JP Morgan

Sector:

Investment Banking

Ranking in Times Top 100 Graduate Employers:

2006: 19
2007: 22
2008: 22
2009: 24
2010: 22

Link to Careers Web site

Graduate Job Programme

2011 Now open in Asset Management; Finance; IB Risk;Investment Banking; Operations & Business Services; Private Bank; Sales, Trading & Research; Technology.

2011 Applications Closing Date:14th November 2010

2011/2012 6-12 Month Placements

Now open; closes 12th December 2010

2011 Summer/Vacation Internships

Now open; closes 12th December 2010

Competencies and Other Requirements

Internships

Key requirements

Genuine interest in the financial markets
Proven academic performance
The ability to demonstrate solid numerical and analytical skills
Fluency in English is essential as it’s our primary business language. If you have another European language so much the better

Core competencies

Team working and project management skills:
Teamwork and project management are critical given that any project typically involves not only various groups within J.P. Morgan (such as M&A, sector teams, capital markets and equity research) but also the clients’ management team, the counterparty, lawyers, auditors, other syndicate members and consultants.
Self-confidence and creativity:
You’ll need the self-confidence required to assess and understand our clients’ needs and the creativity that sees the right solution is identified and delivered to exceed their expectations.
Communication skills:
From the outset you can expect to work closely with clients, colleagues in offices around the world and some of the most senior managers within J.P. Morgan You’ll be expected to communicate clearly and effectively whilst maintaining a truly global outlook.
Accountability, resilience and the ability to work under pressure:
Our interns take on a high profile role with early responsibility in one of the world’s most competitive industries. You’ll be accountable for the quality and accuracy of the work you produce right from the start. The hours can be long and the stress levels can be high. Investment banking is a lifestyle choice, so be sure that you have the stamina that will keep you focused and committed to seeing projects through regardless of the pressure.

Investment Banking

Key requirements

Genuine interest in the financial markets
Proven academic performance
The ability to demonstrate solid numerical and analytical skills
Fluency in English is essential as it’s our primary business language. If you have another European language so much the better

Core competencies

Team working and project management skills:
Teamwork and project management are critical given that any project typically involves not only various groups within J.P. Morgan (such as M&A, sector teams, capital markets and equity research) but also the clients’ management team, the counterparty, lawyers, auditors, other syndicate members and consultants.
Self-confidence and creativity:
You’ll need the self-confidence required to assess and understand our clients’ needs and the creativity that sees the right solution is identified and delivered to exceed their expectations.
Communication skills:
From the outset you can expect to work closely with clients, colleagues in offices around the world and some of the most senior managers within J.P. Morgan You’ll be expected to communicate clearly and effectively whilst maintaining a truly global outlook.
Accountability, resilience and the ability to work under pressure:
Our interns take on a high profile role with early responsibility in one of the world’s most competitive industries. You’ll be accountable for the quality and accuracy of the work you produce right from the start. The hours can be long and the stress levels can be high. Investment banking is a lifestyle choice, so be sure that you have the stamina that will keep you focused and committed to seeing projects through regardless of the pressure.

Sales,Trading and Research

Key requirements

Genuine interest in the financial markets
Proven academic performance
Fluency in English is essential however an additional European language is a plus

There are common characteristics that encompass all the roles across Sales, Trading and Research:

Confidence and independence
Drive and ambition
Energy and commitment
Keen interest and knowledge of the markets
Responsiveness
Strong communication and ability to build relationships
Team working

There are also some specific skills we look for within each role:

Marketing

Creative thinking and idea generation
Building relationships
Strong analytical skills

Research

Strong analytical skills
Creativity and independence
Strong verbal communication and presentation skills

Sales

Strong verbal communication skills
Ability to build relationships

Sales Trading

Ability to think on your feet
Work under pressure
Ability to build relationships

Structuring

Strong analytical skills
Strong technical and quantitative skills

Trading

Instant decision maker
Ability to work under pressure in a fast paced environment

Credit Risk and Market Risk

Key requirements

Genuine interest in the financial markets
Proven academic performance
The ability to demonstrate solid numerical and analytical skills
As business is primarily conducted in English, verbal and written fluency in English is essential. However, as we are a global business and operate extensively throughout Europe, the Middle East and Africa, fluency in other languages is extremely beneficial

Core competencies

Ability to work as a team:
You’ll be required to work both as part of a team and individually, without undue supervision, anticipate what is required and be proactive rather than reactive. With many conflicting calls on your time you will need to manage your own work effectively and efficiently and constantly communicate your progress.
Strong communication skills:
When you work with so many people from different parts of the bank, effective communication is essential. The analytical work you carry out will be the backbone for important risk decisions so key information and concerns need to be presented in a clear and concise manner, whether delivered in written or oral form. You will also need to be able to collect information from the business, help coordinate the deal process and be ready to find yourself answering to a senior credit executive, trading desk head or CFO of a company.
Flexibility and the ability to cope with change in the dynamic market environment:
Financial markets are volatile, unpredictable and exciting. You’ll need to be able to analyse risk holistically and objectively, whether times are good or bad. Clients and deal scenarios you’re asked to look at will vary widely depending on the state of the markets, so you’ll have to be prepared to deal with a wide and ever expanding range of products and structures. Flexibility is also crucial as, although you might specialise in a particular industry or geography, you could find yourself working unexpectedly on a completely new project as the business demands.

Working in Credit Risk…

You need to be able to interpret any information you receive, have the confidence to question it, be inquisitive and, if necessary, restructure the proposal and provide a solution which is acceptable to the firm, the client and the market place as a whole. Your ability to write concise and well-reasoned reports which explain and justify your conclusions and recommendations is essential.

Working in Market Risk…

You need a strong analytical ability. The group uses a lot of statistical and quantitative models to measure and analyse market risk. But number crunching is not enough on its own, as you need to be able to communicate results or issues to different audiences in both written and verbal form. Being able to present the market risk view to sales and trading is critical to help influence a good risk/return for the firm, not just for the traders’ P&L.