Spring Intern Review

I thoroughly enjoyed JP Morgan's insight week. From start to finish there were plenty of opportunities to learn, ask questions, engage in meaningful discussion and meet firm representatives. All these interactions meant I learned about the potential career paths offered by JP Morgan and was able to decide which would best suit me and give me sorts of challenges I am looking for later down the line. Having completed this insight week, I feel I have a major advantage when completing applications for summer internships.

The learning session provided plenty of opportunities to ask questions and take part in discussion questions and set tasks. Working in teams and receiving feedback from the financial trainers made me feel valued during my insight week. Live Questions & Answer sessions were beneficial in that they gave more tailored advice than anything I would be able to find online or in a generic networking session. I feel like all the sessions were well organised and very efficiently run.

As there were some set tasks and group work activities, I feel like instructions were always clear and feedback was fast and helpful. Any minor issues were quickly resolved or clarified by members of JP Morgan's Human Resources which were ready to provide support throughout the course of the programme. Speakers and representatives from the company, especially senior members, were particularly helpful in giving career guidance and tips which, to me, showed the level of care JP Morgan showed towards its insight week participants.

The insight week covered a breadth of topics concerning the financial industry from capital markets to fundamentals of valuations and lots more. We also covered the essentials in using Microsoft Excel including basic shortcuts, formulas and navigation. Insight into the systems and mechanisms behind the financial industry were extremely helpful in boosting my understanding of news articles and parts of my course that touch on relevant topics. I also anticipate needing to use many of the Excel techniques I learned upon graduation.

The insight was structured excellently. The educational sessions followed on well from each other and the content was very well organised such that it wasn't too overwhelming or confusing. An introductory session at the start gave a broad overview of the financial industry which helped provide context for the rest of the sessions and helped me navigate the rest of the insight week with ease. Sector-specific Question & Answer sessions were placed nearer the end of the week which was helpful in consolidating our learning efforts and answering any questions we built throughout the week.

JP Morgan provided a ripe environment for learning and growing which was perfect for someone who had never had professional work experience before. Matt Parker, our lead financial trainer for the week, was openly enthusiastic about our training sessions which built a positive atmosphere for us newcomers and made us feel comfortable asking questions and engaging with training content. This upbeat and energetic environment was encouraging and made me want to engage to make the most of the insight week opportunity.

All interns in the insight programme were in the very competent hands of highly experienced financial trainers who held at least two sessions every day. For every session, we received complimentary files and resources, often with additional taskwork, we could complete in our own time. This was helpful for me as it helped me consolidate the material we learned during our sessions. Furthermore, we were granted access to a library of additional resources which we could access after the insight week to continue our training and development if we wished.

The insight definitely helped me understand what it would be like to work full time at JP Morgan across their main divisions (Investment Banking, Asset/Wealth Management, Markets Sales and Trading). As someone from a non-finance background, it was immensely valuable to receive insights into what a 'day in the life' was like for different roles in the bank and helped me decide which was best fit for me. If you are unsure which career path best suits you, this insight programme will be really helpful!

Yes! We heard from senior executives about their paths entering and working at the Bank as well as from representatives from each major division. Executives were often inspiring and reflective which was encouraging as they gave us bits of advice they had collected throughout an entire career. Division representatives were often associate or analyst level and were also helpful to listen to as they gave advice on applying and succeeding at early stages which they had just completed themselves.

JP Morgan provides many opportunities to engage in the local community as well as build a network within the company. I was encouraged to hear about groups for minorities and special interests which meet socially and build a sense of community. JP Morgan also provides many opportunities to take part in volunteering or raising money for charity alongside their philanthropic ventures to help the communities they serve. There does not seem to be a deficit of things you can do to get involved with outside of your work.