How 'Insightful' Are Internships Supposed To Be?
I'm interning at a big 'brand name' firm (not IBD but my role is very similar to the work an analyst would do in IBD) and I am lucky enough to be getting work that an analyst would do as a full time employee.
I was liking my work initially but I'm not sure I see myself do this for 2-3 years or see myself excel in the role once the analyst is promoted. 'Everything' (firm, culture, people, benefits/perks, lifestyle, location, salary etc) is really good except I'm getting quite bored on some days, the work is not as interesting as I thought it would be and sometimes I go home feeling like I didn't do enough work in the day. Some days I am quite drained so clearly there is opportunity to work hard.
My team seem really happy with the work I'm producing, I do 'fit' with the team (according to them) and they are pleased with my initiative but for me personally its not enough. To be honest, I find the pace a bit too slow - but this may be because I'm just an intern (as the current analyst is at his desk for most of the office hours during the day).
The issue becomes what do I do next if I don't like this role? I can't get into IBD, I'm not a markets person so S&T/other similar roles e.g. a HF are out and consulting is okay but the pay is almost half of what I would get at this firm for 0.75x more hours lol (and I probably can't get in tbh).
However, I have been told that this is as good as work gets and people would 'kill' for my role. Perhaps its too early to judge whether or not I'll like it as its only been a month since I started so I'm going to continue working hard and see what happens.
Any comments are welcome.
You could look into financial leadership programs.
It is interesting that the first thing you said about consulting is that "the pay is almost..." That's probably why you are not liking your work right now. You thought you would just go for a job in which you can make "tons of money" or did you have any other reason (actual sincere interest)?
Anyway... Yes, you are right. It might be too early to judge, but if you don't like the work right now (and assuming the work will be the same in the future), you won't like it later either.
Why are you worrying if other people would kill for the role? If you don't like it, then you don't like it. It should have anything to do with what others want/how you want to be portrait. I think you are too caught up in the whole IB is the only and best thing in the world and I am a failure if I don't make $70k out of undergrad at GS TMT.
Go and explore! Maybe do an unpaid internship during the semester or travel somewhere. Talk with alumni from different fields and get in touch with family friends. It will be worth it. You can still easily make a career change and eventually have a job where you love your work.
Thanks for the reply.
My apologies - I think the pay thing came out badly. The role I am doing now is very similar to consulting (in fact I would say its a mix of consulting and IBD). Therefore moving to a similar role with less pay and more hours, to a firm that will (probably) not be as good as the one im at now, doesn't seem logical. Pay is definitely not the way I judge a role otherwise I would go into a HF or something.... I know some stuff isn't for me and I stay away if I know I don't stand a chance :)
The role I'm doing now - the description interested me and the work Im doing is definitely not rubbish. I like it. I just find it a bit slow and I'm not sure if the other aspects of the role are for me (as I'm working closely with the analyst and have a pretty decent picture of his day-to-day life). I also learnt what I'll be doing if I was a FT employee here and although some of its nice, most of its not so great. I don't hate the role - I just don't 'love' it either if you know what I mean? I honestly thought it was the 'dream job' when I first read the description but now that I'm doing it I'm not so sure it is.
I'm definitely networking with whoever I can but tbh its just confusing me more and more instead of helping as there don't seem to be many options/roads left to consider now.
I fail to see a problem. Be careful what you wish for.
If you don't like it move to a field you like better. Money should not matter!
You can only expect so much out of an internship. If you think you're work is boring, do you think the work your analyst or associate is boring? If yes, then start looking at another field maybe.
What fields do you recommend I can research?
I've been at my firm over a month now and am getting pretty bored even though I'm generally proactive (events, ask around if anyone needs help etc) and really go 'all out' with whatever work I'm given. There are too many 'do nothing' days which drain me much more then when I'm actually working.
I want to do something slightly more intellectually stimulating/fulfilling as the general work I'm getting is not bad but miles off what I want to do for the next 2-3 years of my life.
Your problem isn't your job, but your expectations. You listed a bunch of huge positives and one negative that happens in every job on the planet. You just need to get it out of your head that it's possible to have a job that is 100% interesting all the time. No job is perfect and the grass is not usually greener.
This job sounds pretty much perfect... Also, please tell me where it is, because making 6 figures out of school while working
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