Spring Week Participant Review

I enjoyed the virtual experience as I really appreciated how interactive it was! However, for me personally what I wanted to see from the Spring Week that I did not get was the atmosphere of working in the different divisions, which of course could unfortunately not be shared via zoom. The way that the different days were all about a different sector of J.P. Morgan was also something that I found helpful and really enjoyed.

I felt very valued during my time at the company because it was clear from the interactive nature of the presentations, which tended to start off with general discussions between the presenter and the students, that the idea was to make us feel very involved in the Spring Week and feel like we were active contributors in it. The follow up meetings with recruiters that were set up also gave the impression that the firm truly cared about us.

During the virtual experience I received all the guidance and support that I needed, so I was very satisfied with this. If I had any questions I could simply write them into the chat and they would be addressed almost immediately. In addition, any questions regarding logistics or admin were resolved very rapidly via email with the J.P. Morgan team so that the online process flowed smoothly and provided me with the best experience possible.

Since I intend to go into investment banking, the information I learned about the different sectors was very useful to me. In addition, receiving a presentation on a different sector each day made it easier to compare them and thus understand which would be more tempting for a full time job. Also, the information provided regarding the firm and its objectives and general attitude towards important issues helped to reinforce my desire to work there.

As I have previously mentioned, the virtual experience was very well structured in my eyes because every day covered a different part of investment banking. Furthermore, the structure of listening to presentations and then also frequently being asked interactive quiz-like questions made the whole process feel purposeful and fun. The breaks were often well-timed and the length of the days in the virtual experience was very appropriate for the content that was covered in it.

The general atmosphere during the virtual experience was definitely a professional one, but it was equally a pleasant and friendly environment. The speakers were clearly eager to answer questions, and their positive attitude made listening to their presentations very pleasant. The atmosphere between the other participants was also fairly relaxed and friendly, not too competitive. Had it been in real-life, I am sure we would have formed closer bonds with the people we met, but as an alternative this worked very well.

In terms of personal training I feel like the firm definitely invested a lot in me, not only because the selection process for the spring week was in itself very competitive and extensive, but also because they maintained constant communication with me via email after the virtual experience, putting me in contact with recruiters that I then met via Zoom, and also sending me emails about JP Morgan activities. The development I achieved from learning about the divisions was also important.

The virtual experience gave me a very good idea of what it would be like to have a full time role within the company, given that it was an online experience. It managed to convey as much of the atmosphere as it could, but in truth it was more factual information that I learned. To truly understand what working at J.P Morgan would be like I feel that I would need to spend time in the office on various desks.

The virtual experience had a full day that focussed on company culture, ethos, sustainability efforts and beliefs about diversity and other relevant issues. This was informative and helpful for me to understand what the company actually cares about, and thus what people who work at the firm must equally deem important. Speaking to the presenters, who worked at J.P. Morgan was also helpful in giving me a good idea of the type of people in the firm and thus the culture

The content was highly valuable in helping me to decide on my future careers path for two reasons. Firstly, I had been hesitating about whether to join a large multinational investment bank or a smaller start-up firm in the early years of my career, and now I see much more clearly the value of being in a well-established firm that can provide me with great opportunities such as the virtual spring week. Secondly, I am now much more secure in my desire to work in global markets.

This was an unpaid experience and I did not have any expenses to reimburse.

There were opportunities to connect with the presenters after the meeting as we were provided with their contact details, which is a useful way to start networking. Additionally, we were put into contact with recruiters. However, in terms of simply talking to other employees of the company, this was not really possible given that it was not an in-person event. To fully understand what other employees thoughts are on the different business sectors it would have been nice to be able to talk to them.

The networking/ social event opportunities were very limited because there is only a certain amount of socialising that can be done online. I do not think this is a fault of J.P. Morgan, but it is definitely a shame to not have socialised more.

Yes, through the presentations on the final day, I was able to find out about the various schemes that employees can get involved in, whether from an inclusion and diversity perspective, or from a sustainability and corporate social responsibility one. In addition, there was mention of the fun team-bonding activities or socials that employees often take part in in order to form closer relationships with the colleagues that they are working with daily, which seemed like a very good initiative.

I would definitely recommend this experience to a friend, not only because it was very informative as well as being enjoyable, but also because it really helps to gain as much experience as possible in order to understand what type of work you might like in the future.