Spring Week Intern Review

The insight week was very informative and engaging, with well organised days packed out with activities which kept students on their feet whilst giving them an introduction to a banking environment.

It was clear from the outset that RBS invests a lot of time and money in to their graduates. Whether it was the wealth of senior speakers from a wide range of departments who addressed us, or the mentors assigned to us for group activities, it was evident that all of the spring week interns were valued as potential candidates for employment with RBS in the future.

I received very little information prior to the spring week with regards to travel and itinerary. Though it wasn't too much of a pain to receive the itinerary on the first day, it meant a lot of last minute rushed travel planning on days which were already very busy. I felt that the guidance from staff was however exemplary.

The spring week gave me a very good insight in to a world of competency based interviews, moving away from the grades on a CV and instead look at peoples individual qualities in a working environment. I thought this was very useful for future employment, though doubt it will have any relevance to my degree studies.

The week was extremely well organised, with a first day of group activities later merging in to talks and shadowing placements all across London. The week was rather packed, with little time to relax as it was clear that we were all being assessed at every moment, though this was not overly stressful and in the end turned out to be quite enjoyable.

Both students and staff were very open, honest and engaging. At no point did it feel like the members of the insight week were competing against each other, everyone bonded very quickly and were polite and considerate of the views of others.

I felt that this week was not to develop personal training and skills, but instead to assess whether candidates would be valuable/ well suited to RBS in the future for the Summer Internship.

The insight week was invaluable to understanding the daily roles of the individuals I shadowed, with presentations clearly outlining what life at RBS is like.

I was surprised at how open members of staff were with regards to discussing the financial situation and public opinion of RBS. Though it is held in a relatively low regard by most people, it was clear to me that the staff of RBS were very passionate about restoring pride in their company, and not letting mistakes of the past reoccur in the future,

My experience in this week has most certainly helped me decide on my career path for the future. The wealth of experience I took away from my insight week at Group Functions has led me to take the position that a career in RBS is right for me.

Any candidates living within the M25 area were not reimbursed on any expenses. I felt this was slightly unfair given that those outside the M25 were given accommodation and travel expenses on top. The commute cost me around £60 for the whole week, a fairly substantial amount for a student in South London.

Whether it was through coffee breaks or networking drinks, there was plenty of opportunity for students to take the time to network with other employees within the company.

The networking events were very informal and relaxed, something I had not previously experienced at other functions.

Though some members of staff spoke about social events, it was not very clear whether there were other opportunities outside of the workplace for social interaction within RBS.

Without a doubt. This week is a very informative and interesting experience, which has led me to meet many people who I will definitely keep in touch with in the future.