My summer internship (among many others) got moved to virtual. Do you have any piece of advice on how to prepare for it? What to be cautious of during the internship? How to make a good impression and actually help Analysts instead of being a pain in the ass for them?
I am not asking about a dress code or equipment, as those were already covered in other threads.
I'd be thankful for your advice.
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A few things I can think of:
Print preview all your work (mostly for CIM and teaser edits), it's common to print all work before you pass along for comments, but I'm assuming you don't have access to a printer like you would in the office. Familiarize yourself many items with past engagements: how CIMs and teasers are written, how the model flows, etc. Try ALL OPTIONS possible if you run into technical/other issues before asking analysts. They're there to help you out but problem solving goes a long way. Save and store questions and ask at appropriate times. Overall, be someone who "gets it" if you know what i mean (not putting off work, asking inquisitive questions when the time is right, being hyper-organized, always going the extra mile)
It will be more difficult to learn, but just be patient. Many people are starting their careers in "these unprecedented times."
Thanks a ton!
In terms of technical skills, what would you focus on modelling-wise?
NP. Not sure what size of bank you're interning at, but I'm 99% sure they won't let you create any parts of the model. You may be asked to spread financials if you get assigned a new deal, so be able to do index match, and if statements. It'll be a lot of throwing in quarterly/monthly financials into yearly models, so figuring out the fastest way will be helpful.
Also, many prospects think that you'll be in excel the majority. For my SA and I'm sure many others, it was about 80-20 between powerpoint and excel. Be able to learn how to use powerpoint more efficiently. Utilize and customize the quick access toolbar for many shortcuts (align, group, insert box, fill color, order (front to back), borders, etc.) Make sure you always spell check and triple check all work (that is highly important, I usually walk around the house for a few minutes and come back to do one last look through)
Regardless of assignment, confirm expectations and timing with analyst and/or associate. If feeling overwhelmed, which you undoubtedly will at some point, ask for assistance in prioritizing or reprioritzing work.
My advice is to follow typical intern advice, and place even more value in it than you may have before COVID.
Given the remote internship, the tasks assigned to you might be few and far between. Be sure that everything you do is to the best quality possible (obviously this would be true even in a non-virtual environment, but holds even more weight now). People won’t stop by your desk or anything to check in on the work you’re doing, so you’ll want to be sure that what you are doing is correct. If you have questions, you’ll likely need to initiate a check in.
Aggregate any questions you might have and seek answers when you have a few, rather than emailing/IM your analyst or associate frequently. Use all resources available to find the answer yourself before asking.
Without being annoying, try to get face (video) time with people. Recognize that this is a trying time and it may not be the same amount of time you’d have in the office, but take advantage of it when you can.
Make sure you are always muted on video calls. In a work from home environment, the easiest way to piss people off is to not be muted. No one wants to hear your dog barking or you breathing into your headset. If you’re not speaking (you probably won’t be 95% of the time), stay on mute.
Again, none of my advice is new. My thinking is simply that in a virtual environment, the tried and true intern advice is even more important than usual.
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