Portfolio Management Analyst Review

I really enjoyed my internship not only because of responsibilities I was given but also continuous support and guidance from my team. I was placed in Cardiff, which is good place to start, because office is not as big and busy as in London. However, I had multiple opportunities to travel to London where I met with other interns to discuss their roles and chat with their line managers. Being placed in Consumer Finance area gives you really broad chances for developing your understanding of the business

As soon as I arrived to the office I got an opportunity to meet everyone in my team, discuss their roles and responsibilities. Having this experience from day one helped me to understand who they are and what they are interested in. Building this relation helped me to be more confident and also made the communication within the team easier.

I think that I was very lucky to get incredibly supportive and driven line manager. I knew I can relate on her experience and share the problems I am facing. She never made me feel intimidated or embarrassed. I value very highly all the feedback I was provided with and I am very grateful for all the opportunities I was given to broaden my capabilities and although it was challenging, it was also very educative.

At the beginning I was given small pieces of work from different colleagues to find out more about the area I am working in. It was great, because I got hands on experience and understanding in CF. Then, as I progressed I have been given some individual work to deliver, which was great because I could prove that I am able to do stuff on my own. At the same time I was a team leader for charity challenge and it gave me lots of work and responsibilities. As a result, days were passing very quickly, but it was more me asking for work than being burdened with tasks and staying long hours.

I have been asked to deliver two reports myself; also I have been contacting various project managers for the updates. I did some quality assurance work. However, the bigger responsibility I was given was to run the charity group. It was quite a difficult challenge to face.

I think that most important lesson I have learnt from my internship was about leadership and understating needs of other people. Working in client based industry gives you the chance to put these skills into work and develop them. Teamwork capabilities are essential, as we work together in small teams, so it is essential to be a team player in all respects.

In Cardiff office atmosphere was quite informal this was great, because it makes it easier to speak to people. London office was slightly formal due to fact that you are surrounded by more senior people.

Some things should be prepared earlier, like a welcome guide and more detailed instructions for the Charity Challenge. But overall it was ok.

We have access to multiple online trainings, but I also had 2 planning related trainings which were relevant to my role. All of the interns had an opportunity to participate in online webinars and everyone is encouraged to improve their skills though achieving their balance score card goals.

LBG is recognised UK Bank, so being intern with them gives me a big advantage and will stand out on my CV. At the same time, 10 weeks internship gives you a chance to get a referral on the grad scheme. Being on the grad scheme is a really good opportunity to develop variety of skills by working with different teams. You are able to discuss your areas of weakness and strengths and be placed in the team that will help you improve.

Induction event was a good social scene and chance to talk with different interns, also we will have CF closing event this week, so I will have an opportunity to see some of my colleagues again.

Accomodation was paid by LBG, so we did not have to worry about finding the flat. It is realtively close to office, only 20 minutes walk. Cardiff is quite cheap place to live in and not as busy as London.

Nightlife in Cardiff is great, lots of clubs, young people. It is always crowded on Fridays and Saturdays, plenty of pubs with live music. Everyone will find something they like. Not as expensive as London.

Most of the interns were going to the gym right after work. Usually, we were spending afternoons together with other interns. There are plenty of places to eat out, go to cinema, and visit the food market over the weekend or just chill in the harbour. Not as exciting as London, but still ok.