SUCCESS STORY DETAILS SUBMIT A SUCCESS STORY

Why the internship was successful.

In the world of investment banking, you are required to pay your dues before you reach the upper levels. This goes beyond just the intern level, as even those full-time entry-level employees are still required to just “do what they are told.” And even though that meant an internship full of grunt work and watching the big dogs in action, Nikki didn’t shy away, and used the opportunity to gain as much as she could.


Nikki took an 8-week summer internship with Lehman Brothers, an investment banking firm in New York City. She was able to get this internship by utilizing the on-campus interviews that her campus’ career center provided and by going into the interview prepared. “The one thing the guy I interviewed with said was that you should never ask a question about the company that could be answered on the internet.” Knowing a few key facts about the company impressed the recruiter so much they asked her back for a second round of interviews where she secured a spot in their summer internship program.


The internship required Nikki to spend the summer in the busy world of New York City. Living in the NYU dorm rooms allowed Nikki to explore the nightlife the city had to offer and she was impressed with how much the city came to life after dark. The company also gave her the opportunity to expand on her experiences, making the internship more than just an opportunity to gain technical skills, but one that helped her grow as an individual. She was able to participate in philanthropic efforts with students from a local school and explore the beauty of Central Park. The internship program also allowed her to interact with other high-powered executives that she wasn’t working directly under, giving her an opportunity to see if their departments’ job responsibilities were more in line with her career goals.


Her internship sharpened her research skills as she learned to quickly pull and format information from company profiles and massive spreadsheets. She also learned that she could take on extensive work hours and still enjoy the nightlife and social gatherings a city like New York offered her. She never thought she would be able to stick with and succeed at a job whose hours went beyond 8 in the evening almost every night.


She also gained a great sense of accomplishment from watching her hard work be presented. After long hours of research and formatting, Nikki took great pride in the overall products she was able to be a part of. And even though someone else was responsible for presenting what she had worked so hard on, she had a great sense of “team” as she took pride in the overall success of the presentation even if the praise wasn’t always directed her way.