We caught up with Fiona to see how she managed to secure such an impressive internship at Morgan Stanley and her top tips for Bright Network members to secure technical roles.
Why did you apply to Morgan Stanley?
The role they had posted just seemed perfect for me so I knew I had to apply for it, at that point not knowing too much about the company itself. However, when going down to the assessment centre I knew the atmosphere and people I had interacted with suited my personality well and I felt there was a lot of support and room to grow my own skills.
What was the hardest part of the application process for you?
My role is very technical as a software developer, however I was the only maths student at my assessment centre alongside many computer scientists. I felt everyone there would have more technical experience; however in the end that worked in my favour! The technical questions were tough but they loved my maths background - saying it’s much easier to teach a technical skill than to teach someone to problem solve and think mathematically.
How was the process overall, and what was your favourite part?
I found the process very useful, not only to hone my interview skills but also to evaluate my own areas of strengths and weaknesses. I initially had a phone interview which kept my very at ease and then the assessment centre was split into 3 interviews and a group task. I loved the variety at the assessment centre, so if one interview felt it wasn’t your best then you could shine at another.
What are your 3 top tips for students just like you to apply
- Don’t be scared of who else will apply for the role and only focus on yourself. If I’d had worried about being the only maths applicant I wouldn’t have ever gotten the role.
- If you don’t know the answer to a question then just say! Never lie or pretend you know more than you do, in my feedback they said they appreciated me telling them what I didn’t know so I could more onto areas I knew a lot more about.
- Relax! I really enjoyed my assessment centre and it was largely because I stayed calm and focused; not only helping my nerves but also helping me to conduct myself better.
