Why delaying my graduation was one of the best decisions I have ever made

Six months ago, we were presented with an opportunity by our lecturer, Andrew Ainsworth. “One of the world’s leading asset management firms is recruiting an intern for a six month stint”, he shared.

I thought of applying immediately – what better way to gain more professional experience than to immerse myself in the financial world and apply what I’ve learnt there? It was like a litmus test – would I make the cut?

Concerns flew through my mind at the very same time – I had to take a semester off from university and delay my graduation – would I lag behind my peers after this internship? The fact that I had never heard of Wellington before that day was, in all honesty, unsettling as well.

I quickly reached out to a friend who was working in the fund management industry hoping for some advice. His response was clear – a six-month programme within the financial services industry was an incredible opportunity to distinguish myself as having a genuine interest in finance and commitment to your future employers. He also emphasised that the firm was of high calibre and reputable – that was all I need to hear to seal the deal!

The role
In my role, I have the opportunity to work with two different teams - investment administration in the mornings and externally facing global relationship duties in the afternoons. No two days are the same, making the experience very unique. My typical morning involves facilitating the flow of clients’ assets, corporate actions processing and ensuring that trades and assets are priced correctly. My role in the afternoon covers a broader range of tasks. For example, I could be engaged in performance reporting or working on projects that focus on industry analysis and contemporary trends. I have since realised that the only way to gain in-depth knowledge and experience would be to stick at something for a period of time.

I have been at the firm for only three months but have learnt a great deal – the opportunities to understand financial markets and investment vehicles across a range of asset classes never cease to excite me every day at work. To an ambitious undergraduate, this experience is also an eye-opener to the diverse avenues and career paths within Wellington and financial services that exist all over the world.

Having had prior exposure to other corporate internships, I can also confidently claim that the culture at Wellington on a global spectrum is unique – the firm is made up of incredibly genuine and intelligent people who are always willing to offer guidance. Being able to build a professional network of mentors who have been nothing but supportive is invaluable. 

Would I do it again? Absolutely.

Sam Archibald
Current student at the University of Sydney, studying Agricultural Economics and majoring in Corporate Finance. He unabashedly declares that FINC3017 Investments and Portfolio Management is one of his favourite subjects that kick-started his interest in investment management.

Apply for the next internship at Wellington.
Applications close on 30 April 2015. 

Adventures in Paris: Student Reflections on the International Placement Program

Despite the pre-departure orientation, nothing could quite prepare our group of 16 Business School students for what it really means to be an intern in Paris! Armed with French phrasebooks and Excel cheat sheets to help us manage whatever came our way, most of us began our placements feeling reasonably confident we were up to the task.

What quickly became clear is that the true challenge of being an intern in France is not so much adapting our skills and knowledge, which most of us found reasonably easily done, but rather to get used to the huge differences between doing business in Australia and in France. This experience of course varied among the group, as we are in placements of many different kinds of French and international organisations, all with their own distinctive style of work.

However, there are definitely some common themes! For starters, le déjeuner (lunch) is one of the most important parts of the day, and team members usually eat out together at a nearby restaurant. Sometimes business is discussed, but it’s often just a nice way to socialise. It’s wonderful as an intern to be included in this kind of thing (especially for the chance to try some more Parisian food)! Lessons I’ve learned over business lunch is not to order Orangina, which is apparently akin to ordering a chocolate milk at a fancy restaurant, and not to eat too much so as to avoid spending the rest of the afternoon in a food coma! While the French have a career’s worth of experience eating a huge lunch and heading straight back to work, inexperienced Australians may find themselves nodding off in an afternoon meeting if they’re not careful!

Another difference between the French and Australian style of doing business is more subtle, but very important to understand. The French adopt a much more consultative approach to projects, spending a lot of time discussing and debating, and trying a few things out before concrete decisions are made. To an Australian used to ticking boxes and meeting targets this may seem like a waste of time, but the French are used to their style and may regard schedules and fixed goals as impediments to good results. That being said, the French appreciate Australians’ motivation to get the job done on time, which seems to go down well with the boss!

There’s often talk of Parisians behaving rudely to people who don’t speak French, and with a group of students with varying abilities in the language some of us were a little apprehensive about this! Fortunately, it quickly became clear at work that a friendly bonjour in the morning and an à demain in the afternoon (and an apparent French fondness for Australian accents!) smoothed the way.

Office attire, especially for the girls, has also been an interesting one. Preparing for the bipolar weather, finding something clean and then attempting to dress as glamorously as the Parisians is of course the goal, but it’s usually a matter of picking one or two of the three!

While adapting to the French style of doing business has involved many a faux pas, we have come a long way in four weeks and can’t believe there are only two more to go! 

Iona Main

Current student at the University of Sydney Business School and participant in the International Placement Program in Paris, France, interning with Kimberly Wealth Management