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My double life as a student and intern at Goldman Sachs
Master in Management / 4 August 2022
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Master in Management Class of 2022
Ana is currently completing her studies as part of the Master in Management Intake 2020. She holds a Bachelor’s degree in Finance Management that she obtained in Mexico and specialised in Business Analytics for her master’s studies.

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Born and raised in Mexico, I am now in my last weeks of the Master in Management (MiM) and in the final months of my internship at Goldman Sachs. After finishing my bachelor’s degree in finance at a partner university, I wanted to pursue a master’s programme that could help me ensure holistic development. Given the ideal location in the financial centre of Europe and the practical teaching method at Frankfurt School, it felt like a natural path to follow. The decision to pursue the Master in Management was based on applying my technical knowledge on a bigger scale and using analytical skills to solve managerial challenges. This has been a key aspect that helps me on a daily basis to understand and better develop in the working environment.

3-Day-Model… and more

Undoubtedly, one of the highlights at Frankfurt School is the 3-Day-Model. It does not only allow us to gain experience and apply what we learn in every course, but it helps us start creating a network and get to know the job market in Germany, which has excellent value for an international student.

On top of this model, there is another great opportunity within the programme. In our last semester, we could have our electives as block weeks, which allowed me to have a full-time internship in parallel. The block weeks allow us to experience more than a short summer internship, and it is a perfect way of transitioning into a full-time position. By being involved full-time for a longer term, the company gets enough time to involve you on deeper topics, and you have more time to see which path you would like to follow and build strong relationships in the working environment.

Data analytics for an investment banking leader

My current role at Goldman Sachs is in the finance division, which ensures the correct analysis and management of the bank’s financials, also facing regulators such as ECB or BaFin. By choosing the Business Analytics concentration during the MiM programme, I developed technical skills in coding and performing quantitative analysis, which I could transfer into the work placement by better understanding automation processes and being more efficient in connecting the dots regarding data analysis.

Overall, being familiar with financial concepts and understanding the relevance of drivers towards digitalisation in banking represented the added value of having a steeper learning curve while doing the internship.

Recommendations as an international student

  1. Attend career events: they help you understand the job market, they allow you to network, and it is a perfect first approach to a new working culture. For example, in my first semester, I attended Frankfurt School’s Career Day without being familiar with the German job market, and I got to understand the possibilities I had and which companies were more interesting to me. In fact, that’s where I met the contact who got me my first internship in Germany a few months later.
  2. Language is not a barrier: German is always ideal for cultural integration and will help you open more doors long-term. Nevertheless, there is no reason to be discouraged from applying for roles that interest you while you keep developing your language skills since Frankfurt is a very international-friendly city.
  3. German working culture matches Frankfurt School’s practical experiences, so take advantage of case studies and professors and never underestimate the soft skills you can practice during class interaction since they will make you more comfortable in the working environment.

After spending almost two years in the MiM programme, I am very satisfied with the smooth transition it gave me to a different working culture. I believe the key part of the job-seeking process is to focus clearly on your goal and which tools you need for it. Once you have that clear, you can maximise the learning and enjoy the path towards it much more.

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