We caught up with Sybil, a recent graduate from The University of Edinburgh, who is currently on the 2022 Summer Internship programme at Schroders. She shares her journey from Geography graduate to Finance intern and gave us some top tips about showing what you can bring to the table.
Tell us a little bit about yourself
Hi, I’m Sybil, a recent Geography graduate from The University of Edinburgh, which is obviously a very different subject to Finance! Being born in Kenya I developed an interested in the developing world. A book I read called ‘Dead Aid’ by Dambisa Moyo talks about the alternative ways of developing a country - one of those being investment, and the kinds of supportive policies governments can enforce. It helped me channel my interests into the Finance sector. During university I learnt a lot about investment and as I was particularly interested in human geography, I chose modules in geographical economics. At Edinburgh, I also found the group GAIN (Girls are Investors) who were holding investment career events and so I decided to go along to a couple of their sessions, and this really confirmed a career in Finance was for me! As well as completing an internship with GAIN in emerging markets, I also applied to the 10,000 Black Interns Programme and this is what led me to Schroders!
What stood out to you about Schroders?
Schroders straightforward approach stood out to me. Their message was very clear and being a geographer, their emphasis on ESG (Environmental, Social and Governance) really appealed to me. It was the kind of investment I was interested to do more of. Schroders walk the walk, and they have a central lens on sustainability that is adopted throughout the business.
What is the culture like at Schroders?
One of the best things was that the people were so great! I hadn’t worked in a big corporate environment before and I didn’t really know what to expect. You hear stereotypes, but everyone was super encouraging and helpful. Schroders want you to the make the most out of the eight weeks; it’s all about approaching different people and knowing that there’s no such thing as a silly question! There was also no expectation to stick just within my Quantitative team and I was encouraged to seek out other
teams for discussions. We were given a contacts list during our induction and when I said to my manager that I was interested in emerging markets, they provided me with specific contacts to reach out to across the company. We also collaborated with the Emerging Market Multi-Asset Income Research team on strategies, which was surprising to me as they’re quite different teams, but it worked really well! Overall, the environment fosters your growth and knowing that there was no-one you couldn’t approach made me feel really reassured.
What is your favourite aspect of your role?
As an intern I was contributing to a wider initiative. I had this expectation that I would complete small projects and I wouldn’t really have a part in the wider team, but this wasn’t the case! One of my projects was working on thematic investing within different ESG areas such as wind energy. The work that I did on this project contributed to their existing model and changed a few factors - so it was really cool to see my impact! The best part for me was learning about the wider relevance of my work, and how it fit into the bigger picture.
What have you found the most challenging?
Definitely time management. As someone new to the corporate world I wasn’t used to being pulled in so many different directions! I had to balance team projects, networking and central training. I also got involved in a couple of volunteering projects, it was a balance between getting involved but also delivering my best. Ultimately, prioritising and balancing your time, you have to decide what takes priority. I found the best way to learn, is being directly thrown into it all. The hardest challenge for me became one of the best skills I developed – time management!
What would be your top tip to members going through the application process?
When it comes to the assessment centres and interviews bring your unique self! When I was applying, I thought because I came from a geography background, they would question my application and lack of financial experience. The more interviews I did, the more I realised that interviewers want you to lean into what makes you standout. They can teach you all about finance, but they can’t change your mindset! Include anything that’s a bit different on your CV whether that be volunteering or sports – don’t shy away from emphasising your unique experiences.
How have you used Bright Network in your career search?
Before I found programme, I used the Bright Network website to stay on top of my deadlines with different applications. The Bright Network website was really useful, as it’s one place with all the requirements,
deadlines and information. I’ve shared the website with a lot of my friends at university as it’s super helpful and that you don’t have to fish around for job info!
Anything else to add?
On my CV I included that I enjoyed travelling and on my first day everyone was asking where I had been as they’d seen it on there. I was told at a Bright Network CV session that you should include whatever interests or hobbies you have. Think about what you’ve learnt and who you’ve met, even if it’s not professional experience! Share your interpersonal skills and be keen to learn. Have an open mind and don’t close yourself to opportunities!
Keen to find out more about Schroders? View their profile here!