We spoke to Kelvin about his time at Schroders this summer. He told us about the collaborative and friendly culture and shared his top tips for members looking to follow in his footsteps.
Tell us a bit about yourself
This summer I am interning in the Wealth Management business area of Schroders. Recently, I have graduated from the University of St Andrews where I studied joint honours in Economics and Geography.
What is the culture like at Schroders?
Something that particularly stood out to me whilst I was researching Schroders was the strong sense of collaboration and enjoyment in working here. Therefore, I was particularly looking forward to experiencing this for myself.
A real testament to the culture here is the huge number of employees I have met who have spent most if not all their career at Schroders. Having interned during this summer, it is clear why this is the case. There is a great sense of community and comradery throughout the entire business, something I might not have expected from such a large company.
I found that everyone I came across – particularly those in my team – were more than happy to give up their valuable time for me.
In one instance, I, along with other interns were tasked with producing a presentation on inclusion and diversity, we thought who better to ask than the Chief of Staff at Schroders. Rather wishfully and hesitantly we sent out an email to her, and to all our surprise she had agreed.
It’s extremely encouraging that such a senior individual, who no doubt has an extremely busy timetable, is happy to speak to a few interns for over an hour and show real interest in our experiences. It speaks volumes about the culture here and for me, I feel very lucky to have had the opportunity to experience this as my introduction into working life.
What’s your favourite aspect of your role at Schroders so far?
Aside from the people who I’ve met, I’ve also really enjoyed learning more about the investment side of wealth management. From attending meetings with fund managers to presenting my own research on an equity, I have certainly gained valuable experiences which puts me in good stead for the future.
More generally, this has provided me with a comprehensive understanding of what a career in this industry might entail, and I look forward to pursuing this.
What would be your top tip to members going through the application process?
- Thoroughly research the company and role.
This will give you an idea of whether you are interested in the position and the company and will help you more easily convey interest during the application process. Researching online is a great place to start and I found trawling through annual reports or news articles was an efficient way to get to know the company.
Attending company hosted events and speaking to employees are also a fantastic way to find out about the culture of a business and day-to-day responsibilities of a role. It’s a great opportunity to network and will invariably help you decide if the role is suited for you.
- Persevere.
Like many others, it took me several attempts before I was successful in securing an internship. Investing considerable time into applications just to be unsuccessful can be disheartening. However, I found that the application processes between companies often shared similarities, so rather than allowing setbacks to feel like you are not making progress,
I would suggest reflecting on your applications, proactively seek feedback and note down how you may have improved.
- Be yourself.
Although this seems trivial, I found that it can be easy to try and portray yourself as someone who you are not during the application process.
Especially during interviews, I firmly believe that people gravitate towards those who are genuine and at ease.
Keen to find out more about Schroders? View their profile here!