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    How to Secure a Citi Internship in 2023

    As job seekers ourselves at one point, we always wondered what it would be like to get a behind-the-scenes look at a company’s job application and interview process. To know what recruiters are looking for, what the do’s and don’ts are, and exactly what it takes to get noticed by a specific company.

    Forget about one-size fits all resume guides and interview tips. Anyone who has spent a month in the job market knows very well how much application processes differ from company to company.

    One application and interview process that is particularly unique? Citi’s incredibly lucrative Banking Internship; a program that earned a spot on WayUp’s Top 100 Internships 2022.

    Recently, we got the chance to chat with a couple of individuals who participated in Citi’s nationally recognized Summer Analyst program. In our conversations, three Summer Analysts from Citi reveal what they did to secure their positions at Citi and set up such bright futures for themselves.

    Fine-Tune the Resume

    Before you land a Summer Analyst role with Citi, you’ve got to secure the interview, but before that, you’ve got to make sure that resume shines. So, the first thing you should always do, before anything else in the application process, is make sure your resume is in tip-top shape.

    If your resume isn’t up to date or looks messy, recruiters are going to have a hard time giving your application the stamp of approval. Take what a former Citi Summer Analyst did before submitting their application.

    “My initial belief going into the resume process was that I would not include school projects or projects that I thought were small. But what I learned was the exact opposite. You should always consider small projects because recruiters might notice certain skills you utilized during those projects that you didn’t list on your resume.”
    Citi Technology Summer Analyst

    To take their suggestions one step further, we suggest you prepare yourself by breaking down each experience on your resume by what skills were used. Ask yourself – are these skills relative to the job I’m applying for? Are they valued skills? Do these experiences and the skills that come with them deserve space on my resume?

    Tap Your Network

    As the ways to network diversify, so do the opportunities for early-career professionals to make connections that can propel their careers forward. 

    LinkedIn, Twitter, Facebook, WayUp, no matter how you choose to network, the two things you need to keep in mind are authenticity and speed. Although they might not have said it outright, everyone we spoke to in our interviews emphasized how when they pursued a new contact, they would never ask for something in return. They simply would introduce themselves and stay consistent with conversation over time.

    When you begin a conversation with a request – advice, more contacts, a job – you immediately displace yourself and often end up making the ensuing dialogue transactional and inauthentic.

    In any case, you should offer your new contact something, but coming in on neutral grounds will always be the best way to start a conversation.

    Once you’re confident you can keep things authentic, then you need to get up and start reaching out as much as possible. This speed factor is something a lot of professionals don’t always consider, but when a former Citi Summer Analyst explained it, things began to make perfect sense.

    If you can reach out to people starting early, that’s amazing, especially in the financial realm. Professionals in finance like to get their talent off early, and that doesn’t mean that they aren’t looking later on, but the earlier that you start, the faster you will join the industry.
    Citi Personal Banking Summer Analyst

    Hunt for On-Campus Opportunities

    One very common mistake that college students make is not using all of the resources available to them on campus. Those that do seek out those resources, especially the resources provided by the career services department, oftentimes find themselves on a direct track to flourishing employment opportunities.

    This is particularly true when it comes to Citi as their presence on campus is massive. One of the main ways Citi stays active at colleges across the country is through its Early ID program. 

    After hearing about this on-campus mentorship program through a couple of alumni from her school, one former Citi Summer Analyst decided to apply for the program with the intention of learning new skills and growing herself professionally. She didn’t know if she would get a job from it, but she took the chance, put in the work, and is now a contributing member of Citi’s personal banking department.

    In another instance, a former Summer Analyst with Citi and current Campus Ambassador used her campus event posting board to start making contacts and learning about new opportunities.

    I used a campus job board where you can go on and see different events happening on your campus and different companies coming. I decided I’ll go to as many events as I can, as many as my schedule allows, and Citi was one of them. I went to one of their fireside chats Freshman fall where I met a university recruiter who would later offer me a job.
    Citi Wealth Management Summer Analyst, Current Campus Ambassador

    Almost every college with a career services department has resources like what one former Summer Analyst describes. If you can’t find it immediately, just contact someone from the career center!

    How to Prepare for the Interview

    If you’re able to make that resume sparkle, put on your networking cap, and use as many resources as you have access to, there is a very good chance that you make it to the interview process. This is perhaps one of the most critical steps of the process, especially when it comes to Citi’s Summer Analyst program.

