Libby Johnson’s Post

Lesson that I have been thought during my first month of #intern at Zurich Insurance … As an intern, you are definitely, without a doubt, will be facing something new. All things will be your first day. Things that make working in reality different from when you’re still a student: - In reality, when you messed up, you will drag others in your team hence affecting overall work outcome & performance, but; - As a student, when you messed up, the biggest consequence is that it will affect your overall grade. That’s why I’ve been told since day one that: - No amount of question is too little or too much, and; - No kind of question is too dumb or too smart. So, all I need to do is ask when in doubt. It will save a lot of time and effort rather than making a big mistake and others have to cover up your mess. Even so, repeating the same mistake is pure ignorance and a proof of incompetence.

Next Up: 2023 Virtual Risk Management & Insurance Networking Event Thursday, November 2nd 2023, 11:00 am - 2:00 pm EDT Virtual in ODU Handshake: odu.joinhandshake.com ODU students are invited to meet Risk Management and Insurance professionals. During the event, you will be able to explore business opportunities, network with employers, and learn about internship and entry-level positions available. The keys to a successful fair experience are preparation and follow-up. Here is a checklist to help you get prepared: - Research the list of participating employers through Handshake - Have your resume reviewed by Career Development Services - Drop-In Resume Review Hours 10:00 AM - 3:00 PM Tuesday through Thursday - By appointment scheduled through Handshake - Prepare your 30 second introduction - Don't forget to send thank you notes via email or through LinkedIn For more information, to register and attend: odu.joinhandshake.com

I am excited to reflect on my journey at Internship Experience UK 2024 by Bright Network, which I completed recently. This event was an incredible opportunity to connect with top industry professionals and gain valuable insights into various sectors like Finance, Professional services, and Consulting. Highlights of the Event: Keynote Address (PwC): Ajay Kabra Discussed the role of auditors in building trust in the financial markets and the importance of diversity and inclusion. Workshops and Panels: Leadership Skills (Deloitte): Joao Martins shared key attributes of strong leaders and how to develop these skills. Transferable Skills (ICAEW): Aidan Ward-Hendry and Zoe Wells guided us in identifying and leveraging transferable skills across different industries. Personal Brand Development (PwC): Charlotte Sangster offered strategies for building and showcasing a strong personal and professional brand. Interview Preparation (Forvis Mazars): Emma Russell provided practical tips for excelling in professional services interviews. Economic Outlook (HSBC): Chris Hare explored the global and UK economic outlook, including growth prospects, inflation, and the potential impact of AI on productivity. Workforce of Tomorrow: A panel featuring Christopher Do (Bright Network), Felicity Lees-Price (Adobe), Suresh Patel (Forvis Mazars), Pooja Mangat (Mondelez), and Holly Harris (Ark Teacher Training) discussed the evolving job market and future workforce trends. Industry-Specific Sessions: Consulting (IBM): Emma Goodall presented an engaging introduction to consulting, including client analysis, teamwork, and strategic planning. Audit (KPMG): Andjela Djukanovic and Emmalyn Amoako Baffoe discussed career paths in audit, professional qualifications, and the community impact of audit work. Insurance (Hiscox): Matthew Wilson introduced the insurance industry, sharing personal experiences and potential career opportunities. Practical Experience: PwC Work Sample: I had the opportunity to complete a real-world simulation of an audit job, where I conducted an audit on a company’s financials. This hands-on experience was incredibly valuable and provided deep insights into the audit process. Participating Companies: PwC, KPMG UK, Deloitte, EY, HSBC, Lloyds Banking Group, IBM, Forvis Mazars Group, ICAEW, Clyde & Co, Mondelēz International, Adobe, Procter & Gamble, Macfarlanes, PA Consulting, Bloomberg, BT Group, Hiscox, Telent Technology Services Ltd Reflecting on this experience, I am grateful for the opportunity to learn from and connect with such esteemed professionals. The insights and knowledge from this program have been invaluable, and I am eager to apply them in my career. A big thanks to Bright Network, James Uffindell, and all the speakers for making this event a transformative learning experience. #InternshipExperienceUK #ProfessionalDevelopment #CareerGrowth #Networking #Brightnetwork

