How can I find internship opportunities as a freshman?
How can I find internship opportunities as a freshman?
FINANCE
The finance industry is a broad and dynamic sector that encompasses a wide range of businesses and services dedicated to managing money, investments, and financial assets. It is traditionally organized into several major segments, including banking, investment, insurance, real estate, and financial planning, each serving unique but interconnected roles in the global economy. Within these areas, financial institutions provide essential services such as lending, investing, wealth management, and risk management, all of which support individuals, businesses, and governments in achieving financial stability and growth. The industry includes a diverse mix of players, ranging from large multinational banks and investment firms with global reach to smaller, specialized advisory practices that serve niche markets. Collectively, these institutions play a critical role in facilitating economic activity, enabling capital flows, and supporting long-term financial security for both organizations and individuals.
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Freshman year is about exploration and building a foundation. Begin by engaging in extracurricular activities related to finance to determine whether this is truly an area of interest. Consider joining student organizations or clubs that introduce core financial concepts, such as the three financial statements, valuation methods, and industry terminology. Many major firms, such as Goldman Sachs and JPMorgan, offer diversity and early career programs aimed at undergraduates. These can be excellent opportunities to gain exposure, build networks, and strengthen your resume early on. The goal during this stage is to test the waters, establish a baseline understanding of the field, and position yourself for deeper involvement in future years.
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Sophomore Year
By sophomore year, the focus should shift toward building technical skills and developing professional readiness. Use the summer and academic year to begin reviewing technical finance materials, such as the well-known “400 Questions” guide, and explore certifications or credentials relevant to your career goals. This is also the time to expand your professional network. Connect with industry professionals on LinkedIn, attend career fairs, and reach out to upperclassmen for mentorship and advice. Winter break is a critical period for intensive technical review to prepare for upcoming recruiting cycles. Most applications for internships open in January, so ensure that you are ready to submit polished applications and perform well in various interview formats, including HireVue, behavioral, and technical interviews.
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Junior Year
Junior year is typically the most important for launching your career in finance. If you secure an internship, your primary focus should be on strong performance, demonstrating technical competence, professionalism, and the ability to contribute meaningfully to your team. At the same time, continue to nurture your professional network, both within your internship and externally, to keep expanding your opportunities. The internship often serves as a pipeline to a full-time offer, so treat it as both a learning experience and a long-term career opportunity.
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Senior Year
During senior year, the focus is on solidifying full-time employment. If you successfully converted your internship into an offer, prepare to transition into your role with confidence. If not, continue applying strategically for full-time positions, leveraging your previous experiences, network, and technical preparation to remain competitive. Throughout this year, it is also valuable to refine soft skills, leadership abilities, and professional presence as you prepare to enter the industry full time.
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Freshmen Year
Finance is a high-paying, dynamic, fast-paced industry. With many pathways into finance, and high-ceiling pay in senior positions, it is a highly sought-after career. Below, we’ll explain the nuances of finance, timelines to keep in mind for recruiting, overviews of popular pathways within finance, and lastly, feature an industry professional’s advice for your journey into finance.
INDUSTRY PATHWAYS
01 PRIVATE EQUITY
Private equity firms invest in companies, improve them operationally or financially, and then exit through a sale or IPO. It is considered one of the most competitive and high-paying areas of finance. Analysts and associates build models (especially leveraged buyouts), analyze industries, and work closely with management teams. Undergraduates rarely go straight into PE. A handful of mega-funds and upper-middle-market firms hire analysts directly, but the standard route is: Undergrad → Investment Banking (2–3 years) → PE Associate. MBA candidates often enter PE at the post-associate level, especially if they had pre-MBA experience in banking or consulting. The common exit opportunities are as follows: internal progression to Vice President, Principal, and Partner roles; exits to hedge funds, corporate development, or entrepreneurship; leaving after 2–4 years for an MBA at a top program to re-enter at a higher level.
02 INVESTMENT BANKING
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IB analysts advise companies on raising capital, mergers and acquisitions (M&A), and restructuring debt or operations. M&A bankers handle dealmaking, while restructuring bankers work with distressed companies through bankruptcy or turnaround processes. Undergraduates typically join as summer analysts after junior year, with many offers converting to full-time. Analysts often exit after 2 years into Private Equity, Hedge Funds, or Corporate Strategy. Others pursue an MBA to switch industries or re-enter finance at the associate level.
