Turn to Key

Sydney | Cleveland - My Experience at Key So Far

My first impression of KeyBank was that Key is comprised of people that enjoy what they do and who they work with, which is an experience I aspire to have during my internship. Key employees have been so welcoming to me during my orientation, which has been really encouraging and provided me with a strong start to my summer at Key.

In the first few weeks of my internship, I have been fortunate to meet with some executive leaders at Key. I have met individuals that lead departments across the bank, including Corporate Strategy, Investor Relations, Corporate Responsibility, and Consumer Payments and Digital Banking. These individuals have encouraged me to network, ask a lot of questions, and to be true to myself, even while at work. These interactions were great, especially in knowing that I had encouragement to ask questions and develop professional relationships throughout my future at Key.

In addition to meeting Key executives, I also spent time volunteering with my fellow interns at a local grade school. Key employees actively participate in community service, which is something I’m not sure most businesses can say.

Throughout the rest of my summer internship at Key, I hope to become familiarized with the line-of-business my internship takes place in. I am in the Risk Review Group, which is an area you really aren’t taught about in college classes, so I expect to learn a lot in that regard. Networking is another goal I hope to accomplish. I would like to increase my networking skills as I meet more members of Key, in addition to other interns. I am hoping after this internship experience at Key, I will gain a stronger sense of what direction I want to take professionally after college.

I am looking forward to the upcoming weeks and excited to share more about summer internship at KeyBank!

Sydney | Cleveland

I have learned a lot about myself and my work ethic during my Key Internship so far. I discovered that I thrive when working in a group setting. In college, you become accustomed to work individually on assignments instead of in large groups. In addition to the group environment, I have also grown to love networking. Like most, I used to think that networking was intimidating. But after my first few weeks at Key I realized how fun it is to connect with people. This has helped me to learn more about other lines-of-business, build professional relationships, and develop friendships with other interns.

It’s been motivating to experience the positive and diverse company culture at Key firsthand. It makes a difference to work in an environment where people enjoy what they do and are willing to help each other. My team has been happy to take the time to work closely with me and include me in ongoing projects. I appreciate this hands-on approach to my internship, rather than only observing the day-to-day life of an employee. This allows me to have a better understanding of my line-of-business operates.

I’m halfway through my internship with only a few more weeks to go. For the remaining duration of my internship, I’m eager to continue learning about Key, my line-of-business, and the financial industry. I also look forward to building relationships with my team and to continue networking among Key employees.

Sydney | Cleveland

My favorite experience during my KeyBank internship has been the opportunity to build relationships with my team and fellow interns. I really enjoyed working with a consistent group of people all summer. The interns in my department were all able to work in the same room during our internship, so we built friendships from working alongside each other on a daily basis.

The best piece of advice I have received during my internship is from Allyson Kidik, the Deputy General Auditor. She took the time to sit with Risk Review Interns and shared her background with us. What I really enjoy about her, is that she does not believe in having a five year plan and looks to take advantage of opportunities as they present themselves. This resonated with me because I have never constructed a multi-year plan for myself as I have observed others to do. To see how successful she has been is both inspiring and reassuring to know that I don’t need to plan out my entire career path right now. What I have also learned is that there is not one “right” direction to reach your end career goal. I have met with many KeyBank employees throughout this experience, and they have all started in different positions leading them to where they are today.

With Key being my first introduction into the banking industry, I have learned so much about not only the different lines-of-business and how they operate on a day-to-day basis, but also about the people. Getting to connect with different professionals and learn about what they do and how they got to where they are today has been tremendously helpful in figuring out what I want to do after college. Being given the opportunity to ask questions and get advice whenever I can has also been helpful to me in considering what I most value personally, for future intern and career growth opportunities.

The company culture at Key has really resonated with me during my internship. The emphasis of Key’s culture is something I have heard about many times from recruiters and employees leading up to the internship. But prior to starting my internship, I had no idea what it meant to be a part of this culture comparatively to any other. I have had a very positive first impression of Key as a whole this summer and am thankful to have had the opportunity to intern in such a friendly and supportive environment. I have learned that the kind of people you work with on a daily basis make a huge difference to individual performance. Had I interned in a company culture different from Key, I am not sure I would have enjoyed my experience as much as I have.

The biggest lesson I have learned, is that in order to do well in your field and to advance professionally, you need to network. Prior to this internship, I understood why networking is necessary, but I did not understand the extent to which it matters. During my time here at Key, I have heard so many examples of unexpected career turns and opportunities that came about almost entirely as a result of networking.

The End of Summer Seminar organized for all the KeyBank Interns was definitely the most fun highlight of the summer. It was really nice to be able to finally meet all of the interns who came in from other areas of the country. The team building activities we did were effective in getting everyone talking and to connect more as a group, which I enjoyed. We also were given a tour of the KeyBank branch at Key Tower. It was such a great experience because we were able to learn about the history of the building, as well as the early development of the banking industry. The final presentations from my fellow interns were interesting to listen to because of the vast Key footprint each Intern represented. Our presentations gave everyone an opportunity to understand what each intern had been working on all summer and showcased how many different areas of Key there are to pursue a career in.