Internship for Finance, Professional Services and Consulting with Bright Network Day 2: Another insightful day from this internship! 😊. Today we looked at various careers from different companies such as PwC, IBM, KPMG, Forvis Mazars in the UK and HSBC where we looked into different pathways from each company from Consulting, Actuary, Auditing, IT Audit where each presenter would explain their roles providing an insight into their corporate life and also provide advice on how to cope with interviews and improve CV skills. 🤩🤩 Consulting: A massive thank you to Kate Reynolds from PwC and Emma Goodall from IBM where each presenter broke down a consultant's role and their human perspective in finding a solution for the problem where one has to be empathetic, curious and develop critical thinking. Auditing and IT: Many thanks to Andjela Djukanovic (IT) and Emmalyn Amoako Baffoe (Auditing) from KPMG who both explained their roles in the company. Where Emmalyn would provide the company with valuable insights to navigate a continually evolving regulatory environment and she builds sustainable organisations from an Environmental, Social and Governance perspective. Andjela’s role involves critical assessment of the processes and controls an organisation has in place to secure data transacted through IT systems. She also has a heavy Corporate Social Responsibility involvement as an auditor. Interviews: A massive thank you to Emma Russell for her in-depth explanation of how to tackle interviews in a professional environment where she introduced various methods such as the STAR method which stands for Situation Task Action Result which can help to plan answers for potential interview questions which can create examples to highlight particular skills. 😮 Economic Outlook: Many Thanks to Chris Hare for explaining his role as an economist for HSBC in which he would analyse trends and price levels to determine the impact on consumers. His role within the company is in the same field as my current degree in economics which I found VERY engaging 🤩! As soon he explained these trends and economic data I knew exactly what he was saying straight away due to studying the same key terms such as ‘inflation’ and ‘price level’ in university and my A-LEVELS. Insurance: Afterwards, presenter Matthew Wilson from Hiscox explained his role as a pricing actuary, also giving insight into the role of insurance with various internships and grad schemes offered. Graduate Office Hours: We also had the Graduate OFFICE open hours with different companies offering Graduate Schemes, Internships and Placements where they each spoke about various roles and benefits from each career path. There were so many to choose and I decided to look at them all because I found them all interesting 😂😂 Can't wait for Day 3 and today's task set by Fareeha Adnan! #BrightNetwork, #PWCUK, #HSBC, #KPMG, #IBM, #ForvisMazars, #HISCOX, #INTERNSHIP

Day 2 of the IEUK 2024: Financial, Professional Services & Consulting Internship This day was truly incredible, with sector specialists showcasing their knowledge and expertise throughout the day. Key highlights include: 🌟 Keynote - The day began with an inspirational keynote delivered by Laura Tye from Clyde & Co, who emphasised building resilience and seizing as many opportunities as you can. Her quote 'Only you can sell you', resonated with me. 🌟 PwC Sector 101 - Kate Reynolds from PwC UK shared her career journey and discussed the various lines of services offered by their firm, including its goals to become tech-enabled, enhance ESG initiatives, and become the leading professional services firm. 🌟 Consulting 101 - Emma Goodall from IBM introduced us to the realm of consulting, clarified common misconceptions about the sector, and explored its many specialised job roles. She emphasised skills such as empathy, curiosity and critical thinking are crucial to becoming an exceptional consultor. 🌟 Audit 101 - Emmalyn Amoako Baffoe and Andjela Djukanovico from KPMG provided an interesting insight into the audit profession by outlining what the role entails, and gave us a glimpse into IT audit, a specialised area within the field. 🌟 Top tips for Professional Services Interviews - Emma Russell from Forvis Mazars in the UK delivered a comprehensive session on top tips for acing professional services interviews. This included using the STAR method, how to plan a pre-interview and post-interview routine, and manage interview nerves. 🌟 The global and UK economic outlook - Chris Hare from HSBC delivered a wonderful presentation showcasing the analysis of financial markets and economies. He delved into thematic aspects of the economic outlook, such as economic growth, digital finance, and interest rates. 🌟 An insider’s guide to insurance - Matthew Wilson from Hiscox provided an insightful overview of the insurance industry and the various specialised insurance roles that are available for career opportunities. 🌟 Graduate Office Hours - Thank you to Zoe Wells and Sayem Chowdhury from ICAEW for answering my questions during the Q&A session! I found this session extremely helpful as I am interested in pursuing chartered accountancy. 🌟 Work Sample Introduction - Finally, we received the work sample from Fareeha Adnan that we will be working on for the next two days. I am excited to begin this project! Thank you to all of the speakers who were present and to Dylan Bone for hosting the event! #BrightNetwork #IEUK2024 #internship

