Software engineer Review
by Metaswitch Networks
This review was submitted over 4 years ago, so some of the information it contains may no longer be relevant.
Rating
-
The Role
4.2
-
The Company
4.3
-
The Culture
3.6
- 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
The work wasn't massively exciting, but I can't fault anything else: the internship programme was polished, the people were great, the perks were nice, pay was good.
Everyone created the impression that what I was doing was important. It was only when I probed a little deeper with some past interns that I found that in reality, most interns find that their work is trashed after they leave, and mine was likely to be no exception. Still, I was treated well.
Constant, unending support and guidance. Repeated reviews on everything from work to how I was fitting in to my life ambitions in general. Had the chance to speak to my manager about my supervisor, and to my manager's manager about my manager.
Save for a couple of days towards the end where my project was all but complete, I was never short of something to do, day to day.
Had my own project that I ran basically single-handedly, with assistance from a mentor for some harder aspects. It wasn't a particularly important project, but I was given almost full control.
The job actually wasn't massively relevant to my degree, but if I go for a career in software development, the experience here will have been invaluable.
The Company
My office itself was usually quite quiet and work-focussed - although the other interns and I occasionally indulged in some more fun activities, perhaps with one or two permanent employees. The company as a whole was much more lively, with regular leisure activities and events.
Shockingly so. Slick application process, repeated opportunities to get help or voice opinions about the thing, and an entire day devoted to reviewing how effective the internship process was.
Several review chats and many talks and presentations about the job, plus a bunch of reading material on the intranet.
Flexi Time
Subsidised Canteen
Sports and Social Club
Subsidised/Company Gym
Financial Bonus
Company Parties/Events
Several interns were interviewed and subsequently offered permanent placements.
The Culture
Not much partying, but the interns were very active and regularly went out to pubs, restaurants, cinema, sports etc.
Hard to say, since accommodation was heavily subsidised (£9/night for anyone in a company house) and there were so many nights of drinking paid for by the company, I never really had to buy a drink myself.
Pubs and restaurants, not much else... but close enough to central London that it isn't really a problem (provided you've someone to go with).
There were many leisure activities, and the interns often organised events.
Details
Internship (1 Month+)
London
September 2013
