Banking - Country and Sector Coverage Summer Analyst Review

by HSBC

Best Student Employer

This review was submitted over 4 years ago, so some of the information it contains may no longer be relevant.

Rating

3.4/5
  • The Role
    4.3
  • The Company
    3.5
  • The Culture
    1.8

    The Role

  • 1. To what extent did you enjoy your work placement or internship?

    • I enjoyed my internship very much as I was able to experience what it was like to work for an investment banking division within a universal bank. I enjoyed learning about all the different dynamics involved with valuing a business. I also enjoyed working with other interns, and having weekly intern events which was a change to get to know interns from other teams

    5/5
  • 2. To what extent did you feel valued by your colleagues?

    • I felt very valued as I was treated just like a graduate on who had just joined. I was staffed on actual deals as opposed to shadowing or working on example projects. I was able to work closely with other analysts, who greatly appreciated the extra help. The team was also very vocal in their thanks which was motivating.

    4/5
  • 3. To what extent were you given support and guidance by management/your supervisor(s)?

    • Managers were very supportive, taking time out to explain the work they needed you to do, along with where it fitted in with the wider picture. They also pushed me quite hard which meant I improved vastly during the scheme in terms of quality of work and speed of execution.

    5/5
  • 4. How busy were you on a daily basis?

    • I was quiet busy during the day, but the workload usually picked up towards the evening as directors gave feedback on the work we had completed that day. I had to work late most days which is common in the investment banking industry. I was also under time pressure for most of the work I was given during the placement.

    4/5
  • 5. How much responsibility were you given during your placement?

    • I was given a lot of reasonability during the scheme particularly once my managers were happy with my work. This gave me a lot more autonomy as to how I worked as I needed less supervision. I was given control of the model for one of our projects which allowed me to understand how valuations change in volatile market conditions.

    5/5
  • 6. To what extent did/will the skills you developed, and training you received, assist you in your degree studies and beyond?

    • The skills I picked up in PowerPoint and Excel will be very useful for any future jobs in finance, along with my extended understanding of financial markets and investment banking. Learning how to prioritise tasks and manage time will be helpful for my final year at university

    4/5

    The Company

  • 7. What was the general atmosphere in your office?

    • The office was quite upbeat and I was seating with the other analysts who were only slightly older than me. This was a great experience as they were able to teach me all the tricks to complete work much faster. The rest of the team was very friendly and always happy to help or teach you about what they were doing.

    4/5
  • 8. How well organised was the overall work placement or internship set up?

    • The internship was set up very well; we had intern events twice a week along with all the interns from Global Banking and Capital Financing. Our recruiters were always available for any problem or question which was a great help. We also had dragon boat racing and cleared a park as part of the community investment.

    5/5
  • 9. In terms of personal training and development, to what extent did the company or firm invest in you?

    • The firm provided us with one week’s training provided by an external provider along with sector specific training during the following week. We also received regulatory training, given that we would be working in a high risk area. We have also had on the job training through our work stream.

    4/5
  • 10. What were the perks on your work placement?

    • Company Parties/Events
    1/5
  • 11. How appealing are future employment prospects within the organisation?

    • The firm makes offers to selected interns two weeks after the internship ends. It offers a graduate program with a rotation scheme. This involves having a home desk where you spend a year working, followed by 6 months in the coverage team for a different sector, and then back to your home desk for the reminder of the program.

    4/5

    The Culture

  • 12. Was there a good social scene amongst any fellow placement students/colleagues?

    • Unfortunately there was not much time for the social scene, although during the few weekends we had off I went out with the other interns. We also have lunch together at the weekends or during less busy days of the week.

    4/5
  • 13. What was the cost of living and socialising in the area you worked in?

    • Rent was around £475 a week for two people sharing.

    1/5
  • 14. What was the Nightlife like in the area you worked?

    • Canary Wharf is fine for drinks, not much else.

    1/5
  • 15. Were there many opportunities to get involved in activities outside of work?

    • Time didn't really allow this.

    2/5
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Details

Internship (1 Month+)

Investment Banking

London

August 2015

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