Dvivid | New York - My Experience at Key So Far

Before my summer internship at Key kicked off, I was unaware of how large the company really was, and how many states across the country the bank was active in. Having listened to many speakers and interacted with many other interns since my internship began, I now have a better sense of just how big Key’s footprint is. One of the main factors that initially attracted me to Key is the culture. Everyone in my office – at all levels – is willing to help me out with almost anything. It really is great to be able to get that kind of mentorship at my level.

My goal for this internship is to be a sponge from the first day to the last day. I want to absorb everything I can, since almost everything my manager gives me is new information to me. More specifically, I hope to gain a better sense of the business landscape, learn the technical aspects of valuation and modelling, and understand what it takes to succeed in this industry.

I have been able to meet with many high-level executives during my first few weeks. These leaders have been mentors to me, providing me with great advice for my internship and professional career. One piece of advice that stood out was to work hard and stay hungry. I believe that regardless of how easy or tough your work may be your attitude towards work reflects the quality of your output. During my summer internship, I’m excited to wake up every day and know that I’ll be learning something I didn’t know the previous day.

Dvivid | New York

Over the past few weeks of my internship, I have had many opportunities to learn more about myself. For example, I have developed a better understanding of how I take in new information and how I react to new scenarios. This has helped me understand ways in which I can improve my everyday communications, problem-solving, and creative skills.

In addition to my professional growth, I’ve also learned more about Key’s company culture. The culture is collaborative and hard-working. This is complementary to my personality, which has made it easy for me to fit right in. In addition, I’ve noticed the comradery among Key employees. People aren’t just friendly at work—most are actually friends outside of the office as well.

As my internship continues, I’m excited to experience first-hand how experts in their fields are assessing the environment in today’s financial market. I hope that I’m able to take on even more responsibilities and delve deeper within my current projects.

Dvivid | New York

It’s hard to believe that it has already been 10 weeks since the internship began. Some of my favorite experiences during my internship have included the NYC community service project, the intern team-building day in Cleveland, and the numerous pieces of advice I received on my career and the industry. But I have to say that my most memorable experience was the time I spent working with my team. Being able to work closely with these industry professionals not only made me appreciate their chemistry and efficiency, but also pushed me in the right direction to learn more and become better at my own job.

The best piece of advice I received during my internship was about time management. If you look at a day as a series of 24 hours and then see how much time you spend on each activity, you can clearly see the things you consider most important by how much time you spend on them. This allowed me to align what I consider important in my life with what I was spending time on to further succeed in what I want to do. My KeyBank internship has given me a very clear and honest picture about a career in investment banking and the financial industry. The internship has also shown me the culture of KeyBank and its people. This was also the first time that I experienced New York City, so the internship was definitely a mix of many new and positive experiences.

As a New York intern, I had the opportunity to visit KeyBank’s Cleveland headquarters for the closing Summer Seminar where we all got to hear from senior leaders at Key. This was my first visit to Cleveland and I was amazed by the very strong relationship Key has with the city. Apart from Key’s very strong presence in Cleveland, I was also surprised to find the strong presence of Key’s Business Impact and Networking Groups at Key. It was great to see the many ways in which the people at Key are profoundly linked with their community and their environment.

One lesson that I will take away from this internship is to never forget the power of individual action. I discovered early on that every action I take results in a product that represents who I am. It is very important to keep in mind that, regardless of what we think, what we do is the only piece of evidence that reflects who we are. In this sense, the internship has been a process of self-discovery and I am grateful for having experienced it. Going forward, I look forward to not only utilizing the hard skills of valuation and analysis that I gained over the summer in my career, but I also look forward to continuing to hone the important skills of communication and leadership. I am glad I got to spend my summer learning and growing at Key and I am excited for what lies ahead.

Lauren | Seattle

In my first few weeks at KeyBank, one thing I noticed immediately was the amount of effort everyone puts into their work and helping one another. Employees are approachable and do their best to answer every question I have. When my coworkers are unfamiliar with a subject I ask about, they see it as an opportunity to learn alongside me and help me find the information I need.

Coming into my internship with limited banking experience, my main goal for the summer is to gain a better understanding of various credit principles and the technical skills necessary to work in the banking industry. Everyone’s willingness to go above and beyond for both my development and their own has been really encouraging.

Another goal I have for this summer is to expand my professional network. I have already had the chance to meet Commercial Credit Executive Randy Riffle, as well as the Senior Credit Officers and Underwriting Team Leads at Key’s West Credit Campus. They have all stressed that I will get out of this program what I put into it, and that I should never hesitate to ask senior employees if I can shadow them for a day if I am interested in their specific roles. These opportunities will enable me to achieve a broader understanding of KeyBank’s operations and find the particular position I might like to fill in the company one day.

Working in business banking has given me a unique vantage point of Key’s involvement in Greater Seattle Area and the Pacific Northwest. We handle a lot of deals with local companies that I get to see from start to finish. Also, the KeyBank name has a significant presence here with sponsorships like the KeyArena. I am happy to be a part of an organization that seeks to be embedded and impactful in the communities it operates in.

