Claims Summer Intern Review

I really enjoyed my time working at Allianz. I was working in the Claims department which gave me the opportunity to have days out visiting other centres, as well as listening to customer calls and completing projects for the division. My colleagues were very friendly and helpful, and working in the Guildford head office meant there were 9 other interns also in the building. In the Claims division there were 2 other interns, so we could rely on one another, and it also allowed the opportunity of joint projects.

The internship is 9 weeks long, which I feel is enough time to learn about the company and make an active contribution. By the last couple of weeks you were given quite a lot of responsibility and completed tasks independently. I also feel like I built up a solid network of colleagues who are more than happy to provide references.

At the beginning we were given overviews where we sat down with every member of the claims operations team to learn about their role and also have a chance to introduce ourselves to the team and vice versa. For our first couple of tasks we were provided with a lot of help but as the time continued we needed less and less guidance. We always had the support of the team and the other interns were always there if you needed help.

It varied from day to day. On some days you had a lot of tasks so you learned to prioritise, and on others you only had one or two. If we ever didn't have enough work we could always help out the Claims support team, so there was always something to do. Everyone in the office always had tasks for you to do.

In the final couple of weeks I was writing user guides for the entire Management Information (MI) team, presenting new systems in meetings and providing content for the intranet with very little direction and guidance. If we were having a day out of the office I was responsible for my own travel and in the office people were relying on my work being to a high standard.

On our last day we have to give a presentation, which developed my presenting skills and prioritisation skills (as I had to balance preparation with my regular work). I have also learnt more excel skills as a lot of our work was based on this. This was one of my first times in an office, so I developed my communication, collaboration and work and time management skills, which are vital in any work environment.

The general atmosphere was very friendly where I felt I could chat with anyone in the office. There were also 3 graduates in the office, who were more than happy to give advice and share experiences. The 9 other interns in the office building were all very friendly and the canteen is very open and relaxed.

I felt it was very well organised. We had set times to complete objectives, and also had 4 week and final reviews. Everything was communicated to us by email or by our supervisor. If we ever had a question we were more than welcome to contact the graduate HR manager. Our assessment centre and telephone interview was organised well, and we were provided enough prior information to fully prepare.

This internship provided a fast track to the graduate scheme if they are happy with your output over the last 9 weeks. The pay was very good and we had a mid internship development day at the end of July. This involved presentations and meetings with graduates from all the different graduate schemes.

There are many different graduate schemes, yet the one I found most appealing was the AMT (Allianz Management Training) scheme. This involves different 6 month placements in various locations and departments, and you have an opportunity to spend 6 months in the India office. Doing the internship means that if you want to be on the graduate scheme all you have to do is have a good review from your line manager and a good presentation on the final day about how you found the internship.

There were 10 interns in the Guildford office, and we all got on well. This involved interns night outs, trips to the pub and restaurants, and having lunch together in the canteen almost every day. We met up with the rest of the interns a couple of times, and we are encouraged to build a strong network with each other.

I lived in the University of Surrey accommodation for a couple of weeks with another intern, and while it was close I wouldn't recommend the accommodation. I know some other people got a house share which was both cheaper and nicer. Guildford has a lot of restaurants and pubs all within walking distance of the office.

There are a couple of clubs and a Spoons in Guildford, so there are enough places to go to. In terms of variation there isn't much choice, although there are enough young people in the area so the clubs are always busy enough. In addition, London is relatively close so one could travel up there for a night out if they want.

There is a Sport and Social team so there are enough activities to get involved in. While I didn't do any activities, the two other claims interns played football in their lunch breaks a couple of times with other Allianz employees. The claims team go out for meals and drinks every couple of weeks which is fun and friendly.