Summer Analyst Review

As an interning Summer Analyst, I became progressively more involved in the work output of the teams I interacted with. Having began my first internship with little to no working experience, I had to adapt to the working environment and learn to relate to my colleagues while absorbing as much technical exposure as I could. I learnt to put together basic valuation models, pull data from factset onto microsoft office applications, research sectors and companies, and structure presentations.

I have learnt and developed a number of skills during this 10-week introductory programme. I have learnt to perform in-depth research with strict deadlines in mind, honed my attention to detail, remain intellectually curious even when working longer hours, relate professionally to co-workers, and learnt to use the technical tools that were available to us, namely Factset, Microsoft office, internal research tools, refinitiv, factiva, and mergermarket. Furthermore, I also discovered the importance of working in advance and always being ready.

I was progressively given more and more responsibility as the internship progressed and I became more aware of what was expected of me. I believe this was the case for most of the interns, except perhaps a a few older individuals that had already worked a number of times before - this was easily recognizable, particularly in the first few weeks, and, as a result, they were trusted with more technical tasks a lot more quickly.

I received more than sufficient support during my internship. The people I worked with as well as the support figures assigned to me by the firm made themselves constantly available. In this sense, not knowing who to turn to for any particular doubt that may have risen was not a concern of mine during this internship. Indeed, the firm assigned us with three people ranging in seniority to always have a point of contact should we need it.

The company culture and general atmosphere was fantastic. The firm encourages entrepreneurship and self-starters, so you always felt like you could add further value in your own unique way. Additionally, there is not much of a hierarchical structure within the firm, and you always feel like you can reach out to seniors, within reason, should you want to clear your head from a certain doubt or ask for career advice. Overall, very satisfied with the culture.

I thoroughly enjoyed my time at this firm and felt like have truly learnt a lot. We are always told about a "steep learning curve" coming into this industry, but you never truly realize the weight of that statement until you get to work.

Yes

Be yourself. At the end of the day, it will be much easier to work in any environment if it accepts you for who you are. Given how diverse the bank is in terms of culture, it is unlikely you will not find someone you fit in with, therefore be sincere and genuine to be able to make the most of it.