Reponsible Business/Service Excellence Analyst Review

My internship would have be amazing for someone less analytical and more creative than me, but going into internships at lloyds, it's hard to know what you will enjoy doing until you're doing it. I didn't hate it, but I was bored and didn't have enough work at no fault of my line manager. If I enjoyed making powerpoints and writing newsy stories on volunteering and fundraising I could have gotten a lot more out of it. I enjoyed working with people and feeling involved.

My line manager has told me a few times that she will miss me, especially because of the extra work she'll have to do in my absence which I was doing! She always valued my input and advice in what she was producing, and complimented my work often. I felt valued and needed.

My line manager supported my personal development especially, with mostly recovered social anxiety and getting very stressed about meetings, travelling, and talking on the phone, she was brilliant. She always answered my questions and queries and was there for me 100% when i needed guidance.

I may have had a reasonable amount of work, but it all seemed 'easy' and therefore bored me. I was occasionally busy, but only ever because I worked slowly on things I found boring and put them off too long.

I was in charge of my own fundraising initiatives, emailing partners and collecting information, arranging meetings, and taking part in discussions on future plans. Obviously I was responsible for certain jobs and tasks too. Unfortunately with limited knowledge and contacts I couldn't be given too much responsibility.

The confidence I have gained has been dramatic. I was walking desk-to-desk and talking to strangers, talking on phones despite my intense dislike of such because of my slight hearing problem, and taking train rides to far away places. This confidence will always be useful, and I hope will only continue to develop.

My team in the office I was in was just myself and my line manager, as our team is spread across the country. Other teams in our office are quite chatty and appear to be having a good time amongst friends. It isn't a stressful atmosphere at all.

Travel was quite last minute, as was accomodation, but they were both sorted eventually. IT facility set up and entry badges were laborious. The internship team informed our line managers quite early, and we contacted them in good time, which was a good way to make us feel comfortable and less stressed.

They held webinars which gave some info on banking, some info on how to get the best out of our placement, etc. We were given access to the company's central learning zone on the intranet, which has a wealth of information and training if you know about it (which we didn't realls). We were encouraged to join the womens and/or disability networks. There was also a session on our skills and how we can use them at the open event. Lloyds is big on interns and graduates being exposed to the wider business, and therefore shadow and experience days are very easy to arrange.

The graduate scheme is well paid, comes with a free qualification opportunity, relocation between placements, and a lot of support to roll of into the business. There is a WIDE range of options within the business on where to work, and the company is very interested in career progression and personal development within it's 'values'

We were all put in the same accomodation in a halls-based setting, and we had a whatsapp group and facebook groups. They went out socially a lot, and had a lot of fun together. I personally didn't like drinking and felt a bit alienated, but I had a small group of people I talked to so I was happy.

Prices are quite low in the north, and there was a small tesco and a large morrisons both in walking distance. I can't speak for socialising costs, but no one commented that it was particularly expensive to go out.

Leeds is a buzzing hub of nightclubs, and a lot of gay bars as well. You don't feel particularly safe in the city centre at night because it is such a big drinking scene, and I never got involved in clubbing or bar hopping while I was there.

Other interns arranged nights out and even go karting, while the charity challenge got us out doing things to fundraise as a team. Some people's teams had dinner or drinks together, and digital expecially had a lot of events