Networking with Morgan Stanley- Paths to Success

On Thursday of second week, a group of students joined Morgan Stanley for their networking event entitled ‘Paths to Success’, held in the relaxed setting of Oxford’s Jam Factory. The aim of the event was to give students an opportunity to learn more about the finance industry, as well as a master class on how to bolster your CV and cover letter, and get the most out of networking opportunities.

Adrianna, a member of the HR team, delivered a workshop on tackling key elements of Morgan Stanley’s application process, highlighting the need for a clear and concise CV and a cover letter which demonstrated commercial awareness and research, and linked to the core values of the company. Students were split into pairs to discuss issues such as how Brexit and the actions of Donald Trump may be affecting global markets, and were given time to practice a ’30 second elevator pitch’. This was followed by Alice, another member of the HR team, who advised students on how best to utilise networking opportunities, presenting yourself well and asking the right questions.

We were treated to a talk by Morgan Stanley’s Andrea Rosen, a Managing Director in the Fixed Income Division, who described her career path in detail, from her student days studying PPE in the US where she planned to ‘save the world’ to her early career with Morgan Stanley in Ecuador, her work in Emerging Markets in New York and her move to Sao Paolo to pursue M&A. She spoke profusely about the nurturing culture she had experienced within the bank, where people often remain for over twenty years, and the flexibility it offered her as a mother of three; as someone who works within trading hours, she is always free to leave the office at 5pm, allowing her to enjoy some family time in the evening. She described Morgan Stanley as having a hugely academic environment with little internal competition, allowing its employees to constantly further their education and supporting her own decision to attend Harvard for a year despite just reaching promotion. Her passion for her job was evident, and she said she truly felt like she was having a positive effect on the world, researching and analysing the ways in which geopolitics affect the financial markets (although perhaps not in the way she had anticipated at nineteen!).

At the end of the session, there was time for networking with the speakers and other employees from Morgan Stanley, giving students the chance to ask questions and career advice in an informal setting. All in all, the event was hugely insightful and beneficial, whether one is considering a career in finance or not, and we would like to thank Morgan Stanley for hosting it!