John's Summer at Goldman Sachs

02 SEP 2015

John is an intern in Human Capital Management (HCM) in Hong Kong. Half New Zealander and half Thai, he is double majoring in economics and business administration at National Chengchi University.

ABSORBING AS MUCH AS I CAN

02 SEP 2015 - HONG KONG
 

It seems like I’ve packed months of learning into the last few weeks. I had high expectations when starting my internship, but the firm has surpassed them. I’ve been able to learn and grow thanks to the incredible resources and people here.

The best piece of advice I got before starting my internship was to “be a sponge” – so I’ve been trying to absorb as much I can during this limited time. I’ve been impressed with the educational resources provided by Goldman Sachs University. There is such a strong focus on developing people and I’ve improved my professional and technical skills. People here truly never stop learning. No matter how long people have been with the company, they are continually looking to grow and improve themselves. This is a trait I hope to have throughout my career.

Juggling work-life balance can be challenging with a demanding job, so it’s been interesting to attend a lot of talks with senior people in which they provided their perspectives on the topic. I was amazed how many of them have risen to top positions while maintaining a strong family life and pursuing multiple hobbies. I’ve met people who have backpacked around the world, started a charity, even kayaked in Antarctica! Conversations are never dull around here.

I’m thankful for this opportunity to learn among the best, and it’s been amazing to think about how much I’ve learned in one summer.