Under the guidance of Ingvar, CFO of Grow Finance, Sixten completed a financial analyst internship. Over the course of several months, he participated in exciting projects and solved situations that arise in the work of a financial analyst. Now that the internship journey has ended, we asked Sixten to share his feedback on both the internship process and the work environment at Grow Finance in general.
What were your expectations when you came to the internship, were your expectations met?
My expectation when I came to the internship was to gain real-life knowledge in the field of financial analytics. I have studied at university for 3 years and know in theory how the economy works and how to assess the financial condition of a company, but I also wanted to know how companies and potential investments are actually analyzed, what does the work of an analyst really consist of? I got answers to my questions and the internship here not only increased my motivation to continue in this field of work in the future, but also gave me the necessary and unforgettable experience. I dare to say with confidence that I was satisfied with the internship experience.
How did Ingvar inspire and motivate you throughout the internship period?
When entering a new work environment, in a field that I have never worked in before, it is still a bit difficult to cope with all the tasks at first. When I had questions about the methodology or other project-related issues, Ingvar was always ready to answer and often even review the work together. In addition, when I told Ingvar, “I don’t know, I don’t think it can be done,” he always replied with a smile and said, “I believe you can do it,” and I did. Ingvar showed me that if I want it enough, I am capable of doing almost anything, in the meantime, you just need motivation and good ideas.☺️
What important knowledge and skills did you learn?
The most important thing is real experience of working as an analyst. Now I know what it is and thanks to that I can be sure that I want to make a career in this field in the future. If I go into more detail, the internship helped me remember data processing and the use of MS Excel, and in addition, the use of a new program and even a new programming language, which in turn developed my critical thinking and graphic design skills. The internship at Grow Finance was a good opportunity to increase my knowledge base.
How would you describe your supervisor's leadership style and highlight strengths if you noticed them?
I would say that Ingvar's management style is democratic. He always emphasized that if I had ideas about the development of a project, I could always explore them and tell him about the ideas. This increasingly led to discussions where we always reached a consensus on ideas and projects and thus the best results. Ingvar is a very motivating and inspiring person, because when working with him I always felt like a collaborator, not an inferior.
Feedback about the work environment at Grow Finance:
How would you characterize the work culture at Grow Finance?
I got the impression that the working environment at Grow Finance is very friendly and close-knit. You could often hear chatter and laughter from the kitchen, everyone's birthdays were celebrated and there were also game nights. I got the impression that everyone not only respected each other as colleagues but also enjoyed each other's company, which is always a bonus on a hard day at work.
What values/keywords do you associate with Grow Finance?
Friendliness and determination. This is mostly based on my experience with Ingvar, but looking around, I saw that other employees also agree. These two keywords go hand in hand; goal setting and collaboration always ensured results for us, as well as friendliness and respect.
What do you think are the biggest strengths of the Grow Finance work environment?
The work culture at Grow Finance is, in my opinion, the biggest strength. As mentioned earlier, everyone is very friendly and determined. I always felt confident working in a company where people are friendly and committed to their goals, and where the owners and management treat you well and equally. The latter in turn motivates the employees, thanks to which working at Grow Finance was a so-called “Win-win” situation.
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Experience story: Internship as a financial analyst at Grow
Read about the experience and feedback Sixten gave during her financial analyst internship at Grow Finance.