What persuaded you to work for Bank of America Merrill Lynch?
I chose Bank of America Merrill Lynch over other firms because I knew I wanted to go into research and Bank of America Merrill Lynch has been ranked as Institutional Investors’ top global research firm for the last couple of years, so I knew that I’d be learning from the best research analysts on the street.
What does a typical day look like for you?
I work in the U.S. economics research group, so I typically begin my day working on our publication, checking emails, reading the news and preparing economics data. One of the publications that our team is responsible for is Global Economic Weekly. For this project, we coordinate with the different economists in our global team who cover the specific countries across the world. After that, I typically focus on the various research projects I am working on, answering any questions from clients or sales/distributing.
How would you describe your job to a friend?
Basically, it’s tracking and reviewing different economic data to try and identify trends in the U.S. economy, and sharing those views with institutional investors and sales and trading.
What do you enjoy most about your job?
The fact that there are so many research topics to look into, so many economic variables. There are many trends to discover, and working in economics, everyone’s curious about your opinions.
One of the best things about Bank of America Merrill Lynch is the people. Everyone is really friendly and invested in my development.
What skills are important for a research analyst?
Two of the most important skills to have are attention to detail and the ability to communicate effectively. Research analysts in this industry differentiate themselves by their ability to express their ideas.
How do you describe the culture at the bank?
One of the best things about Bank of America Merrill Lynch is the people. Everyone is really friendly and invested in my development.
How does the bank support your development?
We have ongoing formal teach-ins for our lines of business, which are one-hour sessions where you learn about different aspects of the business and different products and industries.
I also find that the structure of our team is very flat, which makes it easy to get development opportunities every day because you’re working closely with someone who’s been in the industry for many years and is an expert on the subject.
What do you enjoy doing in your personal time?
Outside of work, I try to stay pretty active. I participate in a co-ed football league and various sports leagues such as volley ball and basketball. Outside of that, I enjoy exploring the city and finding new and interesting activities to do.
In one word, how would you describe Bank of America Merrill Lynch?
Collaborative
