Samantha F.

Interview

What did you like about Key's intern program?

I saw that Key was investing in young people – sponsoring training, events, volunteering, networking opportunities, exposure to senior management. The executives attend intern orientation and spend time with the interns. They invited us to reach out if we wanted to do coffee chats. These gestures speak volumes about this program.

Why did you decide to stay with Key beyond the intern program?

I interned for one summer, then joined the analyst class for KeyBanc Capital Markets^® (KBCM). I really liked my team. It can be intimidating going into investment banking, there's a lot to learn, and it's a challenging job. Key gave me exposure to a wide variety of professionals and learning opportunities. In both the intern and analyst programs for KBCM, I spent a lot of time training, which was very beneficial. To share just a few examples, we did a Wall Street prep training, business writing workshops, practiced Excel/PowerPoint shortcuts - just a wide variety of useful skills that will serve us as we progress in our career.

I also was impressed by how co-workers were willing to take time out of their day to make training materials so that we can learn. I've just really felt supported and set up for success at Key.

What did you work on? Was it a rewarding experience?

Every day is a different analysis or pitch deck. A lot of my time was spent working on deals. Company research was a big component of that work. I would take a first crack at the research then partner with an Associate to prep for a Senior Banker review. These materials are ultimately shared with the client, so it's rewarding to see the work come together. I also did a fair amount of analysis of our portfolio and industry research. I learned a lot.

The biggest project I participated in was for a Managing Director. It was a research project that culminated in a re-design of our basic pitch slides. It was rewarding to see the new slides I created as an Intern were still being used when I came back as an Analyst.

What is KBCM's culture like?

We work hard, but we are in it together. Different teams help each other as much as they can, and we partner well across different functional groups. Everything we do is about building better solutions for our clients, and that requires a lot of collaboration with product teams and other partners.

My experience at Key has taught me that it's good to be smart, but work ethic is what will get me to where I want to go. Company culture has illustrated that my ideas are as important and valued as someone who is perhaps smarter than me. I've worked hard, have a continuous learning mindset, and I've proven myself. I feel very respected on my team.

Has Key leadership played a role in your success thus far?

Key's focus on people is an attractive quality. One thing that stood out for me as an intern was the respect the team had for younger team members from the beginning. Senior Bankers were willing to hear us out and listen to our ideas even though we were less experienced. My Segment Head is also very open to people moving around to different groups and finding areas to contribute where they are most happy. There's a lot of opportunities to move to areas of the business you are passionate about.