Super valuable learnings, generous people, great friendships – we're staying
01-09-2022 13:32
(DK #3) When asked what you did in your summer holiday, and you say work, people tend to feel sorry for you. No need for that in this case. Our summer interns “enjoyed every week of the internship” at the Markets trading floor in Copenhagen. In their last blog - as interns - Emma, Andreas and Christoffer tell why it was so great – about challenges, valuable learnings, helpful people, and more.
I have learned a lot. And unsurprisingly, most of it has been about finance, FX trading and banking in general! However, my programming skills have definitely improved as well, and I have acquired industry standard approaches to both coding style and testing of the code. I find this super valuable, and it will surely come in handy during my master thesis project.
Another very important learning is that I found out that the financial sector is a good match for me to make a career in. I am looking forward to seeing the exciting solutions I will contribute to in the future.
Best things – The people and fast paced environment
Meeting likeminded people - a surprising number of physicists. Most of the physicists I know, just love to solve difficult problems, and have chosen the ones in the finance sector, where, unlike in physics, the rules and conditions change all the time and adaptability plays a big role to succeed.
Furthermore, it’s been a pleasure meeting my fellow interns, whom I hope to continue seeing after the internship. Their backgrounds, study environments and knowledge about the banking sector is significantly different from mine, and getting to know them have been fun and enlightening.
The fast paced environment has been a fun experience, and a good fit for me. Especially because when you get home, you have no homework or upcoming assignments. So, spending my entire summer holyday at Nordea Markets has still felt like a nice break from university.
Challenges – continue asking ‘stupid’ questions
The biggest challenge has been to keep asking the so-called “stupid” questions about industry specific topics, even though I knew that the other interns might know the answers, due to their background in economics or finance. The somewhat slower start for me has most certainly been worth it, because when the problem is understood, a more math/programming oriented background certainly has its advantages when solving the tasks/issues.
Recommendations – Apply for an internship
My biggest recommendation is definitely to apply for an internship at Nordea Markets next year. Especially as a STEM-student, as we have a lot of analytical skills that can come to great use in solving a lot of interesting problems in this industry. Furthermore, since a significant portion of STEM-graduates end up in the finance sector you might as well get a head start. So apply for an internship here.
My biggest recommendation is definitely to apply for an internship at Nordea Markets - especially as a STEM-student
Also, when you apply and get the internship, ask to see multiple desks. It is a great way to get a feel for what you can do in the future, how everything is connected in a bank. Last but not least, it’s also a unique opportunity to meet a lot of interesting people.
Go all in during the internship, and participate in as much as possible – it is only 8 weeks, so you might as well get the most out of it. Then you can spend the rest of the summer holyday on a well-deserved vacation 😊.
In my internship at Markets FX and Derivatives, I have learned a lot about the different internal functions, as well as all the different roles across markets. Due to the rotation programme within FX and Derivatives, I have solved many different tasks which is a great way to get an idea of what a normal work day looks like in the various job functions across the team. Consequently, my analytical abilities have sharpened and my insights and understanding of the business have increased evidently which has made the experience very valuable to me.
Best things – Generous colleagues, participation in client meetings
Some of the best things about my internship has been to speak with a lot of different people with different backgrounds - both within my team, across Markets and outside Markets. I have been positively surprised with how kind and open everyone have been, and how generously colleagues have shared their knowledge and experiences.
It has also been cool to experience the support we received, when we wished to be a part of certain tasks. Sales have been an area I have found interesting, leading me to participate in different meetings with clients. This has been very insightful and fun.
Further, it has been a pleasure to getting to know my fellow interns whom have been very fun to be around during the summer, and I am sure we will stay in touch after the internship.
From left; Emma, Christian, Christoffer, Andreas & Timothy - happy faces, going places.
Consequently, I am confident that I know a lot about the different jobs and opportunities within Nordea, and I now have a good understanding of markets and the interplay between a lot of the functions.
Challenges– Steep learning curve, which was great
It has been a fun challenge to work within a field where my knowledge was somehow limited to school books and income statements from prior student jobs. So, getting on the other side, and doing a lot of different tasks for the different teams, which have encouraged a lot of questions – both small and big ones – have resulted in a steep learning curve from the very beginning. Which has been great.
Recommendations – Be curious and apply for the internship
I would definitely recommend the internship to other curious students who are interested in Markets, and wish to try firsthand, how it is to work on a trading floor. Be curious about your colleagues, and do not be afraid to approach different people and listen to their experiences, and what learnings they have attained throughout their careers. It is a great opportunity to expand your network with a lot of clever people who have been in Markets for many years and know the industry from inside out.
Learnings – Improved programming skills and gained financial insight
I have mainly been working on a program that downloads data for every spot trade that Nordea has made, and stores which cross currencies there have been used to create the original cross. Therefrom, it attempts to calculate the corresponding euro rates for each of the currencies in the cross. I have also used a couple of weeks analysing PL data. My main task has been to see if I could find patterns in the trades, which has been very fun to dig into and investigate.
I have really learned a lot from my internship in Nordea Markets. I have certainly improved my programming skills these last couple of months here. I’ve also learned how to code more professionally – a skill which I am looking very much forward to applying at university. Furthermore, I have learned a lot about finance, FX trading and the different roles there are in a big bank like Nordea.
Best thing(s) – meeting super skilled people, bonding with fellow interns
The best thing about this internship must be meeting all these interesting and super skilled people who work here at Nordea. It has been fun to hear about their stories, and their roles here in the bank, all of which has given me a better understanding of how the bank works and the many various career opportunities.
I have really enjoyed every week of this internship, also when my tasks got challenging
One of the other best things about the internship is that I started together with five other interns. Although we did not work in the same teams, we have established a great bond throughout this experience, and I hope that we will keep in touch and continue seeing each other after this internship.
Most challenging – Learning to code professionally, also the best thing
The most challenging part of my internship, I think has been to learn to code professionally. Before I started, I would have said that I was good at programming, but after eight weeks at Nordea Markets, I realised that I was wrong – and not that good. The team has been very helpful, and provided me with a lot of feedback, so that my coding skills really has improved, a lot. Thank you, team.
Would I recommend students to apply for an internship at Nordea Markets?
YES, definitely. I can only recommend taking an internship at Nordea Markets. Especially if you have interest in the financial sector and in banking. I have really enjoyed every week of this internship, also when my tasks got challenging. People are very helpful and truly wants you to succeed.
Just apply!
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It's been a great pleasure having Emma, Andreas and Christoffer joining us during summer – not to mention their fellow interns; Karl Emil, Timothy and Christian who will share their experiences as interns with us in an upcoming blog, so stay tuned.
Meanwhile, we can let you in on some great news: Emma, Andreas and Christoffer are not leaving us. They have accepted our job offer, and will be working at Markets in student positions as of September/October 2022.
Warm welcome back, Emma, Andreas and Christoffer 🤩!
We'll keep you posted - meanwhile, check out the blogs from fellow interns in our Meet our Talents blog, and stay updated on vacant positions and when to apply for internships and graduate positions.
Interested in a career at Nordea Markets LC&I?
Nordea Markets LC&I (Large Corporates & Institutions) is the leading international capital operator and investment banking partner in the Nordic region. Let some of our student interns, graduates as well as experienced professionals explain it to you; how it works, what we do, and about the many career opportunities we can offer you.
