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I thought the internship was very good, and well structured. I thought that it gave really good insight into what it was actually like working in the financial industry, as well as more specifically at JP Morgan, and so from there it is easy to decide whether you believe it is a career suited to you or not. Managers and internship organisers were really supportive throughout the internship, and gave invaluable guidance.

Al the colleagues that I met, within my team, division and bank as a whole was always more than happy to talk to me, help me out and give me advice. I found almost everyone I came across approachable and willing to give up their time for me. My team never gave me menial or degrading tasks, always seeming to prioritise what would benefit me the most over what they wanted getting done and thought I could do. This meant that I wasn't given any admin, unlike some people I hear about do on internships.

Although at times during the 10 week process I felt worried that my manager was a bit detached and unaware of how I was doing, the mid internship and end of internship appraisals proved this really not the case. He had read my character and motivations outstandingly, and offered me advice and opportunities based on this. He delegated most of the work I was being set to his team, but I included him in emails when I completed big projects, so that he could see what I had been doing.

As I was in a research role, it meant that there was always stuff to fill my time. therefore, whenever I did not have any work set for me, I could read about what was going on in the markets, read pieces of research, or do my own research into an area that interested me. However, I was never given an overwhelming amount of work, and if I was not doing this extra reading my days would likely be fairly empty.

I was given more responsibility than I expected, and more than other interns I spoke to in other areas of the bank (mainly due to the licensing problems). I contributed to a number of research publications. Sometimes my work was left largely unchanged, after I had gone through it was a member of the team, and sometimes it was subject to more editing.

I learnt a new style of compiling data and writing it up. I also learnt a lot about spreadsheets and creating models, which are likely to be useful in a large number of roles and careers. The most useful skill that I feel I learnt, though, was interacting in a professional environment. This was through daily interactions with my team, listening to them on calls with clients, and attending networking events. This skill I believe will equip me better for all areas of life.

The office was always friendly, and most days we would have short periods of chatting or joking, that felt like a bit of a break from work. However, this did not make up for the fact that everyone ate lunch at their desks and it felt as if this was the expectation. Working in a role that does not require desk presence throughout market hours, I did not feel this was a healthy pressure to put employees under. Research is in a separate box to the trading floor, which is much quieter, but it also feels more friendly as everyone interacts together.

The internship was especially well-organised for the credit division as a whole. We were scheduled teach ins, chances to meet more senior employees and got to present trade ideas to the whole division. Within my specific team, the internship felt reasonably well organised: I had a mixture of pre-decided projects to be completed throughout the 10 weeks, and work that cropped up as and when.

We were given a week of training beforehand, and then during the internship we had talks from the most senior members of the bank (including the CEO), Bloomberg training and presentation training. In our division, we were also allowed to attend the teach ins organised for analysts and associates, beside the teach ins targeted specifically at interns, which were all very beneficial

It seems a company where all the employees are extremely happy. They all tell you how great the bank is, and how much better than competitors, and this is shown by the fact that most employees I met had been at JP Morgan for the majority, if not all, of their career. There also seem to be plenty of mobility between roles and opportunities to work abroad, and managers invest a lot in their teams to ensure they reach their full potentials.

Due to the number of evening events organised for us near the start of the internship, and the fact that the office is fairly open and see you see fellow interns around, I felt that the social scene was very good. Now at the end of the internship, I feel that I am familiar with a majority of the interns, and know a smaller number well.

I live at home, so don't pay rent, but everything else is very expensive. I bring in packed lunch each day, as the prices of salads and sandwiches are extortionate, as are the prices of beers and other beverages. Luckily, the pay is in line with these prices, and so we can afford to have a social drink after work on a Friday evening. Tube fares are also expensive.

I did not try it, but the bars were always full of interns so I stuck to them.

I think that the opportunities did exist, such as firm sports teams, but these were not promoted. Thus, you had to do your own research to find them, and honestly I did not feel I would have time to partake in them. Halfway through the internship, a number of interns and employees participated in a corporate race.