Investment Banking Summer Analyst Review

The virtual experience was very well organised both within the team and also by the Recruitment team. The Recruitment team organised a range of senior speaking events and networking opportunities for interns to enjoy, both of which helped to enrich the experience. The team I was in, UK ECM, set me up with a buddy (who answered any questions that I had) and assigned me tasks to complete alongside my case study. I felt able to make a meaningful contribution which made the experience enjoyable and highly worthwhile.

I felt very valued as the team made a significant effort to interact with me and always offered me some time if I asked. They also assigned me several pieces of BAU work and gave me meaningful guidance and feedback when I was completing them. More generally, throughout the experience, interns were made to feel valued by the range of opportunities we were given to network with seniors in larger as well as smaller groups.

We had a buddy assigned to us and they reached out prior to the start of the internship which ensured any initial questions were answered ahead of time. We were given plenty of information about the best channels of communication to use, enabling us to reach out seamlessly to our colleagues when we were completing tasks. The tech support team were also super helpful and were of ample assistance when (inevitably) tech issues arose with software.

I learnt a lot of soft skills in the program which I believe will be invaluable. It taught me valuable skills of communication, both virtual and face-to-face, gave me an insightful experience upon what it would be like to work in a corporate environment as well as teaching me to be organised and manage my time effectively. As I enter my final year at university, I feel very well-equipped to handle the time pressures of my academic studies balanced with my extra-curricular activities.

Exceptionally well structured and organised. We were given a lot of documentation before the internship which gave us valuable guidance on important events and contact details. The virtual agenda also gave some structure to the days and helped me, as an intern, appreciate what was expected at different stages of the program. My specific team also scheduled regular catch-up meetings with the interns, providing opportunities for feedback as well as guidance on the coming week.

Of course it was difficult for the team to recreate an office atmosphere given that this was a virtual experience however they did organise many events that enabled me to network and interact with the wider team. For example, we had a quiz night organised by ECM as well as a welcome drinks social. All the interns were also invited to several more relaxed networking and social events throughout the experience. Everyone I met in the firm were super-friendly and always willing to answer any questions.

We had a week of very thorough training at the start delivered by Financial Edge which gave a very thorough overview of fundamental financial concepts that were needed throughout the program. On the second week we had several skills training and software training sessions which helped us get familiar with all the systems we had access to as interns before formally joining the team. Drop-in sessions were also provided so we could always have our questions answered.

We were given a lot of opportunity to be immersed in the activities of an analyst in our specific team and were assigned BAU work on an ad-hoc basis. We also had an analyst panel event which enabled us to ask questions to analysts about their experiences within the firm and what the graduate program consisted of. There were some limitations due to the virtual format and the kind of information that we could be given access to, however.

Very much so - we were given very many talks about J.P. Morgan as a firm throughout the internship as well as first-hand accounts of various individual's progression through the firm alongside the opportunities accrued to them throughout. On a more informal basis, I learnt a lot about the firm simply by networking with members of my team and gained an insight into company culture within the team meetings, which always had a very inclusive and open atmosphere.

Very much so - It very much helped me verify that investment banking was the industry for me after having immersed myself in an IBD team during the internship program. In particular, the opportunity to perform analyst tasks and learn about the deals that my specific team had been working on made the prospect of a career in IBD very exciting to me. Networking with members of the team and hearing about their experiences also affirmed my view.

The salary was very generous and despite the amendments to the time commitment of the internship, the firm honoured their initial financial commitment to us (for the ten weeks). We were given relocation allowances which although were not necessary given the virtual format, they repurposed well as an allowance to buy a new laptop (or other technology) for the program (this was encouraged) Expenses were not really applicable given the nature of the virtual experience.

There were many structured opportunities - the associate and analyst panel and the senior speaker series, for example that gave interns an opportunity to meet employees from all across the firm at all different levels of seniority. In most instances, interns were able to ask questions as well. We were also encouraged throughout the experience to reach out to colleagues within and outside of our teams for virtual coffees and catch ups on a one-to-one basis.

Under the circumstances, I think the firm did the best they could to facilitate social opportunities, but these of course could not match the kind of opportunities that would be available on an in-person program. A particular highlight for me was the ECM quiz night which was organised by Inquizition. This was a great opportunity to talk to the team in a more relaxed environment away from the desk. Networking opportunities also transitioned very well to the virtual format.

Not a great deal, perhaps because the investment banking division is very intense. I did hear a little bit about ski trips that were organised within the team as well as a ping pong tournament. On a firm level we did hear a fair amount about the Business Resource Groups and introductory sessions were offered to interns. It was, however, difficult to attend many of these sessions given BAU and case study work that needed to be completed.

Absolutely - fantastic opportunity to immerse oneself in a business area and learn more about what a graduate role would involve within a large, global investment bank. In general, I could not fault the way the firm moved (at short notice) the internship to a virtual format and the myriad of events they were able to organise and communicate effectively to interns. It is also an excellent route to gaining a FT position for after graduation.