Insight Day Student Review

I greatly enjoyed the Women in Fund Management event, as it gave me an invaluable insight into what fund management actually is, and what the work involves. There were talks from a variety of people within the company, a trading game, and a session on interview hints and tips that explained the application process, which were all very useful and informative.

I did feel valued during the day, as people in the company were always making sure I was ok and that I understood what was being said. We were encouraged to ask questions, and overall I felt comfortable and got a great impression of what it would be like to work here.

The day included trading exercises that were split into four rounds. Before each round we were given a full briefing, and I felt well equipped to take part in each round despite having no prior knowledge of investment management. The concepts were well explained and I learned a lot from it.

As my degree is not related to the field, the content I learned was not applicable to my degree studies, however it was definitely useful for my future career. The talk on employability skills and the recruitment process was very useful and will definitely help when I come to apply for internships and jobs.

The day was very well structured, with lots of variety to keep the day consistently interesting. There were enough breaks throughout the event, where we could network with drinks and biscuits. The trading game was split into four rounds, with talks from employees in between, which made for a seamless structure.

The general atmosphere was pleasant, welcoming and friendly - it was definitely not as daunting as I thought it would be! By the end of the day I felt very comfortable, and found everyone, from the receptionist to managers, to be willing to help and friendly. It gave me a fantastic impression of the company's culture.

I felt that the firm cared greatly about making sure attendees understood the work and concepts since questions were always welcomed and answered helpfully. We got a really good insight into the employability skills that M&G look for when recruiting, and I could develop my own team work and analytic skills from the trading game.

I got a really good impression of what it would be like to work at M&G. There was a panel discussion at the end of the day, where we could ask current employees about their experiences of transitioning into the company and their present work - this discussion proved very useful.

I was able to really understand the company's values and friendly culture from this event. One of the talks was from a team that worked together, and from seeing how they interacted with one another it was clear that they really enjoy their jobs and enjoy working with each other.

Before attending the insight day, I was uncertain of what I wanted to do in my career and what role I wanted to pursue. After speaking with many people during the day and hearing about their experiences, I was able to gain a much clearer idea of what I wanted to do, and it made me want to work for M&G in the future.

I was not expecting payment/reimbursement for this insight day - it was free to attend, and I consider it as an investment into my future since I gained a lot from it.

There were plenty of opportunities to meet employees at M&G. During the networking lunch, there were many employees available to talk to us. This meant that we could speak in small groups or one-to-one, so I felt I was able to get a lot out of our conversations. I had the opportunity to meet a wide range of people, from recent graduates to managers.

During all the breaks and the lunch we could network with both current firm employees and other people that attended the insight day. I got to make lots of new contacts and learned a lot from speaking with other people. There were also lots of refreshments available while we were networking.

I found out that there are lots of opportunities to regularly socialise with other employees across the firm, which really appealed to me. Moreover, it was fantastic to hear that employees are given time off to take part in volunteering projects, which has told me that the firm lets you get involved with a lot outside of work.

I would definitely recommend this insight day to a friend, as I learned a lot. Overall, it was fun and informative, and I was able to get a really good idea of what working in investment management involves, despite not knowing a lot about it before coming. Would really recommend!