    Although it is subject to change, our understanding of the Citi Summer Analyst program interview is that it has two parts – a behavioral and a technical component. This means you should be able to answer questions regarding both comprehension and knowledge while also being able to deliver on reactive and situational assessments. 

    There really is no way to know for sure what your recruiter or interviewer is going to ask, so the best way to prepare is by educating yourself and rehearsing as much as possible!

    I did mock interviews with some family members to build up my behavioral interview skills. I also watched a ton of YouTube videos about what to talk about and what points to hit whenever you’re being interviewed.
    Citi Technology Summer Analyst

    He knew that he would have to react on his toes and do so with ease and fluidity, so he made sure to practice his presentation and speech-making skills. He also knew that he would be assessed on his knowledge of the industry and space he was applying to. He didn’t know what exactly, so he cast a wide net and tried to gather as much information as he could. 

    These are by far the best ways to prepare yourself for an interview for Citi’s Summer Analyst program.

    Proceed With an Open Mind

    One thing that remains consistent between the three former Summer Analysts we interviewed is the way they approached the Summer Analyst application process at Citi. Each one of them went about it with an open mind and zero preconceptions of what the process might look like and how it might benefit them.

    One former Summer Analyst joined Citi to gain experience, learn new skills, and grow herself professionally. There was no need to assume she would pursue a career with Citi. 

    When you pursue a job just because you want a job, passion tends to dwindle. But when you pursue a job with the intention of learning and growing yourself, you can get more out of it. The former Summer Analyst we are referring to ended up being one of the few Summer Analysts to be extended an offer for a two-year rotational program that she is now embarking on.

    As for one former Citi Summer Analyst, he retained an open mind when it came to interviewing at Citi. He didn’t assume it was going to go one way or another, he didn’t practice a pre-arranged plot structure, he just remained authentic and armed himself with as much information as possible. In this case, his broad scope paid off.

    Below is a perfect example of how an open mind can lead you to incredible success.

    When I came to Georgetown my freshman year, I wasn’t sure which career path I wanted to take. A Citi recruiter told me to apply to their sophomore leadership program, which I hadn’t heard of until she told me about it. I wasn’t sure if I wanted to be in finance, but I was like, you know, it wouldn’t hurt to apply and just see where this takes me. Maybe I’ll like it. So, I did and then ended up choosing to Summer Analyst within the Wealth Management sector!
    Citi Wealth Management Summer Analyst, Current Campus Ambassador

    Apply What You Know!

    These are the tricks of the trade, the gate code at the secret entrance, and the tried & true methods to secure a position with Citi for their 2024 Summer Analysts.

    We’ve given you the road map, all you need to do now is follow the course to land an Summer Analyst role that might just change the trajectory of your entire career. More

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    Scoping Startups and Building Brands: At Insight Partners, You Can Do It All

    Although a fair amount of overlap exists between venture capital, private equity, and investment banking, all three sectors differ in significant and unique ways – some of which include the roles and responsibilities bestowed upon employees. If you were to pursue a career in investment banking, you might find yourself working on trades, mergers, and acquisitions; advising in the sale of new stocks and bonds; or connecting buyers and sellers of companies. In venture capital and private equity, you could be doing anything from identifying promising new startups to evaluating a company’s marketing strategy for post-investment growth.

    Although private equity providers, venture capital investors, and investment bankers may all be incentivized to sell stakes at one point or another, private equity and venture capital firms concentrate more on building and growing the companies they invest in. This, coupled with the fact that private equity and venture capital analysts evaluate companies on different factors than investment bankers, leads to some exciting opportunities for people who want to work in the field.

    Recently, we sat in on a virtual event with global venture capital and private equity firm Insight Partners to learn more about some of the open roles that the firm is currently looking to fill. The two positions we ended up identifying as the most engaging and exciting opportunities are the Investment Analyst and the Onsite Diligence and Growth Strategy (DGS) Analyst.

    Scouting for the Next Big Thing: Investment Analyst

    If you’ve ever heard of a company called Shopify, then you already know of one company that an Insight analyst identified and helped scale for success. One of the most exciting parts of being an Investment Analyst is knowing that the companies you’re sourcing and evaluating could be the next big brand or household name that’s going to shake the markets. And, you could be the one who discovers them.

    At Insight, you don’t have to be a partner or executive to get your hands in the mix. The firm is known for its world-class analyst program, which gets junior-level analysts and associates directly involved in deals with the most senior investors on the team.

    Investment Analysts Abhi Srinivas and Nisha Rangarajan attended our virtual seminar with Insight Partners and spoke about their experience on the job with passion and pride. While listening to them speak, it was evident that they love what they do and the company they work for. 

