Operations

A DAY IN THE LIFE

I chose to start my career in Financial Services because...
I was interested in financial markets and wanted a job that would provide me with broad finance training and expose me to various areas within the firm.

I selected Operations because...
it provided a good understanding of varied financial products and exposure to many divisions and functions.

As an Operations Summer Analyst...
I relied heavily on my problem-solving and organizational skills. To be successful, I needed strong verbal and written skills to communicate with people and to work well as a team member. I learned how to contribute to creating and managing change and worked closely with others on the team.

A typical day...
started with early-morning reconciliation and managing emails and trades from after-market close the previous day. I then responded to the many ad-hoc queries we received throughout the day. I worked on projects that allowed for reflection on protocols to assess ways we could improve efficiency within the business. I contributed to our end-of-day position reconciliation and sent out any emails that needed action by our international teams, particularly those regarding trades with issues that were due to settle the following day.

The best part of my summer experience at Morgan Stanley was...
the type and variety of work and the fact that I had my own responsibilities. I worked on matters involving hedge funds, investment management firms, and small banks, so I got a fairly broad overview of client practices. My manager gave me regular performance feedback, and my mentor served as an invaluable resource. I also enjoyed the social activities outside of work, from networking events, to committees, and sports teams.