“The Head of EMEA Operations will see you now”. So perhaps the wording wasn’t quite as dramatic as we witness each week in the Apprentice boardroom, but waiting for my meeting with one of the more senior managers at the international private bank, it struck me just how far I’ve come over my eight-week internship. This meeting marked the end of my main project, and despite being a vaguely nerve-wracking start to my last day at work, I’m happy to report that the presentation and questions peppered throughout went well. The feedback I received suggests that the analysis I’ve worked on will not only be used as a template for further work, it will also be used to help negotiate future deals with third parties- not bad for a third year undergraduate!

That seems to be one key aspect of the Saltire Foundation’s programme- the internships they offer expose you to real life scenarios and challenges. Your project is of real value to the host company, and not once have I been asked to ‘make the tea’. In week one, my manager told me that he’d be treating me like any other bank employee, and I’m incredibly grateful for that. The insight I’ve received has been better preparation for graduate level roles than any internship where students are sheltered from real responsibility. A lot of the feedback I’ve received has been along the lines that a fresh perspective can add substantial value to the workplace, and this doesn’t have to come from someone with twenty years of experience in the field. If you’re smart, you’ll pick it up. If you’re willing to put in the effort, you’ll learn quickly.

My penultimate day at the office included a lunchtime review with my manager, where we talked over everything I’d worked on, and how I felt about the overall experience of working in Geneva. When I first flew out, there were a few things I really wanted to achieve by the end of my placement, such as working on a commercial project, making a decision about my future career direction, and improving my somewhat-forgotten French. With one and two safely checked off the list, I’m afraid to say that my French hasn’t improved as much as I’d hoped- a combination of an English speaking office and exciting things to do in the evening made sitting in a language class seem like a dull prospect! That said, it’s definitely still on the to-do list. These last few weeks have shown me that languages really do give you options, both in terms of job and location, and that’s something I’d like to be able to take full advantage of.

And so, eight weeks after arriving in Switzerland, my last day passed in a flurry of presentations, handing over work, and a scattering of Scottish artefacts across the office. Shortbread, anyone? On starting work, I was hoping to get on well with colleagues and meet some interesting people. Whilst both of those things definitely happened, I left Geneva armed with a list of email addresses, promises to stay in touch, and an invite back to stay for the ski season! This has surpassed my expectations and I’d really like to thank everyone in Geneva for making it such a great two months for me, both whilst at work and away from it.

So how to reflect on the Saltire experience? When I first applied, I was looking for a work placement that would give me some kind of advantage in the somewhat-bleak job market after graduating. I stumbled across Saltire in a presentation from some former interns at the career’s centre, and their enthusiasm was infectious- both had spent their third year summers in the US, and were wishing they could apply again. In fact, I’ve yet to meet anyone who has a bad word to say about their experience! As we talked, I realised more and more that with Saltire, you’re not just applying for a job. Don’t get me wrong, the internships do place you in extremely successful global companies, but that’s actually only part of the picture. To agree with Emily’s latest blog from Shanghai, the overall combination of learning, culture and network building is possibly more important in cultivating a ‘can-do’ outlook that will benefit you regardless of where you go on to work. 

So summer is drawing to a close, and touching back down in the UK to a cool 14°C it really does feel like I’m home. And I’m happy to be home, starting to prepare for my last fresher’s week trip back to St Andrews in less than two weeks. Thank you to everyone at the Saltire Foundation for this opportunity- I’m sure that in a few weeks time, I’ll be the one at the careers centre wishing I could apply again next year!

Bisous,

Anna