    Post-Investment Prowess – Onsite Diligence & Growth Strategy Analyst

    So Insight decided to invest in a company that an Investment Analyst sourced – what’s next? In come the Onsite DGS Analysts. Insight Onsite is the VC industry’s largest software-focused operations team, which works alongside Insight’s portfolio companies to help executives identify key opportunities for growth. While Investment Analysts are responsible for identifying and making initial contact with the target company, it’s the responsibility of the Onsite DGS Analysts to help the company scale and succeed post-investment.

    The Onsite team is what really drew Ruth Park to Insight. In the post-investment phase, Ruth may be sinking her teeth into the marketing strategy of a company or making recommendations to company leaders on how to put their newly acquired funding to the best use.

    Ruth’s point is that it doesn’t really matter where you come from – Insight is looking for minds from every walk of life and every school of thought to fill its ranks. 

    If you’re interested in being an Investment Analyst or an Onsite DGS Analyst who works with some of the most fascinating growth-stage technology, software, and Internet companies in the world, Insight Partners is for you.

    Check out Insight Partners’ WayUp profile page to learn more about the firm and apply for open roles. More

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    4 People Who Found Their Dream Job In Veeva’s Consultant Development Program

    There’s a reason so many people want to be consultants—especially right out of college. You get to become a trusted advisor and subject matter expert to clients of all different sizes. Not only is it exciting, challenging work that usually involves lots of training and diverse customers, but you’ll almost never get bored.
    Veeva is a software company that helps some of the world’s brightest minds and most cutting-edge companies develop critical medicine, products, and services in the pharmaceutical and biotech industry. Their Consultant Development Program (CDP) takes recent graduates of all backgrounds—from engineering to economics—and trains them to be valuable business partners to Veeva’s customers. It’s an opportunity to make a positive impact both in business and on the world around you.
    Here’s how these four people turned this opportunity into their dream jobs.
    1. Erica Never Stops Evolving (She Even Got Her MBA On The Side)
    For Erica, CDP at Veeva, was an opportunity not only to get the type of role she wanted, but to work in the type of culture she wanted. Erica was looking to work somewhere that would not only train her, but also give her the opportunity to learn by doing.
    That’s exactly what Veeva gave her.
    “There was never a shortage of exciting challenges in CDP,” Erica says. “You’re thrown into the fire—with support—but that’s my favorite part. I was constantly asking, ‘Hey, I haven’t done this before. Can I do it?’ And they let me do that every time. Veeva found opportunities for me.” 
    That means Erica was never just sitting around and watching. Every new engagement was an opportunity to get the kind of experience she wanted. Now, all of that experience is serving her very well, as she’s a full-fledged consultant.
    “CDP prepares you so well for what you’re going to be doing as a consultant,” Erica says. “You only notice the difference because they’re celebrating you and congratulating you for moving up.”
    A promotion wasn’t the only thing Erica was able to achieve during the program, either. 
    “l like to learn. I like to constantly be challenged. When I started this job, on the side, I was going to get my MBA. And I did,” she says.
    Now, as a Veeva consultant with an MBA, she’s ready to take on even more challenges. And Veeva’s clients are ready to provide them.
    2. Abby Figured Out Her Career Goals—And Veeva Is Helping Her Get There
    Abby studied engineering in college but wasn’t sure if she wanted to be stuck in a lab all day. She also wasn’t sure what her long-term career goals were. That’s why Veeva’s CDP—which combines Veeva’s science-supporting products with the problem-solving challenges of a consulting role—was the perfect place for her to figure it out.
    “The main goal of the role is learning,” Abby explains. “You’re learning about the products that we make and the needs of our customers.”
    As a member of the Clinical team, Abby learned a lot about the specific tools that scientists and researchers use in the testing and development of new medicines—and how to best pair professionals with the right Veeva offerings to maximize their success. This business-meets-tech learning helped her realize the possibilities of combining her two primary skill sets.  
    “I have social skills and I love interacting with people. But I also loved the problem-solving aspect of engineering,” Abby says.
    So, what does that mean for her professional goals?
    “I know I want to lead a team of people and I know that I love solving problems. Helping people grow and helping people learn are Veeva values, and now they’re my values, too,” she says.
    3. Mike Broke Into Consulting (And Found A Great Use For His Solar/Pharma/Business Background)
    In just a short time, Mike had gotten a wide variety of professional experiences under his belt. During college, he worked in business operations in the solar power industry. He later had a sales job in the pharmaceutical world working with vaccines. Add some brand ambassador work on the side, and Mike’s resume was very interesting, but what he really wanted to do was consulting.
    Being a life science company with a need for business-savvy grads, Veeva saw Mike as a great candidate for CDP. When he found Veeva’s CDP, he almost couldn’t believe the opportunity.
    “There really is no misdirection about the program itself,” Mike says. “What we say it is, that’s how it’s going to be. There’s no fluff.”
    And it wasn’t just any old consulting gig, Mike tells us, the program was designed to make him into the consultant he always wanted to be.
    “Your managers drive your development to where you want to go. And the flexibility is there. If I’m not enjoying what I’m working on, my managers will help transition me to where I am interested so that I can grow. Everyone wants to help you through your journey,” he says.
    This journey doesn’t end with CDP, either, Mike notes. He’s building the kind of skills that will help him achieve even beyond his time in the program.
    “I’d love to build a strong foundational skill set in CDP and maybe even start my own company one day. In CDP, you can get a sense of how to interact with customers, develop a product, and understand so much of what it takes to run a business,” he says.
    Mike’s story is a great example of how Veeva takes people of all educational and professional backgrounds—from sales to solar energy—and nurtures their common passions for solving business problems in CDP so they can get what they really want: a rewarding career.
    4. Betul Got The Job She Wanted (And Found A Company For Life)
    Betul has a strong personality—and an equally strong background in business. She knew she wanted a role that would challenge her to be the best. But she also wanted the opportunity to be herself at work and that meant making a positive difference in the world. Veeva—a people-focused company with values that actually mean something—gave her just what she was looking for.
    “I look at Veeva as this huge support system,” Betul tells us. “Our culture is one that ensures you learn enough and develop skills so that you can handle each new phase of your job. When it comes time for you to take on leading a project, you’re comfortable doing that. And the goal is to become a mentor just like the people who mentored you.”
    Teaching and communicating are essential parts of the consultant’s skill set, after all. At Veeva, these are core values that every member of the team incorporates into their working style. These values—plus the focus on outward-looking beneficence—were what really sealed the deal for Betul.
    “When I was looking for a job, I had very specific criteria. I needed to be a position that my work fed back into society. One of our values is literally ‘do the right thing.’ It’s not something that is just put on the website and nobody thinks about. It’s front and center for everything we do,” Betul.
    This combination of positive impact, personal growth, and support mean a lot to Betul. In fact, she tells us, she can see a long future at the company.
    “I’m probably going to retire here. That’s something I learned during my interview. The Chief People Officer told me there might come a time when you don’t want to travel anymore, and that’s when we start looking at other areas of the business. She wasn’t just thinking about what I could do for them in the next one or two years,” Betul says. “She was thinking what they could do for me in the next five to ten or twenty years.”
    Now, Betul is thinking the same way.
    Ready For Your Dream Job? You Could Be Next
    Whether you’re looking for the long term (like Betul) or just looking for your first job, Veeva is a place that takes your career journey seriously—from CDP to the C-suite.
    To learn more about joining Veeva’s team of enthusiastic, entrepreneurial CDPers, check out Veeva on WayUp! More

