Tricia Goh

Off to a great start

I was on the lookout for a penultimate-year internship in the Wealth sector when Deutsche Bank organised an event day for interested applicants. After speaking to the Graduate Analysts who were present, I was very impressed by their professionalism and knowledge. Their experiences as Analysts lined up with my interests and what I had hoped to get from joining the industry. So I submitted my application and two rounds of interviews later, I was in.

Not your usual internship

My internship took place in July 2020. Due to the COVID-19 situation, it was shortened from 10 to four weeks. While I did not get to experience the standard internship, the condensed version was still eye-opening and exciting in its own way, and it did not leave me wondering if I had missed out on anything. In fact, in the span of four weeks, I completed three extensive projects that required me to connect with multiple people across various roles in wealth management, in order to understand the business processes involved. I also had the opportunity to present my work to senior management and gained valuable feedback. Along the way, I was guided by a buddy, manager, and mentor, who were very generous with their time in answering my questions and providing insights into the wealth industry.    

Never on your own

People at Deutsche Bank genuinely want to see you succeed. During my internship, the graduate analysts took it upon themselves to organise talks for interns with experts from various wealth functions. The senior management team also connected with interns individually to get to know us better. When I eventually joined the bank full-time as an analyst, the first thing my managers wanted me to know was that I could always go to them for support.

Then and now

I used to be somewhat of an introvert and would rarely go out of my way to get to know someone. I now know the importance of networking and connecting with people, and how it can help me along in my career.

To future interns and graduates...

Here are some key takeaways I have got from my experience so far:

Be genuinely curious: If you are not interested in your industry, naturally, the learning opportunities will not be as far-reaching as they can be.

Be upfront with what you don’t know: Instead of looking incompetent, it shows an awareness of your areas of improvement and a willingness to learn.

Don’t be afraid to make mistakes: Even if you give your best shot, you may not always get things right at work—and that’s okay. Communicate openly with your manager, explain your efforts, and clarify your doubts, then find ways to complete your task successfully.