BANKING + INVESTMENT Ross van der Watt Associate, Total Returns Group, Public Equities, GIC St Peter’s College, BA Economics & Management, 2015 WHAT: My job involves researching and modelling companies in a sector, and leveraging this knowledge through unrivalled access to top management and investment bank analysts to help inform team investment decisions. WHY: GIC offers a unique opportunity to start one’s career on the buy-side, with one of the world’s largest sovereign wealth funds. The training is unmatched; with global travel, meetings with the CEOs of the world’s largest companies and learning from colleagues with best-inclass experience. Moreover, GIC’s culture is intimate and supportive, and responsibility levels are extremely high as an Associate leading investment proposals (under supervision), rather than just preparing models or slide-decks. EARLY CAREER: I joined GIC’s Global Professionals Programme straight from university. Following training in Singapore I did three 3-month rotations in Fixed Income, Equities & Real Estate in Singapore and London, before becoming an Equities Analyst in London after a year. ADVICE: When travelling the world to work on headline-making deals it is important to be flexible, to be able to develop relationships, and learn quickly in difficult environments. To get the most from the experience, alongside determination and hard work, it’s important to be open-minded and remain enthusiastic. GETTING IN: To even apply to finance jobs these days candidates need to be aware of the implicit pressure to get out and get some form of work experience. Outside a standard banking internship, I recommend looking at atypical options (eg, start-ups), or broadening experiences (eg, working in a different country): these will differentiate you from an increasingly homogenous crowd, and help differentiate your thinking in work. TOP TIPS: These types of jobs are not only for those who have studied Economics or Maths; most of what I do on a day-to-day basis is dealing with people and thinking critically about the ‘story’ being told about a company and whether I agree or disagree. BANKING + INVESTMENT Caroline Taylor Analyst Infrastructure Team, Macquarie Capital St John’s College, BA History and Economics, 2014 WHAT: My team works with institutional investors, banks and corporates to advise on buying and selling companies, investing in companies and raising capital from both debt and equity markets. In just over a year I’ve learnt about a wide range of infrastructure sectors, from transport (eg, toll roads, ports, airports), to utilities (eg, distribution and transmission networks) and renewables (eg, wind farms, solar). WHY: Investment banking is helping me to build my skills and knowledge and allows me to work within a great team, who love their jobs and are driven to achieve. Also, it is exciting to engage directly with markets and get involved in major deals. FINDING A PATH: I didn’t know that investment banking was for me as I went through university - but following experiences across different sectors and industries, and trying out different societies at university, I did figure out what was important to me for my career. For me, the key was finding a job where I would learn, where I could engage and drive my own career and, most importantly, where I would be challenged. I found all of this whilst interning with Macquarie over the summer in my second-year. ADVICE: With any career you consider, be curious, open and proactive. I was told from day one always to ask questions - no one expects you to go from 0 to 60 in six seconds flat - so it’s okay to ask what you’re doing and, more importantly, why you’re doing it. You’ll usually find people are more than happy to take the time to explain if you take the time to ask! Beyond that, it’s also important to form your own opinion on your options when trying to decide what to do and where to go. You’ll have heard this before - but only because it's true – talking to people about their careers and getting work experience will usually be the best way to figure this out. 71
Deutsche Bank db.com/careers When you make an impact on our global business The feeling you get when you realise you’ve achieved something is an exciting part of developing your career. And at Deutsche Bank, it’s a feeling you’ll experience again and again. As well as technical training in your minds in the industry – sharing your ideas and developing the skills you’ll need to take charge of your future. It’ll be challenging. It’ll be exciting. And it’ll grow you as a professional and as a person. Discover a career to look forward to at db.com/careers
Change language