Kayelyn Jett

What?

 

During the summer of 2015, I interned at AIG in their Consumer Financial Planning & Analysis Division. Leading up to my start date at AIG I dreamed about the type of work I would perform as a Financial Analyst Intern. The job title alone excited me! Like many experiences, my idealized view of my internship and the realities of it differed vastly. Yet, this disparity played to my advantage in a few ways. I completely underestimated the depth of the connections and relationships I would build as well as the breadth and scope of the hands on experience I would attain over the course of the summer. The relationships were especially valuable to me. Three people poured their time and energy into me in their own way over the course of my internship: Michelle, Liz, and Dave.  Michelle was my boss and as a part of her team, I was exposed to the Comprehensive Capital Analysis and Review (CCAR) process and its implications, as well as her leadership. In AIG’s intern program, every intern is assigned a mentor to facilitate the intern’s transition into their position. Mine was Liz, an outgoing, positive, and uplifting individual. Upon my request to see the quantitative side of the FP&A Department, Michelle referred me to Dave and he generously mentored me on the technical side of finance within the division. 

 

So What?

 

Each person shaped my experience, not to mention my development, in their own unique way. Michelle showed immense leadership and project management capabilities and served as an inspiration and teacher throughout the course of my internship. On the other hand, Liz provided a sense of fun and excitement the environment needed. Liz went out of her way to include me in lunches and seamlessly integrated me into the team. Dave individualized our sessions together in a way which developed trust almost immediately. This trust proved important as we delved into my questions regarding financial statements, the 2008-09 bailout of AIG, and general career path questions. More often than not, each question I asked led to at least three more, and it was this quality of the material and the relationships I was cultivating which confirmed my passion for finance.

 

Now What?   

      

All of these interactions challenged my thinking about finance and its applications in the real world. The depth and challenge of finance exhilarated me and illustrated my own strengths and areas of improvement. My position at AIG sparked my interest in various financial topics such as the 2008-09 bailout, the concept of risk, and quantitative methods while validating my need for personal relationships within the workplace. All of these interactions and experiences at AIG both solidified my understanding of and expanded my enthusiasm for the field of finance and my chosen field of study/career!