西瓜视频

Overall, I felt like the insight programme was a really valuable experience. It is a great insight into the Investment Banking division at GS and there are lots of opportunities to network with bankers, from analysts to MDs. The days were quite intellectually stimulating, and by the end you definitely got a feel for the firm culture, but there were some points which were not always enjoyable e.g. the case studies.

The programme offered lots of opportunity to meet and chat with quite senior bankers. This ensured that we felt valued, and everyone I met was very generous with their time. This level of time afforded to us helped a lot, as well as having access to computers and the email system.

HCM were very supportive and we knew that they were always there if we ever needed help. There could have been a bit more guidance during the case studies, particularly given that some of the interns didn't have any finance or business background. However, everyone I met was very supportive and willing to offer advice.

The accounting and valuation training will be really useful for the future and helped to get an idea of how to value a company. During the week, you also improve your presentation, public speaking and networking skills, all of which will be really helpful in the future and in professional environments,

The programme was well structured. There was a good balance of free time and presentations, and generally the pace was quite quick. Sometimes we would be rushing from one thing to another, but generally there was a good balance and sufficient time to get lunch and socialise with other interns.

The atmosphere was generally good, although sometimes it could become quite competitive and intense, particularly towards the end of case studies. I think it would have been beneficial to have more transparency in terms of what we were being assessed on, as I think this contributed to a culture of staying late to work in the evenings etc.

There was a whole day and a half dedicated to accounting and valuation training, which was both helpful for the programme and for our broader careers. There were also a lot of presentations and discussions about personal development and how we could progress in our careers. Overall, the provision of training and development was excellent.

In IBD, you are unable to work on anything client-related because of compliance issues. This is different to areas like Securities, where interns are allowed on to the floor. However, I still managed to get a really good insight from meeting analysts and hearing from a wide range of speakers.

Again, meeting with analysts and discussing their roles and experiences was incredibly useful in helping to understand the company culture. I also felt like the introductory presentations in the first couple of days gave an insight into the culture, and there tended to be reference to fairly consistent themes of the necessity of teamwork and a work ethic.

The insight helped a lot in deciding whether or not to do the summer internship, but I believe that actually working there on the summer internship is essential, and you couldn't decide whether or not to pursue a career in IBD based on the Spring Insight programme alone. However, given that the Spring Insight fast-tracks you to a summer internship offer, it is definitely worth doing.

The programme itself is paid, which helps to cover living expenses in London. The firm also pays for a return journey to and from the office, and covered accommodation for those who live outside London. Given that many other Spring Insight weeks are not paid, this was more than adequate.

There were a lot of opportunities to network, particularly as we were allotted free time almost every day. Having access to the firm email network meant it was possible to arrange individual meetings with other employees. Furthermore, HCM helped to arrange meetings with people from specific teams, and there were further networking sessions almost every day with people from various grades of the bank.

They were good, but I think it would have been great to have a couple more social events with other interns, like dinner on Friday. Although there was a lot of opportunity to network with people in your division, it became increasingly difficult to meet and network with people from other divisions.

Yes, there was lots of emphasis on the work/life balance and how you could have other priorities outside of work. This was important and interesting, given the IBD reputation for hours. We heard from speakers about their priorities outside of work and were encouraged to ask employees about their out of work life.

I would overall recommend the GS insight programme to a friend, though with the caveat that it is quite intense and will completely consume two weeks. This may be hard to balance with exams or uni work after the Easter holiday. However, it is the longest and most comprehensive spring programme and therefore offers the best insight into a potential career.