How to turn your M&A internship into a professional springboard?

An M&A internship is much more than just a line on your CV. It's a formative experience that, if properly rewarded, can open the doors to the most prestigious financial institutions. But to make the most of it, it's not enough to have successfully completed your assignments. You need to know how to capitalise on that experience, put it into a story and turn it into a real differentiating asset. In a sector as competitive as corporate finance, it is often the way you present your track record that makes the difference between two candidates with similar profiles.

Read more: How to maximize your impact during an M&A internship?

The crucial importance of capitalising on your experience

Your M&A internship is not just a few months in your career. It's an investment in which you need to maximise your return. Every assignment you complete, every skill you acquire and every professional relationship you establish is precious capital that you need to know how to exploit. In the demanding world of finance, where recruiters are inundated with applications, it is your ability to tell the story of your experience and demonstrate its added value that will make the difference.

This is more than just updating your CV. It involves thinking in depth about what you really learned, the unique skills you developed and how this experience transformed your approach to the job. It is by fully understanding the value of your work placement that you will be able to make a convincing argument to future employers.

Structuring your professional narrative

To make the most of your experience, you first need to be able to structure it into a coherent and convincing narrative. This starts with a meticulous analysis of each assignment you have completed. For each significant project or task, ask yourself: What was at stake? What skills did I use? What concrete results did I achieve? What did I learn from the experience?

This will help you to identify the most relevant elements to highlight. Rather than simply listing your assignments, you should be able to explain how each of them has contributed to your professional development. For example, instead of saying ‘I took part in the due diligence of a company’, you could explain: ‘As part of the due diligence of a company in the technology sector, I developed a financial analysis methodology that helped identify potential synergies, thereby contributing to the success of the deal.’

Highlighting transferable skills

One of the keys to making the most of your placement is to identify and highlight the transferable skills you have acquired. These skills, whether technical or behavioural, are those that will be useful in any future professional context.

Among the most highly valued technical skills are financial modelling, sector analysis, company valuation and mastery of tools such as Excel or financial databases. But beyond these technical skills, it is often the soft skills that make the difference: the ability to work under pressure, an analytical mind, the ability to communicate complex information clearly, and the ability to work with different departments.

For each skill identified, you should be able to give concrete examples of situations in which you have put them into practice. These examples will serve as tangible evidence of your abilities during interviews. For example, you could talk about how you had to quickly analyse a large amount of financial data to prepare a pitch, demonstrating your ability to work under pressure and your analytical skills.

Build a lasting professional network

Your work placement has given you the opportunity to meet experienced professionals and to start building a valuable network. But you can't build a network in a few months; you have to cultivate it over the long term. The value of your network will depend on your ability to maintain these relationships beyond the duration of your placement.

This means keeping in regular contact with your former colleagues and superiors. Occasionally send them relevant articles, congratulate them on their promotions or professional achievements, and suggest informal meetings. These little gestures maintain the link and show your continuing interest in the sector.

Don't forget that your network is not limited to your former colleagues. Professional events, alumni associations and platforms such as LinkedIn offer excellent opportunities to widen your professional circle. Take an active part in these events and don't hesitate to ask for informative meetings with professionals whose career paths inspire you.

Prepare powerful accounts of your experience

During interviews, you will often be asked to recount experiences you have had during your placement. The quality of these accounts will largely determine the impression you leave. A good story should be structured, precise and highlight your contributions.

Use the STAR method (Situation, Task, Action, Result) to structure your answers. Start by briefly describing the situation and context, then explain what your specific mission was, detail the actions you took, and finish with the results achieved and what you learned from them.

For example, to describe your involvement in a merger project: "As part of our client's acquisition of a competitor, I was asked to analyse potential synergies. I developed a financial model that identified potential cost savings of 15%. This analysis was presented to the investment committee and contributed to the final acquisition decision."

Obtaining solid recommendations

Letters of recommendation are invaluable assets in the world of finance. They provide external validation of your skills and professionalism. To obtain powerful recommendations, choose people who have directly supervised your work and who can speak specifically about your contributions.

Make it easy for your referees by providing them with a summary of your main achievements during the placement. You can even suggest a draft letter that they can edit. A good letter of recommendation should include concrete examples of your work and highlight both your technical skills and your personal qualities.

Continue to develop your skills

The M&A sector is constantly evolving, and the skills you acquired during your internship need to be regularly updated. Keep learning through online courses, specialist reading and professional training.

Trainy.co offers high-quality training in financial modelling and interview preparation. Regularly reading financial publications such as the Financial Times or Bloomberg will keep you up to date with the latest trends in the sector.

And don't forget to practise your technical skills regularly. Reconstruct financial models, analyse case studies and take part in M&A case competitions. These exercises will enable you to maintain your technical level and prepare effectively for interviews.

Conclusion

Your M&A internship is a valuable experience that can truly transform your career, provided you know how to make the most of it. By capitalising on this experience, structuring your professional narrative, highlighting your transferable skills and building a lasting network, you will position yourself as a serious and competent candidate for future opportunities.

Don't forget that the value of your internship lies not just in the assignments you completed, but in your ability to learn from them, develop skills and build lasting professional relationships. It is by adopting this strategic approach that you will be able to turn this experience into a real springboard for your career in the demanding but exciting world of M&A.