Global Talent and Resourcing Intern Review

It is really engaging, working in such a huge organisation with international focus while it's in the middle of a major transformation (from a traditional telecommunications company to a progressive leader in digital services) can be really challenging but highly rewarding at the same time. It is clear the company looks up to the young people to come up with innovative ideas that will facilitate it's transformation (it's recongised that younger generation has much more exposure to new technology) which is why the interns and graduates receive a lot of attention support and responsibility from the very start. In addition the working environment is fantastic, the office is quite lively and colleagues are very open and friendly.

I have joined the team with a rather specific skill around data and analytics so it was quite clear that I can deliver value that nobody else can. Partially because of that and partially because everyone in my team is really friendly I have felt quite a strong sense purpose and belonging within the team.

We've had regular catch-ups with my line-manager to discuss my progress and deal with any issues. In addition to that everyone at the office was ready to help with any problems or answer questions which could be anything from how to put expenses through the system to what is the best way to approach a senior stakeholder.

I think it largely depends on the role, there would be extremely busy periods when the team had a major delivery but most of the time the balance was just right. The line-managers are quite keen on making sure that their interns have just the right amount of work and can be very protective of their interns in case someone is trying to give them extra stuff to do. Everyone's expectations are very different and it depends on the conversations with your line-manager to tweak your work-load to suit you just right.

You get quite a lot of responsibility from day one. After a while you get your own projects that you're solely responsible for. You look after everything from setting the delivery objectives, negotiating with the stakeholders to designing a presentation for the Board with the results. You can really get as much or as little involved as you'd like it depends on your agreement with your line-manager. If you want to push your boundaries the opportunities are definitely there.

With so much exposure to digital world and working with different business units I feel like I've learned a new skill practically every couple of weeks. I think learning how to manage stakeholders across borders using matrix working and utilising digital tools to improve business processes is one of the really unique skills you get working for Telefonica.

Everything from the dress-code to general atmosphere around the office is very relaxed, majority of colleagues are super friendly and enjoy a good joke. While people would spend most of their time staring into their laptop working they would be more than happy to stop for a chat or grab a cup of tea/coffee together. In addition you would get random events around the office linked to new product promotions or employee well-being that can be pretty much anything from competitions to win mobile phones, encounter with the English Rugby team to a Michael Jackson impersonator.

The organisation is quite complex so it takes quite long to get settled into your role at the beginning of the internship but afterwards things are quite straightforward. The timelines for applying for the graduate programme were a bit tight when I started but I hear it's been changed now and there is a much better transition from the placement to a graduate role.

There isn't a huge budget specifically for intern development however the organisation has a lot of internal courses for development that you can attend. You also get access to a learning portal which has loads of resources on effective managerial styles, project management, leadership etc. Being an international company there is an abundance of opportunities to learn other languages (mainly Spanish and Portuguese) whether through online courses or through a chat with native-speaking colleagues.

There is a clear progression from a placement/intenrship into a graduate scheme followed by a full-time job. While not everyone goes into a job straight after the placement (they find out they have other priorities) majority of people stay within the organisation.

It was fantastic, many people lived together and people have been going out in smaller groups almost every week. On top of that the company organised a large social event to mark the end of the placement with VIP access at one of the O2 Academies.

The main office is located in Slough, which is one of the cheaper areas in the South however many people live and socialise in London or Windsor where the costs are a bit higher.

There isn't much to see in Slough where the office is located however Windsor and Reading feature some very nice places to visit on a night out and London is only 30 minutes away by train. Free trains early in the morning are a bonus too.

Telefonica runs a Think Big scheme which provides endless opportunities to get involved in activities for social good. You can do anything from facilitating sessions for 10-15 year olds teaching digital and entreprenaurial skills to painting the local rugby stadium with the directors.