From the perspective of a penultimate year student, applying for the right internship was a gamble. Making the most of a three-year degree meant there was a large impetus on finding a valuable summer internship, where I could gain a level of exposure sufficient enough that upon graduation my experience would be comparable to those who had taken a year in industry. After my two-month experience at Tavistock, this impetus was sated.

As Tavistock is located in the heart of the city, I was apprehensive about being able to handle the intensity of city life as it was a stark contrast to the laid-back nature of university hours. This couldn’t have been further from the truth. Due to Tavistock’s location, arriving to work was only a twenty-minute walk from the university accommodation I was staying in. From anywhere else, its situation on top of Bank station meant it is an ideal tube destination from all corners of London.

My prior concerns also included what kind of work I would be participating in at Tavistock. When applying to other corporate communications firms, the rhetoric and rumour of grunt-work and working overtime occupied my mind. However, following my interview with Tavistock, it was reassuring to hear that their priority was to give interns exposure to a range of teams and sectors. This was proven to be true, as I worked in areas ranging from cyber-security to natural resources and aviation. More importantly, my internship at Tavistock also gave me responsibility and the opportunity to demonstrate my work, through being tasked to research and present the implications of the recently implemented (MiFID II) financial markets legislation, as well as being given the task of testing potential research software for the firm. Having these responsibilities certainly exceeded my expectations before arriving, as well as consolidating my thoughts on selecting corporate communications as a career.

In addition to this, my treatment at the firm was excellent. All of my colleagues from day one were welcoming, friendly and keen to involve me in social and work-related areas. I was included in events at parliament, as well as with Tavistock’s clients.

My internship at Tavistock was incredibly rewarding and very different from what other people had told me it was like to intern at a corporate communications firm. It was an experience that significantly broadened my knowledge and gave me a great insight into what it is like to work in the city.