After 4 years of hard work, I am proud to announce that I have achieved my CIC (Certified Insurance Counselor) designation from The National Alliance for Insurance Education and Research. Up until college, I was convinced that my professional calling was to become either a teacher or a guidance counselor. When I started college, a mentor impacted my life by saying "Sales might be a different route for you, kid. I think you got what it takes. If you do it right, selling is counseling." This mentor offered me a sales internship, and the next semester I changed my major. With that being said, to have the designated title of "Certified Insurance Counselor" is extra special, because it feels like the culmination of a lifelong goal. What better way to view my role than counseling and educating my clients/prospective clients on risk management, business continuity, and asset protection? #CICcertified #goalaccomplished #ontothenextone

Thrilled to announce that I've begun a Finance Internship at BB Advisory! Since May 20th, I've been diving into the world of finance at BB Advisory, gaining valuable experience in client portfolio management and applying financial and technical analysis to real-world trades. I'm excited to continue developing my skills in: Foreign Exchange Trading Portfolio Management Risk Management Financial Analysis Technical Analysis Data Analysis #finance #financeinternship #BBAdvisory #forextrading #portfoliomanagement #financialanalysis #technicalanalysis

Hello, LinkedIn network! Today, I want to highlight something instrumental in my internship journey at the Credit Control Department: the incredible team dynamics. Working in credit control isn't just about numbers and policies; it's equally about the people you collaborate with daily. I've had the chance to be part of various team projects, and each has been a unique learning experience. From brainstorming sessions to solving complex client cases, teamwork here is about bringing diverse perspectives and strengths together. It's amazing how much more we can achieve when we work collaboratively. A special shoutout to my supervisor for fostering such an inclusive and dynamic team environment. Their leadership has not only facilitated smooth project execution but has also made my learning process much more enjoyable and meaningful. This experience has reinforced my belief in the power of teamwork in the professional world, especially in a field as dynamic as credit control. #teamwork #collaboration #creditcontrol #internshipjourney #professionaldevelopment

Meet Erin De Witt, our Accident & Health intern! We asked Erin a few questions to get to know her better: 1. What is your favorite project you have worked on so far during your internship? "One of my favorite projects so far involves ongoing risk. We are looking at historic lasers to figure out how to make them more effective going forward." 2. What made you want to become an intern for QBE? "My mom has worked in insurance my whole life which influenced me to want to work at a prominent insurance company like QBE North America. I am also considering minoring in either math, econ or data analytics which align closely with the job." 3. Where do you see yourself in five years? "I hope to complete an internship every year until I graduate to continue to explore different industries and career paths." 4. I hear you’ve been a dancer since three years of age! What genres of dance do you participate in and which is your favorite? "I have participated in most styles offered including jazz, tap, pointe, contemporary, hip hop, etc. Overall, I’d say my favorite style is ballet because of how beautiful and strong it is!"

Dear LinkedIn community, I am pleased to announce the successful completion of my internship at GrowthLine Solutions LLP, an innovative start-up specialising in comprehensive research and analysis. During my tenure, I engaged in an in-depth exploration of financial products, commencing with an exhaustive analysis of around 100 insurance plans. This endeavour underscored the nuanced dynamics of insurance, revealing that while it may not be a good option for substantial returns, its intrinsic value lies in providing a robust financial safety net, particularly in unforeseen circumstances.  Subsequently, my focus shifted towards the mutual funds domain, where I meticulously executed tasks ranging from Net Asset Value (NAV) collection to data cleaning, and the calculation of rolling returns. I analyzed over 300 mutual funds from different types like Large cap funds, Small cap funds, Mid cap funds, ELSS, Focused and more. This analytical approach allowed me to draw noteworthy conclusions. It became evident that mutual funds present a more favourable investment option in terms of returns when compared to insurance, offering potential growth. By examining rolling returns I found that, in the long run, the chances of earning negative returns reduce substantially. I also compared the performance of these mutual funds to their respective benchmarks and found that while there are funds that outperform their benchmarks, there are also funds that have been incapable of doing so. I extend my sincere appreciation to Mr. Vikas Arora, the founder of Growthline Solutions, who served as my mentor throughout this enriching journey. His invaluable guidance has significantly contributed to my understanding of the intricate facets of insurance, mutual funds, and loans. Mr Arora went above and beyond in imparting knowledge, ensuring that each new concept was not just learned but fully understood. His methodical approach to teaching, combined with a genuine enthusiasm for sharing his wealth of expertise, created an unparalleled learning environment.