This review was submitted over 4 years ago, so some of the information it contains may no longer be relevant.
Rating
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The Role
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The Company
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The Culture
- 1. To what extent did you enjoy your work placement or internship?
- 2. To what extent did you feel valued by your colleagues?
- 3. To what extent were you given support and guidance by management/your supervisor(s)?
- 4. How busy were you on a daily basis?
- 5. How much responsibility were you given during your placement?
- 6. To what extent did/will the skills you developed, and training you received, assist you in your degree studies and beyond?
- 7. What was the general atmosphere in your office?
- 8. How well organised was the overall work placement or internship set up?
- 9. In terms of personal training and development, to what extent did the company or firm invest in you?
- 10. What were the perks on your work placement?
- 11. How appealing are future employment prospects within the organisation?
- 12. Was there a good social scene amongst any fellow placement students/colleagues?
- 13. What was the cost of living and socialising in the area you worked in?
- 14. What was the Nightlife like in the area you worked?
- 15. Were there many opportunities to get involved in activities outside of work?
The Role
I thoroughly enjoyed the work I was doing, the team I was working with and the city I was working in.
Everyone on my team was more than willing to set aside time to help me out or discuss areas of their work and I felt they really appreciated the work I was doing.
I had weekly catch up's with my manager which gave me an opporunity to ask any questions or raise any problems. He also took me through each of my projects and made it clear what I was to do.
I was set 3 main projects alongside a number of smaller tasks. This meant I always had something to be getting on with and there was always scope to develop my work further.
I was solely responsible for the work I was doing.
I definitely had a chance to develop my Excel skills which I believe will help me signifcantly going forard. We also had a workshop on presentation skills which was useful.
The Company
It was often very quiet, and there was little conversation on topics aside from work and people would rarely say 'Morning' when you came in. It made a good environment to concentrate and work but I would have preferred it to be a bit more lively. Having said that, I think my particular part of the office was quieter than the others.
My work and timetable for the time I was there was very structured. My program was outlined to me from the start and we also had fortnightly events such as 'learning lunches' alongside other informative meetings.
We were put through a Gallup and StrengthsFinder test which is useful for personal development.
Subsidised Canteen
Sports and Social Club
Staff Sales/Staff Shop
We were informed that it was unlikely they would be looking for any graduates for 2014.
The Culture
There were 7 interns in Standard Life Investments and we often socialised on the evenings and weekends. This was aided by the fact we were all placed in accommodation within a few minutes of each other.
For a large city, it was a level that would be expected. However, going out during the Fringe (August) can become very expensive when factoring in pricey drinks and lots of shows.
There were a number of nightclubs and bars around the city and around the office, albeit rather expensive. The Fringe gave you endless opportunities for things to do at night.
Within my team, we had one night out during the Festival to see a show and a meal when one of the team was moving office. I also played in a hockey match for the company and went to the tennis sessions a few times.
Details
Internship (1 Month+)
Scotland
August 2013