I am excited to see what the upcoming weeks of my KeyBank internship will be like!

Lauren | Seattle

Working at KeyBank, I have been provided numerous opportunities to learn more about myself as an individual and as an aspiring young professional. As I work alongside my team, I have become a better team player that aims to exceed team goals. I have also learned how to become a better communicator and improve my ability to adapt and learn from different situations.

I have noticed that what sets Key apart from other companies is the company’s willingness to go the extra mile for its colleagues and its clients. This has taken the form of not only an incredible internship opportunity, but also a comprehensive training program that has provided a solid foundation to begin my career in business and at KeyBank. My colleagues go beyond their due diligence and aim to achieve the best work possible for our clients as quickly as possible. Not only do Key employees go beyond for their clients, but also for helping one another out with ongoing projects and responsibilities.

I would describe the company culture at KeyBank as a highly achieving workplace that is not shy of a challenge or another learning opportunity. Working with such ambitious colleagues, I hope to model my work ethic in light of the qualities I have seen to be successful here at Key.

With the remaining weeks of my internship, I hope to continue to improve upon the skills that I have learned thus far, as well as continue to challenge myself. I hope to take on more complex projects and tasks that will provide a more comprehensive view of the impact of my work and my line-of-business here at KeyBank.

Lauren | Seattle

It is hard to believe my weeks at KeyBank are coming to an end! The time has flown by and the experience has been incredible. The skills I have learned at Key will enable me to be a more impactful colleague as I begin my career at KeyBank.

During my time here, I have received many meaningful pieces of advice, but two points have really spoken to me. The first piece of advice that stood was to remember that that you won’t find your true strengths and character by doing the things you are already good at. Another great piece of advice was the importance of having an open mind during every experience of my internship and career. I have found that this is essential to gaining new experiences, as well as learning about areas of business that I might not have direct experience with.

Something that I was pleased to see at Key was the degree to which KeyBank cares about building the relationship with not only their clients, but also the relationship between Key’s different lines of business. An example of this was when a Key Relationship Manager at a different location took time out of their day to visit someone on my team. While these two employees work closely with each other, and talk nearly every day, they hadn’t had the chance to meet face to face yet. Not only could the Relationship Manager finally put a face to a name, he also took the time to learn more about what our team does. This experience demonstrated how much Key wants to build the relationships between its colleagues and lines of business.

One of my favorite experiences this summer was when my team, Rocky Mountain Business Banking, won the mid-year TRAIL Award. While I have been involved with the team for just a short amount of time, working with them has been an incredible experience and their work ethic is contagious. I hope to stay connected with them throughout my career at Key and I’m excited to see what is to come for such a high achieving group of people!

Emma | Georgia

Coming into University of Georgia’s Terry College of Business, I had no clear cut path of what I wanted to do. I knew my skill set – I’m great at math and quantitative analysis. Finance seemed to be the most logical choice: it could play to my strengths, and take me down a variety of career paths. As I progressed through my coursework, I found myself enjoying the more investment-based finance classes. Through a program organized by Terry, I was matched with a recent graduate to mentor me through the job hunting and interviewing process.

In my days at Terry, I was very active in an organization called Women in Business. Even within this organization, I was the only female Finance major. The lack of women in banking and finance always astounded me, and I wanted to help change it. Beth Mooney, as a powerful woman in banking, initially piqued my interest in Key.

The opportunity for development – both personally and professionally – is what brought me to Key and what brought me to Cleveland. Pushing myself outside the comfort zone of Atlanta into a new environment drove my desire to be successful and to make a name for myself on my own. I would not have come so far if I didn’t believe it would be worth it. Sometimes it’s important to take that leap of faith.

Surprisingly, before work even began, I knew I had made the right choice. The people that I met in the interviewing and onboarding process solidified my decision to come to Key. Within a month or so, Key had delivered all it had promised in a corporate culture: I was given a peer mentor – someone who had been in my shoes and could give me meaningful advice, community involvement – we spent a team building day at the Greater Cleveland Food Bank, and a transparent process – program managers who kept me informed every step of the way. And within two weeks on the desk, I was in meetings with C-suite executives. I’ve been on the desk for nine months now, and I don’t regret a single day.

My biggest challenge thus far in my career was deciding what I wanted to do within KeyBanc Capital Markets. I had no direct work experience, and nothing to draw from to guide my decision. And when you pin that against my peers, many of whom had interned with KBCM, I was at a disadvantage. The Analyst training program introduced me to a lot of people who had been in my shoes, and that were ready and willing to give advice. I networked endlessly, and by chance, met two portfolio managers who would later become my bosses.

Something simple that I have integrated into my daily routine is listening to Bloomberg while getting ready in the morning. In addition to keeping me in the loop on business news, it has helped frame my thought processes and economic acumen.

Finally, if you’re just starting out: read, read, read! Read about the industry you want to go into, read the news, read anything.