Sales & Trading Summer Ananlyst Review

I really enjoyed the whole internship experience, even though it was completely virtual and it was the first time Morgan Stanley had run a virtual internship. It was clear that a lot of thought and effort had gone in to organising the internship so the interns got a lot out of it, and I feel like I learnt a huge amount and got to meet some great people. Overall I absolutely loved the whole experience.

It always felt as though my views and opinions were taken seriously in discussions. I was often asked for my input even in large meetings with senior team members, and people were more than happy to discuss events/news etc. and the implications on the markets with me. The work I produced was also taken seriously, and I was given lots of opportunities to present to various people. I was also always given lots of feedback throughout the whole internship.

We had several designated people, at different levels of seniority, who we could go to for support with any issues. This included people in HR, people who worked in the department and also team members on the desks we rotated on. I always felt as though I had as much support as I could want. With the work, part of the point is to see what you can produce independently without too much guidance, but again if you need the help it is there.

I was always very busy but not to a point where it felt unmanageable or unenjoyable. It's an intense and tiring period of time but again this is part of the whole point, as it is meant to be fairly similar to what it'd be like to actually work there, so you're able to get a feel if this is the right career for you. The hours I was expected to be online for were very reasonable, and then I was free to do extra research/reading outside of those hours too.

Given this is an internship at an investment bank, there are obviously limits as to how much responsibility you can be given. For example, you'd never be able to execute a trade or deal with clients directly, as we didn't complete the necessary training for this and I'm not even sure it'd be within FCA regulations if we had done those things! However, the work completed did feel somewhat useful for the teams I was with.

The main skill I developed was speaking to a wide range of people and often people far more knowledgable and senior than me. The whole point of the internship is to 'sell yourself'. It's essentially one long interview, where you need to make sure you come across well to everyone you speak to. I also did quite a few presentations, so I feel as if my presentation skills have improved quite a bit, especially as often I was presenting on topics that others knew far more about than I did.

This whole internship was virtual, so I was never physically in the office, but there was actually still a fun and lively atmosphere when I was logged in for work and taking part in meetings, training or presentations. I got the impression that the office is a great place to be during 'normal' times. Everyone I spoke to was friendly and interesting, so I would assume that being in the office with all your colleagues is great.

I can only imagine how long and how much effort it took to suddenly organise a 7 week completely virtual internship for the first time, especially given the limited time frame in which the was to organise it. We still had the full range of sessions and activities we would have done in person, and everything was organised really well. Technical issues were dealt with quickly and our initial set-up was very easily done too.

We had lots of training sessions throughout the whole internship, on various different things. They were led by external companies, but ones Morgan Stanley has worked with for several years so they were always very relevant to the work we were doing with the desks we were rotating on. These sessions were also always very engaging and interesting, and a good chance to engage with the other interns too when we were out in to groups to complete tasks.

From what I remember, every intern really enjoyed the internship and was keen to get an offer from Morgan Stanley for a full-time job. This shows how much everyone enjoyed their time with the company. An offer from Morgan Stanley is really great because it's a highly competitive process to get an offer, so just being given the internship can set you apart. Equally, it can be difficult to get in to investment banking, so this is an opportunity to enter the industry and start off at a great company.

Socialising was very limited (for obvious reasons) but when the restrictions eased in the UK, there were chances for the interns to meet after work on Fridays to socialise in person - all of these events were organised by the interns themselves, within the guidelines set by the government. HR also made sure to organise networking sessions among the interns, and working on the various desks together meant I still felt like I got to know a lot of the interns pretty well.

If the internship hadn't been virtual (and hopefully the 2020 one is the only internship that will have to be virtual), then the cost of living and socialising in the area (Canary Wharf, London) would've been pretty high. London is an expensive city to live in, but there are endless opportunities to go out, meet new people and do fun activities, so even though it can be very expensive, I would say it's well worth it!