Securities Spring Intern (Virtual 2020) Review

Goldman Sachs' inaugural spring week was a real success! Many sessions were held which covered a broad range of their divisions from IBD and CIMD to Enigineering and Global Markets. There were even sessions on wellness, resilience and corporate engagement as well as a junior panel where we learnt about what it's like to work at the firm as a junior.

Goldman really valued the interaction and engagement that all of the spring interns had with the virtual programme. We all had the opportunity to share our 'interning from home' pictures which were then shared with the intern class. The virtual buddy programme was a real highlight where you felt valued as they gave up their time to speak with you and answer all of your questions.

During the virtual spring insight programme we each received a buddy who worked in the division we had applied to. I often had daily calls with them after the markets had closed where they shared their experiences at Goldman and I could ask any questions I had. The support and career guidance provided by all members of HR was very open and honest.

Despite the spring programme being virtual this year, the presentations given from many different departments in the bank really helped us to explore where our interests lie which is what the spring week is all about! It has helped me to decide which additional modules at uni would be most beneficial for me to take given my career aspirations at GS.

The virtual spring insight programme was very well organised. We were provided with an agenda which detailed all of the sessions and the time they were taking place. GS were very considerate in that they didn't want to overburden the interns, many of whom had university exams to undertake at the same time as the spring week.

The general atmosphere of Goldman's virtual spring insight was that of inclusiveness and support! All members of HR were there for us to make sure we were well and engaging with the programme as much as we could. The interns were all very inquisitive and asked great questions in the sessions!

My buddy was a real asset to me during the course of the spring week. Over the 2 weeks that the programme spanned, they would have given more than 15hrs of their time on zoom calls answering all my questions, connecting me with their colleagues in different roles and assessing my final presentation.

It was great to learn about GS' culture through undertaking the sprig insight week. Although because of the global pandemic it was unable to take place in their offices, this meant it was more difficult to truly gauge what it would be like to have a full time role at the firm. Despite this, the employees honest insights helped to overcome this barrier.

Being able to speak to people outside of the division I was interning in also helped me to see which role I was best suited to and understand better how the nuances on how the culture differed from division to division. This is not something I could have learnt from just doing online research.

The content provided in GS' virtual spring week has most definitely helped me to decide on my future career path! This is because through hearing from senior members about the work they undertake, you really understand the key knowledge and skills you need to succeed in your role at GS.