Summer Analyst Review

The placement was incredibly well organised. It had a series of useful lectures that were particularly useful given that I do not study economics. Additionally there was a series of feedback sessions and social events to ensure that interns were well looked after.

My team treated me incredibly. They made it clear that I would be treated no differently than any other full-time member of the team in the beginning of the internship, and they kept true to that promise.

My colleagues provided prompt and adequate feedback on all of my work, and they always made themselves available to answer questions that I had regarding my daily tasks or about the industry as a whole.

My work varied depending on the team's deal flow. In general, I always had a lot of work to keep me busy, and only once or twice during the internship did things quiet down. However, when things did slow down it was a result of the office itself having less work to do and not due to the team failing to give me additional responsibilities.

My team was very good at ensuring that we had a high degree of responsibility from the very beginning of the internship. As I mastered certain tasks, the team would introduce me to more difficult work in a timely manner.

By the end of my internship I felt that I had mastered a number of new and relevant skills. Additionally, my knowledge of my industry grew much more than I expected. I learned and developed far more during my internship at BlackRock than I did during any of my previous internships.

My team was both friendly and approachable. Although they were all very clever, there were no egos in the office. Overall it felt like more of a team or a family than in any of my other experiences in finance.

Overall everything was really well organised. All mandatory events were outlined in the beginning of the internship in a detailed manner, and event invites were always sent to you with plenty of time to spare.

There was a series of development lectures that helped expand my understanding of economics and of the asset management industry. Additionally, there were lectures on 'soft skills' (e.g. public speaking) and on introducing you to the various departments within BlackRock. My team also specifically spent time teaching me the skills I would need to complete my specific daily tasks.

Something I greatly appreciated was the internal mobility within the company. It was very clear that the company values its employees, and that is keen to see them grow and progress within the organisation.

There was definitely a group of lively students who went out often. However, this all depended on your group and your hours. My group had some of the longer hours in the company, but I still found plenty of time to go out with other interns. Additionally, my team went out frequently and always took the interns along. HR also did a great job of planning large social events for the interns throughout the internship.

London prices are obviously different than being at university. If you plan accordingly, however, you will find that you can get by on a relatively small amount of cash. Given the compensation for interns, you will have absolutely no problems affording accommodation in London and take away meals (with a few occasional splurges included!).

Directly near the office were a number of good bars/pubs for cheap drinks after work. However, I personally preferred the nightlife in other areas of London, but I always enjoyed getting drinks with other interns or colleagues near work to start our nights out.

Weekends were always free, and this allowed me to pursue other activities outside of work. Additionally, the internship contains a charity project that allowed the interns to get out of the office and help contribute to a worthwhile cause, which I found particularly enjoyable.