Insight day Review

by M&G plc

This review was submitted over 4 years ago, so some of the information it contains may no longer be relevant.

Rating

4.2/5
  • About You
    4.0
  • The Company
    4.2
  • Everything Else
    4.4

    About You

  • 1. To what extent did you enjoy the insight?
  • The insight day was packed with interesting activities and talks. Especially the opportunity to network with and hear from senior positions was inspiring. The 2 only points of improvements I would say are to check for technical faults beforehand. The sound system was not working a lot of the time and when it did work it made an unpleasant sound at times. Also, the trading exercise should in some way at least relate to active asset management. Trading on the headlines is not actual fundamental analysis, therefore at least providing guidance at the end result with regards to the importance of fundamentals vs. short term movements I believe is key.

    4/5

  • 2. To what extent did you feel valued during your time at the company or firm?
  • All interactive activities where in teams, this meant that everyone in the audience has had the chance to influence the event in some way. Also, every Q&A was long enough to allow many students to ask questions. Even when we were on short of time, Q&A has not been rushed or shortened, and this I believe made feel students valued.

    4/5

  • 3. How much guidance/support did you receive during the insight?
  • The event was really smooth, nothing was unclear. The event description given at the beginning of the event was a really helpful guidance. Also, if a change was made throughout the day, it was announced, and the new plan was told. Also, the short biographies provided were really helpful in tailoring questions and preparing right questions to ask during the networking session. The most interesting piece of guidance I found was the list of employees and their role, so that during the networking session I could look for the right people.

    5/5

  • 4. To what extent did/will the skills you developed, and information you received, assist you in your degree studies and beyond?
  • Definitely the insight will allow me to approach finance from a more practical perspective. Also, learning about employment opportunities with such breath helps remaining focused and determined throughout the academic term. I understood the importance of being one's self when approaching applications. This is a vital suggestion as it is often easy to approach interviews like exams, make a script and memorise it for the assessment. Nevertheless, the event did not provide me with any specific academic skill that will allow me to perform better in my degree.

    3/5

    The Company

  • 5. How well structured was the insight?
  • The insight was really well structured. The idea of spreading the trading exercises throughout the day, made the event, in a way, compact and smoother. It all felt like a long interactive activity after-all. The breaks were placed in perfect time frames and I don't believe that they were too short. The only suggestion is to include some food in the short breaks also, as some people might have not had breakfast as they were travelling around England for the early morning.

    5/5

  • 6. How was the general atmosphere during your insight?
  • Friendly, students respected each other all the way through. Especially when we got chances to network, everyone was open and with a positive attitude. Collaborative, in team activities there was positive energy and willingness to bring a good outcome. Despite some communication issues, we managed to make a positive team spirit.

    4/5

  • 7. In terms of personal training and development, to what extent did the company or firm invest in you?
  • Quite a lot. Senior speakers shared some insights, which is highly valuable. At the end of the day, we all aspire to become such people, therefore having the opportunity to hear from them at such an early stage was great. In the networking session also, a good range of people from the firm joined, and it was one of the very few opportunities that I received to talk to a Fund Manager.

    5/5

  • 8. To what extent did the insight help you to understand what it would be like to have a full time role with the company or firm?
  • As explained in the first question, the trading activities were not really representative of the daily job of an employee at the firm, however, panel discussions and the first talk of the day were both really helpful in understanding the daily job life at M&G. The networking session was also useful.

    3/5

  • 9. How much did the insight help you in understanding the company culture?
  • To a high extent. It was reiterated multiple times that employees at M&G are unique because they are themselves all the time. Also it was explained very clearly that M&G has a flat structure and strong collegiate culture. Finally, it was demonstrate multiple times that M&G has a clear aim to impact the world in a positive way. All these characteristics were reflected from employees that I met at the networking session.

    5/5

  • 10. How valuable was the content in helping you to decide on your future career path?
  • Although I already have an established idea for my future, the event nonetheless enhanced my passion and motivation to develop a career in active Asset Management. Especially hearing from ad talking to a range of employees gave me a clearer guidance and allows me to have now a more narrow focus.

    4/5

    Everything Else

  • 11. Were you paid or reimbursed adequately for this experience?
  • I was not paid or rembursed, however, a substantial amount of food was provided covering all dietary requirements. Also refreshments were provided. Nevertheless, I think that such a day dedicated only for students with an interest in the firm should not be paid as M&G employees took time off their daily jobs to make it happen.


  • 12. Were there opportunities for networking and meeting other employees of the company or firm?
  • Yes. There were 2 main opportunities. The first was a panel discussion where interns and graduates came together to answer students questions. The second was more engaging and was a 1 hour networking session during lunch time. In this session there were employees from many departments and seniority levels. Definitely the best opportunity of the two.

    5/5

  • 13. How were the networking/ social event opportunities?
  • The opportunities were great and I am definitely happy with the range of people involved in the networking event. Many seniority levels were present, and this is highly appreciated. I think however that this session should be much longer. This is a good time to gain those unique insights, therefore it is incredibly valuable for students.

    4/5

  • 14. Did you find out about activities that employees can get involved in outside of work?
  • I found out about opportunities while networking with an employee. I was told that if I have any interest outside of work, probably there is a community in the firm that matches it. For example if I care about mental health, or art, or just developing technical skills, there are resources to develop such interests.

    5/5

  • 15. Would you recommend this insight to a friend?
  • Definitely. The insight was a great experience overall. I also got to make new friends which is great. I would reccomend the insight to people who have no prior knowledge of the industry, but also who has knowledge, because it is a good fit for all. What makes it a good fit is the fact that we received a lot of changes to ask for personal questions.

    4/5

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Details

Insight / Vacation Scheme (< 4 Weeks)

Banking

London

October 2019


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