Internship Spotlight: Ashley O'Bryan, J.P. Morgan

What was the process for getting this internship?

Going into my sophomore year, I knew I wanted to gain experience in high finance and began networking with professionals in the industry to gain insight on different roles and internship opportunities. I submitted my application in the fall around Thanksgiving and then had two rounds of interviews in the early spring. The first interview was a brief hirevue which was only a few behavioral questions and my second round was a superday. Upon completion of my superday in March 2023, I received and signed my offer letter for summer 2024. The recruiting timeline for high finance, especially for firms in New York, is extremely early so it is important to be proactive and begin preparing and networking as soon as possible. 

What was a typical day like?

Every day was different, however, most days I got into the office around 6:30am and would spend time reviewing overnight market movements. Then, at 8am everyday the firm would have a morning call where Investment Specialists and Portfolio Managers would share their thoughts on the market and walk through action items for the week. After the morning call, I would begin working on any set of tasks given by my manager. This could range from taking and distributing notes on client calls, preparing materials such as PPT decks for upcoming meetings, or working on a pitch to present to my team. I would often be supporting all of the senior members of my team (given that each group takes one summer analyst), meaning that when any of them needed help with something I would naturally step in and help with some of their workload. With that being said, my hours on a daily or weekly basis typically were dependent on how much flow my team was seeing and if anyone was on their 2-weeker. 

What was your favorite part of the experience?

Overall, I really enjoyed my time as a summer analyst and there were a lot of really valuable experiences and opportunities presented to me during my time at J.P. Morgan this summer. Having the privilege of sitting in on client calls and going to client lunches was really exciting due to the wide range and prestige held by many of J.P. Morgan's clients. I also really enjoyed getting to shadow and network with some of the most senior people in the firm who have spent their lives in the industry. Additionally, there were several complex assignments and projects that I was able to work on which helped me to expand my technical skills and market knowledge. 

What advice do you have for future students with a similar interest?

My biggest piece of advice would be to study the industry and learn about the wide range of career paths as early on as possible. The recruiting process for Wall Street can be extremely challenging and technical so finding upperclassmen and alumni who are willing to mentor and teach you will be extremely beneficial in the long run. I will be going back to JP Morgan full-time and working as a Distressed Credit Trading Analyst in New York so if anyone has questions regarding Asset Management or Sales&Trading careers I would be more than happy to be a resource!