Are you looking to gain experience for your career that makes your resume shine? If so, an internship in New York City is an excellent way to set yourself apart! Getting an internship under your belt before graduation provides a great platform to learn about business operations or even fulfill academic requirements and gain credit. Check out Juan’s Finance internship experience in New York and learn how you could be doing the same!
Hi Juan! How did you get involved with this internship and why’d you choose to do it?
I first came up with the idea of doing an internship program outside my home country of Spain. Consequently, I started a new position as an intern, through Intern Abroad HQ, with a multinational financial services firm, in New York City. My goal of choosing this program was to gain valuable experience in seeing firsthand how a business is run in financial services, before graduating from college.
This internship experience helped me gain valuable work experience and boost my resume, while I was able to fulfill college requirements. Therefore, the professional environment allowed me to approach any future experiences with confidence and determination. I was delighted with the whole process - everything seemed so clear to me and the support allowed me to step right in!
What did your role as a Finance intern include?
I was able to assist the team with several duties: Sourcing new potential client leads, confirming client notes and appointments, and seeking or making contact with potential candidates for the junior advisor job.
The internship placement allowed me to learn from experienced professionals and find good networking opportunities. Moreover, I could test myself by facing uncertain situations, avoiding mistakes, and dealing with discomfort.
The overall experience led me to strengthen my resume and my graduate school application, besides learning from my strengths and weaknesses.
What kind of practical skills and insights were you able to gain?
I was able to develop adaptability during my finance internship, getting the chance to put it into practice, allowing me to respond and adapt quickly to changes. I consider that skill of great importance because being adaptable means working without boundaries and being open to finding diverse alternatives or solutions to challenges in the workplace.
The New York internship experience taught me not to be afraid of changes as it is a natural part of life, and how adaptability is the main tool to overcome uncertain situations. The fact of being exposed to a new kind of environment guarantees a new fresh perspective where I could stay positive and focus on what I do control.
This is a learning objective I didn’t elaborate on before the beginning of this program, realizing through the process that the American way of working is very different and exclusive. Thanks to that, I could expand my worldview as I was able to explore this new working environment, with different cultural norms and values.
I also learned how to work in an American office environment, full of competent professionals in the field. I tended to avoid asking for help at the very beginning. However, this led me to understand how important people’s help is, especially if I am a beginner at something.
Why would you recommend this kind of intern abroad opportunity to others?
The internship is an opportunity to rise and shine, the best version of yourself. Dealing with a professional working environment, especially when it is the first time, may push someone to their best capacity. In my case, the internship placement allowed me to show a professional version of myself, motivated to learn and perform as effectively as possible.
Moreover, the opportunity of learning from professionals and connecting with them requires communicating and to be open-minded. Communicating with others from a new workplace boosts someone’s self-esteem while keeping informed about what’s happening around them.
What were some particular highlights of the internship in New York?
I had the opportunity to travel around through the internship, and in every single place, I felt comfortable, despite the fact that I was far away from home. I met such wonderful people, whom I love, and discovered places I never would have imagined.
However, what I most enjoyed during my time in New York City was the opportunity to work with the financial advisors - the positive work atmosphere and excitement from all those great professionals made the experience more enjoyable. Moreover, experiencing a new environment pulled me out of my comfort zone and challenged me. During my internship program, I succeeded in gaining valuable experience related to the field I am studying, boosting my career, and learning from the best professionals.
Ready to start planning your own internship abroad? Here’s how to started!
Our step-by-step guide on how it works provides you with more information on how to get started. The process is user friendly - just submit your application to get the ball rolling. It doesn’t cost anything to apply and won’t take more than 5 minutes. However, your formal expression of interest provides the foundation for us to help you take the next steps.
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