Finance Analyst Review

Coming from a non-finance or economic related background, I went into J.P. Morgan with little understanding of the atmosphere I was joining. I left eager to return. The 10 weeks went by faster than I could have dreamed of and I gained skills that will be transferable throughout my career.

Cut-Throat. Ruthless. Aggressive. These are only a few words traditionally used to describe the atmosphere of a high-end banking institution like J.P. Morgan. This could not be further away from the truth. J.P. Morgan and the thousands of employees based in Canary Wharf were entirely opening to me and made me feel not like an intern but a full-time member.

Whilst at J.P Morgan I received a tremendous degree of guidance and support by both my immediate team and the various teams within the Finance department at J. P. Morgan. Recognising that talents and skills vary according to each individual employee, the staff were willing to offer you their time wherever possible.

One of the highlights of my internship at J.P. Morgan was that no day was ever the same. Recognising the ever changing face of the finance markets, tasks were generated from all different angles with a varying degree of priorities.

Within the first week of my placement the idea of being a summer intern had completely vanished and I was made into a "piece of the furniture". With significant support and trust placed into me, my confidence grew rapidly and by the end of the 10 weeks I was ready and waiting to take on whatever was thrown at me.

Studying a History degree has meant that many of the skills in which I developed over the summer were previously unattainable. Transitioning from academic reading in my studies to extensive use of Microsoft ExCel and Bloomberg whilst at J.P. Morgan, I have gained skills that will follow me throughout my career.

The atmosphere was nothing like I had expected or imagined. From the first day of walking to my desk, I was greeted by a variety of employees, some of whom I had little contact with but who were still willing to introduce themselves and offer me their services if needed. Perks such as seeing leaving speeches has highlighted to me that the cutthroat idea of working in a bank is not as straight forward as often portrayed.

Having signed an initial offer placement with J.P. Morgan for 2018, I can't wait to return and get back to what I enjoyed throughout the summer. With the endless possibilities in J.P. Morgan, whilst being signed to a specific department, this does not limit the employees trajectory. Whether it be moving to a different sector within the company or moving to one of the many International branches of the firm, future employment prospects look incredible.

One of the surprising elements of my internship was the many opportunities that we were given to take part in activities outside of the work place. Whether it be attending and running in the J.P. Morgan Corporate Challenge or attending the intern/graduate socials created by the Firm, work-place networking could be made in a variety of ways. Other opportunities included joining a 7 a side football teams or participating in large scale bands meaning that there was something for everybody!