Diary of a debt capital markets intern: Week 6

Summer has certainly arrived. Over half my desk are on holiday, and we have no mandated deals. This week has therefore been quiet, but not empty.

A series of social events shortened my work days by a good 4-5 hours each evening this week.

The result, however, was not less work, but more intense work. Indeed the week flew by.

Monday and Tuesday were a blur of pricing updates for three clients who were releasing their half year results. More than usual, the brief sheets focused on strategy and it was great to be given the opportunity to write draft versions of these documents as well as to do the numbers behind them.

Two upcoming meetings have given me plenty of book work to be getting on with - this has been really interesting as both are not plain vanilla issuance, but derivative instruments, hybrids, and equity linked bonds too. Moreover, I've been given great exposure on some new complex debt restructuring and liability management transactions.

The tasks remain largely similar - pricing, swapping rates, summarizing and editing presentations and commentary, but the subject matter varies.

As the internship goes on I'm also being given me responsibility and autonomy. I now get a brief description or a couple of words description of what to do and have to get on with it. It's good - there's more chance for mistakes, but there's also more chance to learn. Skills too such as time management, people management and team working are also being tested.

I'm still really enjoying the internship and eager to find out what my team think of me - I've been asked whether I think this is for me and whether I like the people I work with. More than ever the answer is yes, I'm hoping they think the same but it's difficult to tell.