Investment Banking Summer Analyst Review

I am an investment banking summer analyst. My responsibilities vary every day, but broadly speaking, I support the team that provides advice to clients. For example, this can mean working on a live transaction, which involves building financial models, creating teasers and information memorandums for the project and attending client calls. On live transactions, I worked on the IMs and prepared PowerPoint slides, I also worked on building intricate financial models, I have taken and distributed notes during calls and organised meetings.

I have learned more than I thought possible. I joined quite a technical team and was hoping to learn a lot. I certainly accomplished this. I developed a lot of technical skills - learned about accretion/dilution, understood the calculation of the weighted cost of capital (WACC) and extensively worked on the intricacies of the financial model. Moreover, I learned about various dynamics during a live transaction, the goals of different parties involved and the importance of keeping a client relationship.

Yes and this was one of the best parts of the internship. Naturally, I was given more and more responsibility as the internship went on. I got to attend client calls where I took notes which were distributed to teams beyond my own team. I was also responsible for comps and precedents updates which were sent to various Citi teams across EMEA. Additionally, I worked a lot on the model that is a vital component of any live transaction.

I think the internship achieved a perfect balance between support and responsibility. There was always room to take on more responsibility, but if I ever needed support, it was there. I was given a buddy in another team and three buddies in my own team. Additionally, I received support from everyone I've worked with. My team was always a call away (due to the hybrid nature of the internship) and I could simply share my screen and they would guide me on how to complete the task at hand. They were also there for non-work related matters. My staffer and MD were extremely supportive when I needed some personal help.

The company culture reflected the global nature of the bank. Inclusion and diversity were present at every level. I attended events for women in banking and female interns were given mentors. All interns were introduced to various networks at Citi and everyone could find a support network and a group to relate to. Within my team, we had a team event that was extremely enjoyable. Moreover, my team is extremely international with people from all over the world.

I thoroughly enjoyed my internship. Looking back, I developed both personally and professionally. I am able to manage multiple workstreams without jeopardising my quality of work and I can manage expectations under stress. I have also gained a lot of knowledge about my sector, developed technical skills by working on the financial model and learned about the importance of attention to detail. The culture at Citi is amazing and opportunities are endless. I would love to go back as a full-time analyst.

Yes

The main advice would be to just be yourself. Diverse and unique backgrounds are valued at Citi. For the interview, I would again echo to always be genuine and highlight what makes you stand out from other candidates. Naturally, depending on the division you are applying for, some financial interest/knowledge is expected. Read the FT, but, more importantly, have an opinion on what you have read. Once you start, you will receive plenty of support that will be invaluable throughout.