Summer Intern - Global Markets, Sales Review

I thoroughly enjoyed my internship. I was given real exposure to the markets and got a great insight into how a sales role worked day to day. I also got the chance to meet a range of senior and junior employees around the company, both on desk and off desk. I developped many key skills and learn alot of new knowledge throughout my time here.

Employees around the company understood the importance of the intern program and everyone I met was willing to take time out of their day to meet with me or show me what they were working on. The only frustrating aspect was that I couldn't really add real value to the team although this is almost impossible as I can not speak to clients or do any trading.

My manager was usually available to sit with me off desk and discuss any probems I had. There was also an extensive mid appraisal and final appraisal and during both I was given areas that I could improve upon. However it would have potentially been helpful to have received more ongoing feedback on my performance without having to ask for it.

I was very busy with the tasks I was given and I could always find more work to do by asking to help employees. The work load was good and also taught me an incredible amount of fundamental and technical knowledge. However the work was maybe slightly unbalanced with a very heavy workload over my first 4 weeks and a more relaxed loads after that.

I was given very little responsibility - however as I mentioned above it would be almost impossible for my team to have given me any responsibility. The slight responsibility I did get was on a project with Barclays but away from my team where I was part of a project helping a local charity. This was both an interesting project and completely reliant on teamwork with other interns; a useful experience.

The skills I received will not help me in my degree but I would not have expected that coming into the internship. However if I do persue a career in banking the skills I have taken on board this summer will be indispensible. I don't think I have ever learn as many new things over such a short space of time as I have this summer.

It was exciting to be on a trading floor and the general atmosphere was busy and fast paced. The office was very noisy and there were always people running around which I enjoyed. It did take some getting used to however and I found it quite hard to concentrate over the first few weeks.

Very well organised. There was a clear structure and and I thought the appraisal system was well thought out. I would stress however that it would have been nice to have received a little bit more continuous feedback from my managers. The organisation was on the whole well thought out and planned.

Very much so - I could ask anyone on the trading floor a questions and they would usually make an effort to answer me even if they couldn't right at the time and had to get back to me. I was also encouraged to read research documents and increase my general knowledge around the markets.

Very exciting and I would be thrilled to be offered a place

Yes there was quite a good social scene - there were pub trips with other interns organised for the end of the week (by us) as well as occasional networking drinks mid week. However there was not loads of going out and the socialising I did was with quite a small group - many interns were simply to knackered to go out.

Very expensive. Both food and drinking were not cheap in Canary Wharf

Very poor in my opinion - there are bars but on the whole they are expensive and not much fun

There were but they were quite hard to find - I did not get involved in many activities.