Barclays

Name	Marike Stribos
Based in	Amsterdam
Job title and business area	Analyst IBD
Year joined Barclays	2017
Year attended the International Banking Cycle	2015

 

All of you are rightfully wondering if and how the International Banking Cycle will help kick-start your career. From having participated myself as a student back in October 2015 and from attending the event on the other side of the table for the last two years, I can truly say that it is one of the best ways to get a clear insight into the range of investment banking opportunities out there. In addition to familiarizing yourself with the everyday life of an investment banker, the event will also offer you a sneak peek into the different cultures across participating banks. You will certainly find there are a lot of similarities, but in the end it will be the subtle differences which will tip the scale one way or the other. This is exactly why I chose Barclays. Across the board, I found the Barclays bankers to display discipline, diligence and an enormous amount of enthusiasm for their work. I also found the bankers very approachable regardless of their seniority and, most importantly, they all genuinely seemed to enjoy working together. Being part of the team now I can fully confirm my earlier impressions!

A few months after the International Banking Cycle and upon completion of my dual master degree in Finance & Investments and Accounting & Financial Management at the Erasmus University of Rotterdam, I joined the desk as an intern in the Barclays Netherlands team in the summer of 2016. During this intense three month internship I worked on a large variety of assignments supporting the rest of the team.

The Barclays Netherlands team covers all sectors and all products, as long as, somewhere, there is a Dutch connection, which means that no two days are the same: One day you could be tasked with researching a specific industry in the Netherlands for a Private Equity fund looking to gain a presence in the region, while the next day you might be asked to investigate whether a Dutch large-cap should raise debt or equity to best finance an upcoming acquisition. It is this diversity across sectors and product groups that I especially enjoy and which makes this job as challenging as it is exciting!

I’ve now been working full-time in the team since February 2017 and have absolutely loved every day of it! The level of exposure and responsibility you are given is unparalleled. Since my first day as an Analyst I have worked on multiple live transactions across sectors and product groups, successfully completed a buy-side as well as an IPO and am often out of the office engaging with clients alongside the senior bankers in my team. Granted, it is hard work and some days you will be challenged and will test the limit of your skills, but with the support of your colleagues and by asking the right questions you will quickly realize that you are the master of your own learning curve; a trait I believe to be unprecedented in any other industry!

The only advice I can wholeheartedly give you is to apply and experience it for yourself – you will not be disappointed!