We recently caught up with Sabrina about how she secured a Technology Analyst role with Morgan Stanley, how she built commercial awareness before the interview and her top tips for Bright Network members looking to follow in her footsteps.
What stood out to you about Morgan Stanley?
The main appeal of Morgan Stanley was its understanding that not everyone has the same background in programming, and its willingness to consider applicants based on potential and capacity to learn new skills. I undertook a Spring Week and summer internship with Morgan Stanley before receiving a graduate offer, and through both experiences the culture of the firm really appealed.
There was a genuine interest from people around the firm to meet us interns, during the pandemic we were well informed of what was going on with regards to our summer jobs. When the news broke that it was going to be virtual, they even phoned us to check up on how we felt about the change! Since I started, I have found the culture at the firm is so different to what a 'typical' investment bank is said to be like, with a real focus on diversity, inclusion and volunteering within the local community.
How did you build your commercial awareness before the interview?
I like to listen to finance podcasts, I also had a few friends who were applying to similar jobs so ended up chatting about it with them. Ahead of job interviews, I review my knowledge of a company and its industry. Following each interview, I make a habit of updating lessons learnt by adding new entries to a saved Word document. It just makes you better prepared for the next interview.
What would be your top tip to members going through the application process?
Don't give up! I applied to plenty of different places, and made it through to two interview processes before I secured an offer. Keep a record of what you write for application questions, as it will be a handy reference when you face similar questions from other companies you’re applying to. Also, get your applications in early as they’ll tend to register more prominently with hiring companies coming at the beginning of the process. That said, what you say in your application will be more important than when you say it. And when you get to the assessment centre and the interview stages, try to be relaxed and enjoy the experience as much as possible. Be calm, and be observant about what interviewers and other reps are saying about their company. It all helps with your foundation of knowledge.
How did Bright Network help you secure this role?
I discovered Morgan Stanley did Spring Weeks via the Bright Network website. The site had a list of open technology Spring Weeks and internships at investment banks, along with their deadlines and links to the application pages. I bookmarked this page. From that Spring Week at Morgan Stanley I was offered a 10-week summer internship with the bank, and subsequently a graduate role - which I wouldn't have without Bright Network pointing me in the right direction!
What’s your advice for tackling tough interview questions?
Talk through your thought process to your interviewers, especially if it's a technical question. Most of the time they want to see how you think, and whether you can communicate with other people. Also, take a deep breath. If your immediate response to a question is 'oh no', giving yourself a few seconds or so to just think about how to approach it, can help massively.
Did you use Bright Network Academy in your career search and if so, how did it help you?
I used the free psychometric tests to help prepare for my online assessments. They were useful because they gave me a way to practice sitting online timed tests, and meant I was more relaxed for the actual assessments. Since getting my job, I’ve looked at some of the career skills courses, such as how to network effectively, to help me hit the ground running in my job and make sure I capitalised on any opportunities offered to me.
What top three tips would you give Bright Network members looking to follow in your footsteps?
- Believe in yourself. Even if you send your CV to places where you don’t meet all the criteria for a role, the worst anyone will ever say is ‘no’.
- Dress for the job. When I had interviews, whether in Zoom or in person, I'd make sure to dress smarter than I usually would. Even if the company dress code is quite relaxed, it's always useful to give a good impression, by looking professional, collected and ready for the interview.
- Do something non-academic that you really enjoy. I got involved with a sports society, and it not only kept me balanced during university, but it also gave me something non-degree related to talk about in interviews. It also shows that you can juggle studying/work with other things, and that you are keen to get involved with an outside community.
Let us know where you've secured your work experience, internship or graduate role. We want to celebrate your success with a gift from us and exclusive invitations to evening networking drinks throughout the year.
