Being able to work at a leading global banking institution such as Credit Suisse has proved to be a truly amazing experience as it has helped me to utilise my existing skills and to further develop them. For example, I have been able to utilise my organisational and time-management skills and more importantly, to further develop these skills so that they are much stronger. I have been able to further develop my understanding of the financial services industry and the different divisions within an investment bank.
In addition, I was extremely pleased to be given a range of real work to do which made the placement very interesting and varied because I was contributing to real high-level projects during my orientations and thoroughly enjoyed learning about the diversity of financial products and services offered by Credit Suisse, and with the business continuing to look for new opportunities to differentiate itself from its competitors, this made the environment very high-energy, fast-paced and I was always learning something new while constantly being intellectually challenged, which made for an exciting, demanding and rewarding environment.
Moreover, I have been able to sit in on meetings with senior managers from around the world, which has been an amazing opportunity. I felt part of the team from day one. I was treated as if I were a full-time employee, with real responsibilities and the opportunity to develop relationships with senior people.
Furthermore, all the people I met at Credit Suisse were personable, happy to help, and I was impressed and surprised by the number of senior people I got to speak to, which I saw as a sign that the hierarchy is definitely not as rigid as people might think – you can talk to a director as much as you’d talk to a colleague at the same level as you. What struck me most about my time at Credit Suisse was its friendly and welcoming ethos – combined with its strong sense of commitment to professional excellence, this made it a highly challenging yet surprisingly enjoyable environment.
Everybody went out of their way to make me feel welcome and included. Even directors made time to talk through their work and made themselves available for random queries. Furthermore, I also made a point of talking to as many people as I could, so that I could learn about the area they worked in – and I was inspired by the incredible drive and enthusiasm everyone has for what they do, which is hugely motivating as a fantastic example of how much you can achieve here at Credit Suisse.
In essence, my time at Credit Suisse was a great experience; not only an opportunity to experience the inner workings of a leading investment banking firm, but also an introduction to life as an investment banking professional. Has this experience been valuable to you since? This placement has offered me the perfect introduction to uncover what a career in investment banking is really like and has provided me with a unique insight in to what it takes to achieve in the fast-paced and dynamic world of investment banking.
The real intensity began when I was exposed to different areas of Credit Suisse, thereby gaining unparalleled insights into the Bank and their businesses, witness live deals and be exposed to real projects. Further to that, I have learnt about how the financial markets work and Credit Suisse’s place within it, as well as having the opportunity to meet and learn from a variety of their professionals. Furthermore, this experience has greatly helped me to validate what I have learned and deepened my understanding of my chosen field of interest which will help me in my future career.
By working on real projects, which relate to what I have learned from my own independent study I can see the uses of the concepts and methods, which I have learned and also understand the variables that makes this industry so dynamic and complex. I have also had the opportunity to meet a number of successful individuals from different cultures and backgrounds – all of whom have been kind enough to provide me with advice and guidance in relation to my work at the company as well as helping me to build my professional network that will prove invaluable.
I feel that this work experience has positively impacted upon my life in a significant manner because it’s given me invaluable working experience, which will make me more competitive when I’m looking for a job in the future. Moreover, this experience has helped me to narrow down the things, which interest me most and therefore, I will be able to choose my future university degree courses and career path more accordingly.
Having enjoyed my placement so much, I would like to thank Credit Suisse for making it all possible, and in particular Kripa Karania for her constant support, guidance and encouragement. In brief this experience has provided me with an invaluable opportunity to work closely with some of the industry’s most respected professionals when learning about the inter-relation of divisions in an investment bank and the dynamics of the financial markets, which I firmly believe will lay strong foundations for my potential future career within the investment banking sector.
