Investment Management

A DAY IN THE LIFE

I selected Investment Management because...
I am fascinated with the long-term perspective on today's issues that have major future impacts. For instance, how does the emergence of a middle class in China impact companies' stock you might invest in? Tackling these questions to develop a strategy to invest over the next three, five, ten or more years really appealed to me.

As an Investment Management Summer Analyst...
I worked on a specific team to get a well-rounded understanding of what they did and how they worked. Most Summer Analysts were given a project around a major topical issue in addition to helping out with a number of short-term tasks. I gained great insight into the team I was on. It was also important to be proactive and meet members of other teams and to gain a better sense of my interests and skill sets.

A typical day...
varies based on your group within MSIM. I concentrated on a long-term project throughout the summer, evaluating the relationship between real estate and inflation. I was also invited to join the Real Estate team for meetings on potential investments, which I spent time researching in order to understand the background and context. I then worked with the team to understand the pros and cons of the opportunities. Most days also involved meeting with people from different teams.

The best part of my summer experience at Morgan Stanley was...
the breadth of experience and people I was exposed to. I worked for both the Real Estate and Multi-Asset Alternatives team, so I acquired broad exposure. I was impressed with the time and effort all of my colleagues extended to answer my questions, and particularly with the exposure to senior members of the Firm. The head of MSIM came to hear me present my final project and spent a half-hour afterward with me to discuss the topic.