Pros
I really enjoyed the internship. I had fairly little knowledge of financial modeling from taking online courses and accounting modules at uni but had no idea how to apply it to the real world. This experience changed that. The 1-on-1 training with an expert was blended into my internship with their partner. This improved my confidence enormously. The tasks were challenging but not impossible. I appreciated that it was adapted to suit my stage.
Also, I received feedback from interview roleplaying sessions and guidance on my CV, cover letter and LinkedIn. Networking was an area I struggled with as I felt sleazy about approaching people I didn't know but they helped me grow my connections with decision-makers in banking.
With their connections, I've received interviews with a credit hedge fund, family office and investment banking.
There have been there to help me even after the internship finished. They put a lot of emphasis on developing a relationship and were really personable.
I could not ask for more.
Cons
- It's hard work and you'll be expected to put in the effort but it's worth it.
If you take initiative and speak up you will gain a lot from it. I went into it thinking it was just going to be technical preparation but it was so much more than that so it's important to have an open mind.
- If you don't do the tasks you’ll feel overwhelmed because you have to play catch-up but that is not a fault with the internship but more how you manage your time.