Summer Analyst Review

A steep learning curve but constantly surprising and interesting, with people around you (including senior management) always willing to talk, provide advice and take time to explain assignments.

Colleagues are very helpful and supportive on the whole, open to questions and discussion.

Management structure was very clearly set out; first few weeks lacked much structure in terms of work, but things picked up after that. Guidance was provided more by supervisors of individual projects than by my staffer.

Hours are long but not ridiculous, especially for an investment bank. For the first couple of weeks there was not much to do, but things picked up quickly and I soon had a good balance of projects to work on.

Where possible, I was given the responsibility of delivering work to superiors and providing analyses, but given the nature of the industry it is normally not possible to take on too much with respect to major clients, important meetings, etc. It is more of a support function at this stage, although you will be invited to listen in on calls between agents in the bank and clients on a fairly regular basis.

Besides the technical know-how you acquire, working in a high-functioning, high-pressure environment such as that in an investment bank is extremely valuable, both in terms of managing yourself (your time, your focus on particular areas, networking) and others (their expectations of you, their trust in you, how they communicate with you etc.). Whether you are planning on entering the industry or not, it's a great experience to have under your belt.

Hardworking but positive - people are dedicated, but interesting and fun to work with.

Very structured in all aspects, except perhaps in providing structured projects in the first two weeks to enable us to add as much value as possible.

BofAML expects a lot, but employees are rewarded very well, both financially and in terms of career progression and other support systems. Welfare is considered as vitally important to the HR model.

Undecided as yet - it's clear that the work is tough and your job will come before many other things. If that's your bag, go for it. BofAML is likely to be one of the best places to start a financial services career.

The people hired are generally interesting, with varied backgrounds and good social skills. The intern class is large but there were only a handful in my division, so we became quite a tight-knit group.

It's London - it's very expensive. Usually the salary is enough to outweigh this though.

I didn't go out particularly often, but London has a great nightlife, regardless of your preferences. Having said that, it can be very, very expensive.

Not connected to the Bank necessarily, but being in London there is always something going on.