Why Did You Want to be an 11:FS Intern?
Having recently graduated and the majority of my work experience involving disruptive start-up companies, I was looking for somewhere unique. The idea of joining a big corporate graduate scheme wasn’t as exciting as working in a small team where my work would matter. That's the main reason I became an 11:FS intern.
Finding a company with the right fit isn’t easy. I was searching for a company that had the start-up mentality, but also had opportunities for personal growth. 11:FS fall into that category, and they’re able to provide both of those things to someone who’s at the start of their career.
After researching the company, including listening to the podcasts, I could see that it was unique. 11:FS is an ambitious company with a lot of passion for what they do, but have fun doing it. From that point on, I knew 11:FS was a company I wanted to join.
My time as an 11:FS intern was an excellent opportunity to gain experience and grow my skill set. It's not often that you get to join a company at an early stage and have direct access to so many industry experts. I work side by side with people who have built banks from scratch and lead huge digital transformational projects.
I don't think there's ever been a more exciting time to be involved in the financial services industry. The company sits right at the heart of all disruption happening in finance right now. 11:FS are doing things differently, and it’s exciting to be part of it.
What Was the Interview Process Like?
11:FS have a different style of interview. It’s much more personable and friendly, they want to get to know you as a person to see your drive, energy, and passion. I was initially interviewed by the founders, who quizzed me on my experience, asked why I wanted to join as an 11:FS intern and what I had achieved so far.
The next stage involved coming into the office with other candidates and talking to members of 11:FS over a drink. It was relaxed and I could be myself. We discussed why we love fintech, our hobbies and interests, and the value we could bring to the company.
What Did You Do?
For my first few days, I was tasked with a few metrics to grow. As I got more comfortable with the work, the role progressed. I was given more freedom to get involved in other areas of the company and try new things. Getting the chance to work across different teams meant I gained a lot of new skill quickly as a result!
Real problems for 11:FS were given to me to solve and they all required me to get creative. I was able to explore different fields of interest: copywriting, design, data analysis, and coding. I even wrote The Beginner’s Guide to Open Banking that’s on the website
here.
There‘s no fixed way to approach a problem. If there was then fintech wouldn’t be much of an industry! I left lots of room to figure out different ways to solve each problem as a team, which resulted in many new skills being learnt along the way.
Any Advice for Applicants?
What advice would you give to others looking for an internship?
1. Be genuinely interested in Fintech and technological innovation, and be eager to learn more! The 11:FS podcasts,
Fintech Insider,
Blockchain Insider, and
Insurtech Insider are a good place to start.
2. Keep an eye out for 11:FS events and go to them to meet some of the team and get to know what they’re like.
3. Work hard and have some demonstrable achievement in your history, so that you are able to know what you did, how you did it, and the impact it had.
