Your Favorite Internship Experience?

Been looking for a post like this.. good thing you started it. Need some insight

I am currently ending an 8 month long BB WM internship that was only supposed to be 2 months long but the FA I work with is an absolute God in terms of working with me on a deep level and helping me understand everything about his/her business. She/he is so nurturing in my growth process and has given me access to things I would have never dreamt of being able to do as a sophomore.

I have always wanted to do M&A but him/her alone almost made me want to switch. Now that I told him/her that I want to do M&A he/she has gone out of her way to let all her contacts know in the industry that I am looking for an SA position. Absolute best mentor ever.

Interned at a major RE brokerage firm in investment sales. My boss was a great guy who really taught me about the business. Got my first full-time job because of that experience so I am glad it happened.

As an intern, you want to work with someone who will give you some free space to learn what you want to learn and also teach you about the industry, and if not then at least get a big name on your resume so people can put you in a bucket and pretty much know what you did there. Luckily I got both.

I didn't go back not because I didn't like it more of a personal reason since CRE Investment Sales is very commission based and something that people get eaten alive at at the junior ranks. Glad I got the experience for free the giant name on my resume and saw how it worked while being paid as an intern rather than as a full commission or on draw broker who would then be committed to a year or two to make the resume experience meaningful.

Autonomy: I was assigned several companies to complete diligence and recommendations on over the span of 10 weeks. It was up to me on how I wanted to spend my time, whether it being working alone for my time, talking with senior analysts in the firm about the industries these companies operated in or even calling up research providers for their opinion.

Professional Development: Had the pleasure of attending several speaker events that the firm held to maintain its relationship with the sell-side. Had the chance to speak with several strategists and IB heads. What was surreal is that I even had full opportunity to ask stupid questions to these people, the same ones I'd see talk on Bloomberg TV a few days later. One connection I made with a strategist helped gain me entrance to a limited entry conference.

Flexibility: I realized at my firm a lot of the decision making occured at the trading desk--so I simply asked to shadow with the execution traders a few hours per day. Same deal with portfolio management; I wanted to understand the hedges they were putting on their trades so I got to work with them on a related project. One of the sector heads was flying to another state for an on-site visit; I asked to tag along and got it.

Impact: Underrated at the time, but it was pretty damn cool to see how millions of dollars poured in and out of trades upon my final recommendation. Granted, some of my pitches weren't high quality but the ones that had potential were refined by me and my boss.

They weren't hiring for post-grad but damn did they make a really compelling internship program. Solidified my decision to forsake banking opportunities later on to remain in the industry.

Summered at in the Strategy group of an Investment Bank that was delving into alternative asset management. During my three months there, the firm developed PE capabilities, through acquiring a private equity firm whilst testing their alliance/relationship by co-investing in two separate PE investments made through individual SPV (special purpose vehicle) structures. Was able develop a report to the company's board with a case "for" why PE would be an attractive business to play in; develop the pitch decks for the two PE investments.

Part of the strat group is now merging with the PE firm, think like a GS Strategic Investments group. Great opportunity to experience Corporate Strategy, Finance, & PE. A dream internship

Best internship I ever had was at a law firm, the Managing Partner was a real enterprising kind of guy and ran a small boutique investment bank (5-6 man shop) out of the same office. The MD was some BSD who worked at Lehman during their heyday and now worked at this firm just to stay somewhat busy during retirement. I was reading Barbarians at the Gate at the time and it turned out he had been a part of that transaction. Loaned me Rosenbaum and set me on the path towards a meaningful finance career instead of going to law school.