Investment Banking Summer Analyst Review

I have interned in the Investment Banking Division at Citi, London, in the Infrastructure team. It is a great place to work at with plenty to learn and a challenging environment, full of interesting people. Constant opportunity to network with seniors and get to know other departments of the bank.

One of Citi's best attraction points compared to its peers is the culture and the people that surround you. This is the bank with the most friendly, collegial atmosphere on the floor, extremely helpful people with whom you can become friends with, and extremely supportive staff, on whom you can rely on.

The expectations were set clearly starting from the training period, moving onwards to the start on the floor towards the reviews. The attitude, skills, tasks, were clearly defined, with both short- and long-term projects. Ample support is given however emphasis is put on independence, curiosity, and pro-active attitude towards work.

As I was in the Investment Banking division, no two days are the same, and the amount and quality of tasks assigned really varies based on the project. The team has always tried to assign meaningful, quality work from which I can learn new skills and have tried to keep me moderately busy.

The responsibility put on interns is similar to the responsibility put on full-time analysts and it is clearly understood that during the summer, you are in the role of a full-time analyst. Thus, you need to take ownership for your work, care about your output and deliver meaningful and correct results.

The required level for attention to detail, commercial understanding, software skills, resourcefulness, and other technical skills in this position is unmatched. After working a full summer here, I can certainly say I developed a much stronger work ethic, a keen eye for the smallest details, an understanding of accounting, finance, and the industry trends.

The general office atmosphere is extremely friendly and relaxed, although obviously everyone is busy and wants to get their work done. However, you can regularly see people chatting, grabbing coffee in their downtime, making friends and socialising during lunch, etc. This encourages a spirit of cooperation and frequent communication within teams.

As it was a Summer internship, that is organised year to year, the organisation of the program from beginning to the end is top notch. Starting from accepting the offer, everything was clear, with regular communication regarding important points and assistance of HR staff in every step of the process.

Citi offers 1 full week of training even for interns and then some teams get weekly training regarding different topics, which all teams can join. Moreover, great importance is put on networking with various senior executives within the bank, listening to the speeches and advice of business leaders, and getting to know fellow interns.

One of the main reasons for interning at Citi is getting a full-time offer for next year, and this is widely accepted and mentioned. Summer analysts are the main pool for full-time analysts, thus it is encouraged to perform well and get the offer. The full-time employment is appealing due to the reasons mentioned before.

You can meet your fellow interns frequently at the events organised by the HR staff and there are multiple networking events over breakfast, dinner, drinks, etc., where you can socialise with them and make friends. Moreover, you can also meet them on the floor and socialise, and talking to other teams is encouraged.

Canary Wharf is more expensive compared to the neighbouring areas due to the prevalence of financial services in this area and the amount of affluent individuals, however on average it is much cheaper living here than in central London, due to the location - Canary Wharf is located a bit further away from the city.

The Canary Wharf area is full of people who work in finance, thus the nighlife has evolved accordingly, with a lot of bars, clubs, etc., tailored for bankers. On average, plenty of options to choose from, along with convenient transport to central London for more options on the weekends.

There are multiple clubs in the area, including a gym in the building where a lot of Citi colleagues go, various external gyms, sports clubs, etc. Moreover, a volunteering day is organized for interns to help the community and to enjoy the nice weather in a park. Thus, several opportunities to get involved.