Defining a career path that pays off

Did you feel well prepared to look and apply for internships, and do you feel well prepared to be working now? How so?

Absolutely! HIM prepares its students for all kinds of scenarios and industries. I applied for internships on many job platforms such as LinkedIn, Indeed, and Glassdoor, as well as on companies' websites. It took me five months, more than 200 rejections, and more than 50 cold calls to succeed in this. My only thought was to continue and to do everything necessary until I got the desired answer. Although there is always more to learn, I now feel prepared for working life. I can say that these rejections were the lesson I needed to humble me and start preparing me for the real world.

How did you find your internship?

Everything was teamwork, honestly. I would like to thank Ms. Björklund at HIM for her advice and encouragement; Mr. Klotz and Mr. Tumong for preparing me for this internship in their Financial Analysis and Wealth Management specialization classes; as well as Ms. Tirvengadum for being by my side as my mentor and career coach.

At Targa5Advisors SA, the key factor in my recruitment came from the CEO, and the head of Risk & Compliance. Their open-mindedness and trust that I was the right candidate were crucial in managing the hiring process so that I could begin directly after the end of my school term.

How was your career coach involved?

Ms. Tirvengadum guided me specifically to opportunities where I would be a great fit. She went above and beyond, even coming personally to Geneva to see how I was progressing and to meet everybody in the company. She has contributed greatly to my internship as well as to many other students’ internships.

What is your favorite thing about this internship?

My favorite thing is easily the people I work with every day. The whole team at Targa5 Advisors SA made me feel like I was one of them from day one. What I have appreciated the most is their support. From the numerous events they have taken me to, the people in this industry they have introduced me to, and the patience they have had while guiding and teaching me, they have been instrumental in my development.

What do you hope to take away from this experience?

I know for certain that I am taking away new friendships, more knowledge in wealth and financial management, and a much larger professional network in banking.

What is something you hope to learn more about or develop?

I would love to gain more knowledge and experience in the fundamentals of investment tools, ethical and professional standards in finance, valuing assets, portfolio management, and wealth planning. The specialization at HIM gave me the perfect head start by sparking my interest in these areas. I am now prepared to keep growing in the financial industry by acquiring the necessary qualifications and experience to keep succeeding in my work.