OXFORD

BANKING + INVESTMENT
BANKING + INVESTMENT
Annabel West
Analyst, Sales & Trading,
Morgan Stanley
St Hilda’s College, BA
Engineering Science, 2014
WHAT: I work in Fixed Income Sales
covering Hedge Fund clients who trade in
Interest Rates and FX (foreign exchange);
I help them execute with the trading desk
as well as provide ongoing updates on
market moves and market moving events.
WHY: The job is fast-paced, interesting
and satisfying; over 2 years I have worked
for several different teams, including 8
months in New York. I find the trading
floor an exciting place and I enjoy working
with sharp and driven people. Each day
offers something different as markets
react instantaneously and dramatically
to macro events. Keeping up to date with
current events and tracking the market’s
response is the aspect of the job which I
find particularly fulfilling.
GETTING IN: I found the theoretical side of
my course intellectually stimulating and
gravitated to a more analytical role, rather
than a practical Engineering career. During
my third (penultimate) year I carefully
considered a career in Sales & Trading
and, encouraged by friends who enjoyed
it, I undertook a 10-week internship and
received an offer for full-time.
ADVICE: Consider an internship
in your penultimate year – it is
invaluable in deciding which area
is the best fit for you. For example,
there are several different roles within
Sales & Trading (Sales, Trading,
Structuring and Research) as well
as different products (Interest Rates,
FX, Credit and Equities). A Morgan
Stanley internship allows you to
spend time in each, helping you
understand the differences and
narrow your preferences.
Some people may choose to do a
shorter Spring Insight in their first
year (or 2nd of a 4-year degree),
which again is useful in evaluating
both which area and organisations to
apply to for internships a year later.
TOP TIP: Internships are competitive
so take time to prepare for your
application and interviews. Reading
the FT, Economist and attending one
or two of the plethora of campus
events hosted by Morgan Stanley will
stand you in good stead.
70
Jonathan Haas
Real Estate Debt Strategies
Associate, Blackstone
“Weekly tutorials with
professors grilling you on
everything about a particular
subject is a great preparation for a job in the
investment industry ….”
EXTRA-CURRICULAR IDEAS
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MORE INFORMATION:
www.careers.ox.ac.uk/banking-investment