Internships in Zurich?
I'm an incoming undergraduate at a Russell Group university in England. I'm looking to break into IB as a career but I'm very interested in entering IB in Zurich. I speak/write German up to B2.2/B2.3 standard, having studied it at A-Levels and supplemental courses at the Goethe Institut.
Are there Finance internship opportunities open to international university students in Zurich?
Zurich is a very small place for IB. I am currently waiting for new Graduate programs (common here) to drop but nothing IB related…
You can break in but it Ould be easier with a first internship in IB. You have so many more opportunities in London man, I wouldn’t advise you to « waste » your time on Zurich for a first experience. I moved here some time ago and am shocked at what I’m missing compared to London/Paris when I make a quick LinkedIn search… You have in a day what you get in a week of new positions.
Now you can always seek different finance internship, i know that Novartis & Roche frequently hires UK graduates (SEO London).
Best of luck
Thanks for your insightful reply.
Two things I wanted to ask from your reply:
1. Would it be possible for a non-French speaker to break into IB in Paris?
2. Would Private Banking be a potentially good career path in Zurich?
1. From what I've heard and read here on WSO, it's very difficult. For some reason the culture is quite different from London, where non-natives are very under-represented, I believe it's because people will speak French almost tall the time in the office unless there's a client (given they do not speak French) or a specific need for it. Maybe other people have different views on this though.
2. AM, WM / Private Banking is what the Swiss do best, depending on the area your level of German isn't required to be on top. Bear in mind for many Wealth Management roles (UHNW, etc...) you might need to speak a third / fourth language. I very often see job posts from UBS/CS looking for people who speak Spanish, Turkish, Russian or Arabic... And for region specific roles (LATAM, APAC) I think it's always best if you come from the region. In Switzerland employers are allowed to discriminate based on ethics, religion, etc... They won't hesitate to pick what's easiest for them. I know one girl who works for UHNW clients in LATAM region and she is from Brazil herself. There are a ton of educated immigrants in Zurich so keep this in mind.
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