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    Venmo Emoji Hacks, Innovation Tournaments, And More: My Summer Internship At PayPal

    Some internships are memorable because of the friends you make. Others are important for your career because of the skills you learned or the connections you made. And sometimes you get to do work that really makes a difference at the company—and in the world. Luckily for Justine—an intern-turned-employee at PayPal—she got to make memories […] More

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    The 4 Top Traits Bloomberg Values In Its Employees

    It takes more than a great resume to impress recruiters early in your career because, let’s face it, who really has a wealth of experience in their early 20s? Instead, what companies are really looking for is potential—and that can be measured by the presence of certain personality traits. Bloomberg—a global leader in finance, technology, […] More

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    5 Reasons To Start (And Grow) Your Career At Freddie Mac

    Freddie Mac—also known as the Federal Home Loan Mortgage Corporation—is an essential facet of the U.S. economy. They help millions of America’s families realize their goal to own or rent a home. But it doesn’t stop there: the company places a priority on helping their employees realize their goals too. Here are five reasons to […] More

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    I Started Out As An Accountant, And Now I’m A Developer (And Other Non-Traditional Paths Into Finance & Tech)

    Not every story in the fintech world is the same. Even though most people who work in finance roles generally studied something like accounting, economics, or business, it doesn’t mean everyone did. In fact, some of the best people in the field are polymaths, with interests in both finance and technology. Prudential—a financial services leader […] More