Standard Life: Zoe Pearson

Where and what did you study?

I studied at Edinburgh University and have a MA in Business Studies. 

Why did you choose to work at Standard Life?  

Like most people I applied to several big companies.  But Standard Life’s offering stood out as a great opportunity to get real hands on experience during 10 weeks over the summer.

What was it like on your first day?

Understandably, I was nervous. But everyone was welcoming and I quickly felt part of the team. 

What kind of work did you do during your internship?

I worked in Marketing in the Insight team, which looks after customer and competitor research. One of the main things I did was to set up an online portal for the team to share their work with rest of company.

What is it really like as an intern?  

Straight away I felt I was an integral part of the project, and my internship offered a real insight into what it would be like working for Standard Life on a permanent basis. It's your opportunity to ask questions and find out how the company fits together. So you’ll get as much out of the experience as you put into it. Of course, there was also time for lunch and catch up’s with my colleagues, which I found was brilliant for networking. 

What was your biggest challenge during your summer internship?

Over the 10 week period it was a steep learning curve and the main challenge I had was learning how to haggle with suppliers. 

What most surprised you about the company?

At Standard life, nothing stands still, and progress is key. It’s a company with a focus on the future, which means as a graduate as there are lots of opportunities to drive change and make a difference. 

Did you enjoy living in Edinburgh over the summer?

Edinburgh is a great place to be during the month of August as it becomes on of the most exciting cities in the world. The festival and general atmosphere make it much more relaxed than most cities, and with The Meadows and Holyrood Park make you forget you're even in a city.

In your opinion, what are the main benefits of an internship?

Provided you do well, you’ll be offered a place on the graduate programme at the end of your internship. For me it meant that during my final year there were no applications or assessment centres – I already had a graduate job.

What has it been like returning onto the graduate programme at Standard Life?  

Lots of other interns I had become friendly with came back to join the graduate programme, which means lots of familiar faces. There are around 50 graduates starting every year, which creates a great graduate community at Standard Life.

I am currently on my second placement on the graduate programme working as an Executive Assistant to the Group Marketing Director. It’s been great experience, lots of challenge and responsibility.