Summer Intern Review

The role was suitably challenging - with a good mix of on-the-desk activity, work shadowing with different teams and also firm / department-wide events to attend. I enjoyed the fact that the experience I received each day from going in to work was different enough to remain interesting, with my area of coverage having greater depth and being more complex than I initially thought. In particular, my understanding of banking-related products and the different services provided by the bank has significantly been improved. The ability to work with highly-supportive colleagues in getting tasks done was also critical in adding value to my time at the firm.

I feel that J.P. Morgan has an integral and inset culture of inclusivity, which is of tremendous assistance when first trying to find your feet in the firm. Everyone I have spoken to, whilst at times busy, are more than happy to take some time out of their day when circumstances permit to go over a particular question / topic in some detail. At the same time, they are also keen to assign you important workstreams - ranging from the more critical to the less so in terms of urgency - to complete which would be used moving forward by the wider business. From this perspective, I certainly regard my colleagues as being highly supportive, whilst seeing value attached to my work.

The programme has a good balance of HR-assigned support structures alongside manager-led feedback. J.P. Morgan appears keen for interns to widen the breadth of their experiences, by assigning both junior buddies (currently on the graduate programme) and senior advisors (senior business management) from areas outside your line of business. The discussions we have had over the period of the internship have been instrumental in acting as advice, as well as simply providing a different perspective on things. Similarly, the weekly catch-up meetings I have with my manager allow me to receive more informal feedback, complementing the formal performance review process.

The amount of work received is a reasonable balance - there were some days which were significantly busier than others, particularly in the run-up to major touchpoints for deliverables within the department and requiring proper time management / prioritisation to ensure all work is completed accurately and on schedule. Nonetheless, I believe this is a real-world representation of the expectations at work and I am personally glad to have experienced it. Furthermore, as the department builds an understanding of your skills, you will be asked to produce a wider range of output which leverages upon those, again requiring proper management.

I constantly felt that I had a say in any work output - my views were often solicited and whilst my manager might offer guidance, for projects that were my own it was stressed that the final decision lay solely with me. I felt this was a good system - we could continue to have constructive discussions over the topic, expressing our individual thought processes to come to a solution that worked for all parties. This concept of ownership and responsibility when you want it, coupled with the relevant support where you may need it strikes the right balance.

I firmly believe that the insight I have received into the way this function operates, as a fast-growing segment of the entire banking spectrum given the heightened regulatory focus will put me in good stead for any position I choose to assume in the future in this industry, The opportunity to develop soft skills such as the ability to communicate effectively, alongside delivering effective presentations to the business have also been drawn out, creating value in experiences that I can draw upon moving forward in university or in the workplace.

The office is very much representative of an area of productivity, whilst retaining an air of friendliness - every colleague appears highly dedicated to the role at their desks but there are also general conversations that take place from time to time that add much-needed warmth and geniality to the working environment.

The programme was well-structured, with specific events and a proper review process being part of the framework. The review process in particular was structured much in line with the system used for permanent hires, and interns are evaluated against the same criteria which I felt was an excellent representation of what to expect if offered a role at J.P. Morgan. Additionally, HR personnel constantly made their availability known to answer any queries and solicit feedback, including carrying out drop-in sessions and university roundtable discussions.

My department went out of their way to source approved material for papers normally taken by bankers to ensure that I received the right background and context in terms of what the team is working to achieve - adherence to the rules which we have to be able to demonstrate. Furthermore, I was invited to firm and department-wide Introduction and Academy sessions that aimed to give an overarching view of the different areas within the firm. Interns were also given access to the IB University - online training modules designed to build and bolster understanding on key Investment Banking concepts.

Excellent - J.P. Morgan appears to be highly invested in retaining talent within the organisation and will work with you to identify the programme that suits you best in terms of the graduate scheme. Looking into the future I have also personally spoken to individuals who have made use of the firm's internal mobility programme. It certainly appears to have benefited them highly in terms of the opportunities that having such a formal scheme opened up - it is merely a question of whether employees are driven to take up such opportunities.

Within the department, I felt the interns have built up a close bond over the past 10 weeks through collaboration in group projects. On a wider level, this has extended to the other interns across the firm through participation in various other social activities - some organised by HR, but many of which are independently organised by the intern groups themselves.

London is generally more expensive than the rest of the UK; however with proper budgeting, I feel that the cost of living and socialising is an acceptable one to bear, on par with many other places in the City. It is a question of being able to achieve a trade-off between the necessities and social expenses.

Fair - as a business-centric area the primary nightlife venue was pubs, which worked well enough for after-work socialising but not so much for nightlife as many of them did not / are not licensed to stay open late. However, if you prefer socialising early in the evening, there are a fair number of pubs to choose from each with its own distinctive character.

Certainly a fair number - J.P. Morgan's GoodWorks programme is well-respected across the firm and indeed employees are encouraged to participate in initiatives which they are personally interested in. The firm is also supportive of sports initiatives, including our Corporate Challenge for which interns were invited to join the company team and run for the benefit of selected not-for-profit organisations.