FinTech is relatively a new field where one can see tons of innovations happening. Described as a portmanteau of finance and technology, it leverages the use of technology to make finance-related activities easier and cost-effective. From major investment banking firms like Goldman Sachs & Morgan Stanley to the Big four accounting firms, all of them use technology to bring about new changes thereby creating endless opportunities for engineers and developers.
Read on to know about some of the programs offered by top-notch companies for students and graduates!
Goldman Sachs
A leading global investment banking firm, it is also one of the major hotspots for tech internships.
Let’s take a look at one major internship program rolled out by Goldman Sachs in various cities.
- Summer Analyst Internship
This is an eight to ten-week internship offered to students pursuing a college or university degree. From working on cutting edge real-world problems to collaborating with the brightest and most experienced professionals of Goldman Sachs, the interns end up getting the best exposure ever.
The engineering division of the program primarily includes:
- Quantitative Strategists
- Cyber Security
- Software Engineering
- Systems Engineering
Goldman Sachs expects their interns to have a thorough knowledge of the following concepts:
- Distributed systems, databases
- Design and analysis of algorithms
- Implementation of programming language and run time systems
- Finance, stochastic calculus and financial models are an added advantage
To know more about this program click here.
GS usually onboards interns through on-campus recruitments. The candidates are expected to have strong coding skills along with good algorithmic and problem-solving abilities.
The initial test is an online coding test conducted on online platforms like Hackerrank. Brush up on your programming skills and pay special attention to Data structures and Algorithms, Mathematics and puzzles. Multiple interviews are conducted to filter out the best candidates.
Morgan Stanley
Another leading investment firm, Morgan Stanley is also known for student-specific internships.
Let’s have a look at one of the major internship programs rolled out by Morgan Stanley in various cities:
- Summer Analyst
The summer analyst program runs for about 10 weeks in June except for India where it runs for either six or two months. Students who are currently in their penultimate year of study can apply for the same. The selected interns are recruited into either the Development or Enterprise Engineering Team. They work on live projects under the guidance of the senior executives of Morgan Stanley.
The following are the skills a candidate applying for the position is expected to have:
- Strong understanding of operating systems (Linux/Unix and Windows)
- Competency in at least one programming language
- Understanding of OOPs concepts
- Thorough understanding of data structures and algorithms and complexity theory
- Strong database and scripting skills
- Possess excellent problem-solving, communication, teamwork, and analytical skills
To know more about this program click here.
After applying online, one has to attend an online test that includes several open-ended questions from numerical reasoning, verbal reasoning, and logical reasoning. You can also expect technical questions from concepts like OOPs, Data Structure and algorithms, and DBMS. Brush up your programming skills and attempt the test with confidence. Make sure to include a cover letter that describes why you are interested to join the company.
The last stage has several other rounds to filter out the best possible candidates. It can be anything from an individual presentation to a one to one interview.
Here are a few general tips while applying for tech internships:
- Practice and practice!!
Coding skills are something that cannot be mastered overnight. It requires consistent effort and perseverance. Learn more concepts and keep working out problems in online platforms like Hackerrank, Leetcode. There is no substitute for hard work. Keep trying and keep going!
- Seek help from the placement cell of your college
The best way to grab an internship offer is through on campus. If the company does not come to your college, get in touch with your training and placement officer, and ask them to connect with the recruiters of the company. There are high chances that the company may respond.
- Attend events organized by the company
Be it a webinar or a tech conference, make sure to attend them. You will be able to get a lot of information regarding the possible career opportunity in the company. These events are also a great way to connect with professionals from the company. You can build your network only at retreats and events like these.
- Reach out to your connections
Referrals come if you manage your connections well. There are lots of instances where referrals have helped in securing internships. Reach out your alumni who work in the company you are applying for and ask for some tips from them. You might come across a new opening you never knew about.
- Research about the company
Just before sitting for an interview, go through the company’s website. Keep yourself updated about the latest things happening in the company. Gather more information about the role you are applying for and know about the current trends and innovations happening in the field.
- Try Jumpstart
The JumpStart Advisory Group helps in developing skilled undergraduates and helps them to connect with the professionals from such big firms.
- Never shy away from applying
Whenever a new internship opportunity is posted, even if you don’t meet the entire criteria, apply for it. The worst thing that can happen is not being selected.
Even though Fintech is a rapidly emerging sector, it is creating endless opportunities for tech enthusiasts. Be it a data scientist to an ML enthusiast to a software engineer, anybody who is interested in tech can contribute to it.
If you are passionate about technology and want to use it to bring about innovative changes in finance, these tech internships are a great way to add value to your profile.
Keep these above pointers in mind and with the right preparation, you can land your dream tech internship at these top-notch companies!!
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