03 HEDGE FUNDS
Hedge funds pool capital from investors and employ a range of strategies to generate returns, from long/short equity to global macro. Analysts spend much of their time researching companies, building investment theses, and pitching ideas to portfolio managers. Undergraduates rarely enter directly unless through exceptional internships or connections. A more common route is: Undergrad → IB or Equity Research → Hedge Fund Analyst. Careers can progress to Portfolio Manager or even starting one’s own fund. Other exits include family offices, corporate treasury, risk management, or moving into PE.
04 WEALTH MANAGEMENT
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PWM focuses on advising high-net-worth individuals and families on investments, tax planning, and estate management. It is more client-facing than IB, PE, or HFs, requiring strong communication and relationship-building skills. Undergraduates can enter PWM through rotational programs or analyst roles at large banks (Morgan Stanley, Goldman Sachs) or boutique wealth firms. Career progression is often within the same field: from Analyst → Associate → Senior Advisor → Managing Director. Some pivot to fintech, private banking strategy, or investment consulting.
INDUSTRY SPOTLIGHT
"EVERYONE WORKS RELENTLESSLY THERE, BUT PEOPLE ALWAYS PRIORITIZE OTHERS FIRST. I THINK THAT KIND OF CONSTANT SELFLESSNESS REALLY CEMENTED FOR ME THAT GOLDMAN WAS A PLACE I WANTED TO BE."
UNIVERSITY OF NOTRE DAME '26
GOLDMAN SACHS
MULTI ASSET SOLUTIONS ANALYST
TOMMY PETTINGER
What aspects of your internship at Goldman Sachs made you most excited to return full time?
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I enjoyed being able to pitch trades. One of my final intern projects was a commodity trade pitch, where I gave my take on why copper would be a good addition in our portfolios. I liked being able to research the market on a macro level and then go back and forth with people defending my take. I’m excited to keep doing this on a regular basis and hopefully start to develop enough knowledge to generate higher returns for the group. I am also excited to go back to some of the client-facing work. I liked helping with decks for prospective clients and thinking of ways to pitch our solutions/portfolios/etc. to different clients.
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Were there any challenges during the internship that you think will help you navigate the full time role better?
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My final trade pitch project proved to be a disaster. My copper pitch tanked 20% in a single trading session. I was worried this would get me cut, but it proved to be a really good learning experience. I was able to go back and think through some of the mistakes I made, data I overlooked,
co-workers I neglected to consult with. As an incoming full-time analyst, I feel more confident that I will be able to make a more holistically crafted trade pitch that will be likely to perform well. While this was a challenging moment during the internship, especially after weeks of work, I’m happy for the lessons it taught me.
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How did the internship give you insight into the culture or working style at Goldman?​
In terms of culture, I think my biggest insight focused on how eager everyone is to help. Throughout the summer, the various projects, meetings, daily tasks all required an extensive amount of effort. I often found myself struggling through these assignments, but was always helped by my coworkers.
No matter the time of day or what I was working on, people were always willing to drop what they were doing and give me a helping hand. Everyone works relentlessly there but people always prioritize others first. I think that kind of constant selflessness really cemented for me that Goldman was a place I wanted to be.
As you prepare to start full time, what are you most curious or uncertain about compared to the internship?​
I wonder if I’ll spend more time working on pitches, either for trades or clients. I won’t find out until May if I am doing more client-facing or trade-facing work, but either way, I’m curious as to what that will entail for an analyst.
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I also don’t know if I’ll be doing as much daily work or more long-term projects. My days were primarily filled with tasks that would take a few hours before moving on to the next task. However, I noticed a lot of other analysts or associates spending the majority of their time on multi-week projects, so I’m curious what that will look like.
YOUR GUIDE TO AN MBA
50 Successful Harvard Business School Application Essays
Check out this resource to help you build your ideal application profile to apply to top Masters in Business Administration Graduate programs in the US. Gain exclusive access to read inspiring and well-crafted essays by successful HBS applicants!
YOUR GUIDE TO AN MBA
50 Successful Harvard Business School Application Essays
Check out this resource to help you build your ideal application profile to apply to top Masters in Business Administration Graduate programs in the US. Gain exclusive access to read inspiring and well-crafted essays by successful HBS applicants!
