How did you get into Hymans?
I first joined Hymans as a summer intern in 2018. I spent 8 weeks working in the Glasgow investment team. At the end of my internship I got an offer to come back next year as a graduate… which I was delighted to accept!
Why did you choose us?
Before applying to the internship, I did a lot of research on Hymans, which included speaking to current employees at careers fairs and reading online reviews. I quickly realised there was a common theme – Hymans seemed a great place to work where you are both supported and challenged, and where the firm’s values are truly embedded in the culture.
Throughout the recruitment process, my internship and this past year as a trainee, I’ve learned that everything I’d heard and read about Hymans was true. The last few months have been particularly challenging because of the sudden transition to working from home full time. However, even under these unprecedented circumstances we are still a strong team who continue to support each other as best as we can.
What’s it like working here?
In my role I get a mixture of regular tasks like helping to prepare investment monitoring reports and ad hoc projects. As I’ve gained more experienced, I’ve been given more responsibility and have had the opportunity to work on more challenging projects.
Soon after joining Hymans I also started studying for actuarial exams. Balancing work and studying can be difficult sometimes, however from day one I got a lot of support from my manager and my client teams. Moreover, other graduates in different teams are in the same position so it is good to know I have some friends that I can share the struggles with!
What skills have you found useful?
Surprisingly, my writing skills turned out to be more useful than my maths skills (so far)! Consultancy is about giving advice and so it is about communication. Whilst it’s important to be able to understand and perform calculations, explaining the process and results to someone else is more important.
Advice
Get involved in clubs and societies at university or get a part-time job, if you can, to help develop the soft skills that potential future employers will be looking for.
Start early. Apply for internships to familiarise yourself with application processes. Make use of your university careers services – they’re there to help!
