Morgan Stanley's advice to summer analysts

Summer analysts often have tons of questions, yet they're afraid to ask out of fear that they may be perceived as under-qualified. Morgan Stanley went ahead and did the dirty work for you — collected questions from current interns and published them on their website.

Here are a few:

  1. How do I differentiate myself from equally qualified summer analysts?

A key differentiator is how well you work in a team, as teamwork is an integral part of our firm’s culture.

Another is how much of a self-starter you are. It’s important to complete an assigned task thoroughly, but it’s differentiating if you go the extra mile. For example, do more analysis than your manager expects for the project and an additional task no one asked you to do, but that you think could help the team. This demonstrates your interest, understanding of the product, how you can fit into the team, and how useful you can be.

  1. Is there a fine line between being helpful and being overly eager and annoying? How can you know if you’ve crossed that line?

Yes, there is a fine line, but not to worry—there are ways to help keep it in balance.

Firstly, be mindful of other people’s time. Email and ask your manager if you can chat at some point about an idea you think might add value, or pick a time when he or she doesn’t look too busy. Another tip is to prep yourself before you talk to a manager. For example, write down the points you want to get across ahead of time so you know what you want to get out of that meeting.

  1. Is it appropriate for me to network with other people on a different desk that I’d prefer to be working on? Or will that jeopardize my chances of getting a full-time job?

It’s 100% okay. You have to think of your internship as a 10-week-long interview—where do you best fit in? Just don’t network to the detriment of your performance on the desk you are working on, as high performance is essential, wherever you are.


Do you have any other advice for future/current summer analysts? Please share.

To view the rest of the questions & answers from Morgan Stanley, click here.

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