to get involved in.