Finance Internship: 4 Ways to Impress Your Boss

If you do things properly, an internship may very well launch you well on your way to a great career. It’s not just something you do to pass the time. Any internship is a chance to learn, meet new people, figure out what you want, and of course impress. Particularly, the finance industry is a highly competitive one and you really want to be impressive to get a foot in the industry.

So, if you’ve scored an internship in the finance industry, congratulations! And here are some tips for you. 

Demonstrate Initiative

You want to showcase your commitment to the role and the company’s success. This sets you apart as someone actively engaged and invested in your work.

How? Volunteer for additional projects or tasks, even if they are outside your regular scope. 

For example, if you’re tasked with financial analysis, you want to explore new data sources that could provide deeper insights, proposing the integration of these sources into your analysis to enhance the overall quality of financial reports. Really, the great thing about initiative is that you can start small – such as suggesting inexpensive printing options for reports – and work your way up.

Attention to Detail

Precision is paramount in finance, where errors can have significant consequences. You don’t want to overlook details and risk doubt about your work and competency.

Primarily, work out a systematic approach to reviewing your work; double-check calculations, reconcile figures, and meticulously review financial statements before submission.

For example, before presenting a budget report, thoroughly review all numerical data, cross-check formulas, and verify that each line item aligns with the overall financial strategy. Then, you could take things a step further and suggest a peer review process within your finance team so that there are multiple sets of eyes examining critical financial documents.

Communication Skills

In the finance industry, conveying complex information in a clear and understandable way is crucial for effective decision-making. Strong communication skills mean enhancing your ability to collaborate and share insights.

For example, you don’t want to overlook the importance of practicing presenting financial information concisely with visual aids, such as charts and graphs, to simplify complex data. Or tailoring your communication style to your audience, whether it’s other interns, managers, or external stakeholders.

Say you’re due to present a financial report to a non-finance team. Why not create a summary highlighting key points and using visual representations to convey trends? Or, you could try to be really impressive and organize a workshop for effective communication strategies in finance, fostering a culture of clear and concise information exchange.

Stay Informed

The financial landscape is dynamic, and you want to stay informed to demonstrate your commitment to adapting strategies based on current market conditions.

So regularly read financial news, subscribe to industry publications, and often attend relevant seminars or webinars, actively seeking out opportunities to expand your knowledge and stay up-to-date with market trends.

Say there’s a sudden shift in market conditions; you want to be prepared to discuss the potential impacts on your company’s financial position during team meetings, showcasing your ability to connect external factors with the organization’s financial well-being. Perhaps you even want to initiate a monthly knowledge-sharing session where team members can discuss and analyze recent financial developments, promoting a continuous learning environment.

Being impressive at work takes hard work. Still, it’s a relatively set process. Try out these tips!