Why Citi

My background:

I grew up in Shenzhen, China and went to college at New York University Stern School of Business, majoring in Finance and Accounting. During the summer of my junior year, I started my journey at Citi as a Summer Analyst in the investment banking division in Hong Kong. I really enjoyed the summer program and Citi’s collaborative culture, so after I graduated, I joined Citi Hong Kong office as a full-time investment banking analyst. I’m currently in the industrials team, which covers diversified industrials, energy, and metals & mining.

My role:

The Hong Kong Investment Banking Industrials team covers clients in a wide range of sectors and works with them on various transactions, including IPO, M&A, and debt capital raising. We provide strategic advice to our clients and financial solutions that meet their needs. As an industry coverage group, we often collaborate with other industries, product and regional groups, and work with global teams on cross-border transactions.

How I got started:

While I was at NYU Stern, I explored many different business courses, internships, school clubs, and professional events and then found my interest was in finance and investment banking. After talking to many alumni, who worked in the investment banking division, I was attracted by the immense exposure a fresh graduate could get and decided to begin my career in investment banking. During my summer internship program, as a generalist, I was able to work with various teams on different transaction types. That experience was really rewarding, so I returned full-time after I graduated.

A day in the life:

Day-to-day work really varies, depending on what kind of projects I'm on. We have pitches and live deals, requiring us to do research and perform qualitative and quantitative analyses on companies and industries. A lot of the times, we have many ongoing projects at the same time, so it’s very important to know what to prioritize and how to manage all the tasks.

What I like the most is being able to learn new things every day. With different projects, I am constantly gaining exposure to different companies within different industries. The learning curve is quite steep, and as a fresh graduate, I really appreciate the opportunities to work with large clients on interesting transactions.

Skills check:

Working in investment banking can be challenging, so both hard skills and soft skills are important. It definitely helps if one has strong analytical skills, good attention to details, eagerness to learn and strong communication skills. Being proactive and taking more initiatives are also highly appreciated.

Advice for others:

While you are still in school, try to explore what you are really interested in. You can do so by finding internships, joining school clubs, and attending professional panels. Also, find opportunities to network with people in the industry to gain more insights into investment banking. When the recruiting season comes, make sure you are prepared for both technical and behavioral interviews.

Where Citi can take you:

Citi provides a great platform for you to grow both professionally and personally. The skillsets you develop at Citi will definitely be widely recognized. Internal mobility is encouraged in Citi, which allows various opportunities to join a new team or move to a new country or city.

Why Citi?

Citi has a collaborative culture. All my colleagues are very approachable and always provide me with guidance and support. I really appreciate the mentorship I have received so far and believe this culture makes Citi a great place for people to start their career.