J.P. Morgan Finance for Non-Finance Review

The J.P. Morgan spring into finance for non-finance week was amazing. I met loads of great people, developed a number of useful skills and learnt a lot about finance in the process. It honestly exceeded my expectations to the extent that I finished the week being certain that I wanted to work at J.P Morgan. By the end of the week, I was far more knowledgeable about the firm and the financial industry as a whole.

I felt very valued during my time at J.P Morgan because everybody (whether senior or junior) was so willing to answer questions and discuss their experience at the firm in detail. There was an attitude of openness and honesty displayed by employees at the firm which made me feel at ease. Also, the effort put in to the spring week itself demonstrates the extent to which J.P Morgan values all of its employees. The only caveat to all of this would be that one week at a firm is arguably not long enough to gain insight into the firm's genuine culture. Nevertheless, having met so many kind people throughout the week, I definitely felt valued during the short time I spent there.

Given our non-finance backgrounds, it was so helpful to receive training on a range of key financial concepts. The internship application process was explained thoroughly and the firm's expectations were made clear. We were given overviews of a number of business areas from business representatives. Everyone at the firm was so friendly and happy to help with any questions.

The spring week exposed me to a number of talented, driven and ambitious people which reminded me to maintain high standards for myself. The week forced me to step outside of my comfort zone and socialise with new people from different cultures. The commercial acumen and financial skills developed during the spring week laid a solid foundation to build on during my internships and future career.

The spring week was structured incredibly well. We were clear from day one what the week would entail. There was a good mix of learning, networking with people at the firm, presentations from business representatives and socialising with others on the spring week. Perhaps I would have liked there to be more time to explore the firm's offices and shadow employees. Having said that, there was never a moment of waiting around bored and confused - on the contrary, the week was jam-packed.

Everybody was super kind and supportive. There are so many interesting employees at J.P Morgan which was both inspiring and insightful. This made for a great atmosphere on the whole. However, the atmosphere felt a little bit tense when it felt as though you were being observed during a group activity.

The company was clearly invested in each and every one of us. We received brilliant training to improve our technical knowledge. As well as this, we were given personal development opportunities in the form of presentation workshops, personal branding workshops and so on. I honestly finished the week feeling as though I had learnt so much.

A number of business representatives explained their roles, their business areas and their daily routines. This was incredibly helpful in working out, not just which division I would like to join, but what it would be like to work in each division. I found the trading floor tours really interesting.

The spring week provided a great opportunity to better understand the company culture. Through talking to employees and hearing about J.P. Morgan's 'business resource groups', it soon became clear that the firm truly values its employees. Moreover, employees clearly care about one another - which is important and not necessarily the case at other firms. From what I gathered during the week, J.P. Morgan takes diversity and inclusion very seriously. Further, the firm offers plenty of opportunities to volunteer and 'give back' to the community.

The spring week clarified a lot of things for me and helped me determine what next steps I would like to take in regards to my career. There was never a moment during the week when I was not learning something new about the nature of the industry. Most importantly, I was given a realistic account of what working at J.P Morgan is like. By the end of the week, I decided that I definitely will be applying for a summer internship at J.P. Morgan. The spring week, in this respect, was invaluable in helping me decide on my future career path.

Both my accommodation and travel expenses were covered for the week as I lived far away from the Canary Wharf office. The accommodation was very nice and conveniently located. It was nice not having to deal with travelling far each morning and evening. This meant I could use my evenings more effectively.

There were plenty of opportunities for networking and meeting other employees from the firm. There were designated networking sessions and networking lunches. We were able to meet with employees across the firm (from analysts to managing directors) from a range of business areas. There were also panels and Q&A sessions which were slightly more structured and very insightful.

The networking opportunities were amazing. I met really awesome people, made a lot of new contacts and got a genuine sense of the kinds of people who work at J.P. Morgan. The reality is: such a vast range of people work at the firm. Therefore, each person I networked with had a unique story to share. To this extent, the entire week was an eye-opening experience for me. One social event that stood out for me was an evening event organised for all of the spring week participants on the first day. A bar was booked out for us and all of the participants spent the evening getting to know each other. It was a great way to start the week.

Yes. We received presentations on J.P. Morgan 'Business Resource Groups' and volunteering opportunities available to employees. The Business Resource Groups are, broadly speaking, groups within the firm comprised of employees with similar interests who want to connect with like-minded professionals. These groups are clear examples of J.P. Morgan's commitment to creating an inclusive environment in which everybody feels valued. Some employees I spoke to also mentioned fun activities/ trips that their individual teams participate in.

Yes - without a doubt! I would recommend this insight to anybody who is ready to learn more about the world of finance and the opportunities offered by J.P. Morgan. It is impossible to get a feel for culture through reading a website. The spring week gave me the chance to work out if I could see myself working at J.P. Morgan. The week also helped me identify my strengths and weakness whilst pushing me to improve myself on a personal level. The week was by no means easy but, for anyone willing to leave their comfort zone, it will be a week to remember.