Human Resources Summer Intern Review

As with any job, there are aspects of the work that can become quite monotonous, however I have found that the majority of the work I have been involved with has been varied and exciting, with a high-level of responsibility from the off. There have been times where I have been thrown into the deep end on a project, but I have found that those are the times where I have learnt the most and been able to get the most out of the experience.

The company culture is deeply ingrained into everyone at the firm, and that is one of the many reasons this such an enjoyable and rewarding place to work. From the day I joined, everyone I met was more than willing to put some time aside to talk me through exactly what they do, and they were generous enough to invite me to some interesting and important meetings. I always received valuable and constructive feedback on the work I was doing from my colleagues and they never labelled me as 'the intern', instead, they embraced me as one of the team.

We were presented with an established web of contacts from the day we joined, to ensure that we had the right support for whatever we needed. Our line manager was there to oversee our progress and to help us to maximise our time here; our rotation managers were there to ensure that we were being challenged on a daily basis; and the graduates and our 'buddies' were there to answer any questions we had about the graduate scheme and/or the company from the viewpoint of a junior in the firm.

The workload has varied greatly between my two rotations, which is largely due to the type of work undertaken in the two different functions. I have had days packed full with introduction sessions to a variety of business areas, followed by a weekly status update, followed by giving a presentation to a panel including managers and specialists, alongside all of my day-to-day activities and responsibilities. Time management skills are an essential.

The level of responsibility corresponding to each different task was greatly varied, however I was given my fair share of exposure to high-levels of responsibility and tasks, which allowed me to face-off to very senior people within the firm as well as liaising with external clients and candidates on a regular basis.

I have been able to improve a range of skills that I will be able to utilise in both my studies and my future professional career; for example, my ability to communicate in an impactful and concise way, to deliver presentations with professional etiquette, to network effectively and to maximise the use of my time.

I worked from two different buildings, both of which had very different atmospheres - one had a constant buzz of activity and the other was more mellow. However, the difference in atmosphere across one floor of one building can also vary dramatically. That said, on a whole, the workplace has a vibrant, fun and professional atmosphere where you instantly feel welcome, integrated and motivated by those around you.

The entire program has been extremely well organised to ensure that we all get the most out of the experience as possible. From introduction sessions to a variety of business areas arranged centrally for all of the interns, to motivational speaker series with guests such as Victoria Pendleton and Helena Morrissey, to social events to facilitate our networking between one another, everything was arranged and executed seamlessly.

Through regular weekly one-to-one sessions with line and rotation managers, my areas of development were identified and addressed, either through formal in person training from someone with those skills, or by providing me with online resources to improve my understanding of whatever area that may be. We also had to complete five presentations over five consecutive weeks, which allowed us to address and improve a range of skills which are imperative to success in the workplace, from communication and teamwork, to problem analysis and decision making skills.

I have been very impressed by everything I have seen and experienced at the firm, and it has made a lasting impact on me. The corporate culture, the people and the company's involvement in society and community affairs are the main selling points for me. Additionally, there are many other aspects of the company that are greatly appealing to me, and given the chance, I would like to see myself working here long-term in the future.

All of the interns made a conscious effort to be social as and when schedules would allow. Alongside our own efforts, we had a start, mid and end social centrally organised for all of the interns to attend, which were always held at impressive locations around the city. In addition to this, the social scene amongst colleagues was also vibrant and there is always something happening, either someone's birthday or just a celebration of it being Friday night.

The main cost of living in the area was the money I spent on lunch every day - which can add up to quite a lot rather quickly. I have been living in a shared rented flat a few tube stops away from the office, which has been very convenient (except for when there were tube strikes), and so my budgeting skills have really been put to the test. Socialising is always going to be slightly more expensive in London, but we have visited some really great places that have a lot to offer.

There have been a few occasions where we were able to socialise mid-week with colleagues and/or the other interns, which is often an event that the firm has paid for, in which case makes the evening a very affordable one. However at other times, depending on the length of the evening, it can become quite expensive. Either way, it's just about being sensible with your money. It's a very vibrant area and there is a lot on offer.

Our working hours tended to be quite long and sometimes unpredictable, and so the scope for getting involved in things outside of work was limited. However, there were a range of activities available to us within work, for example, community affairs projects and lunchtime sports events.