Belén Moroño Molina-Campuzano
Belen Moroño, Dual Degree Business Administration and International Relations student, speaks three languages. Managed to secure a full-time analyst job at UBS after graduation. Previously, she completed a summer internship and spent an exchange semester at Cornell University.
"IE teaches students to analyze issues from different angles and to adapt to this changing environment."
Q&A WITH BELÉN
Could you tell us about the application process and how you got your current role?
I have to thank Career Services and their weekly email, where I found this UBS dinner for just female students. It was a small gathering; I do not think there were more than 10 girls and everyone from the company was really nice. From this event, I applied to the UBS Spring Week in London and after that, I was invited to continue with the application process for a summer internship in 2019. I spent my first two months of exchange preparing for the interview process, IE Career Services provided me with resources and tools necessary to prepare for both the case interview and the financial/numerical questions. And in October of 2018, I went to the UBS NY office for the interview and I managed to get the summer internship, which was my gateway for a full-time position after graduation.
How did your experience at IEU prepare you for your professional career?
The first element that helped me to prepare for my professional career is the people. And by that, I mean the diverse background of IE students, and not just in terms of nationalities, but also previous educational backgrounds and professional goals. Since the first year of University, my classmates and I started working in different internships, volunteering, traveling, joined language courses, among many other things. And I think this environment pushed me as well to work hard and make the most of my university experience. The other element I would point out is the teaching approach, we have since the beginning been encouraged to question, speak up and share our own opinions and ideas, combined with a lot of group projects and presentations, which helped me develop teamwork and communication skills.
What is the competitive advantage that studying at IEU provides or has provided you?
I studied Business and International Relations, and unlike other university students who focus on one subject/field of study, I covered many different topics, from Marketing and Supply chain to Terrorism and Ancient Philosophy. And I think my university curriculum, combined with sharing a class with students and professors from all around the world has given me a broad mindset. IE teaches students to analyze issues from different angles and to adapt to this changing environment.
Do you have any advice for IEU students and alumni who are looking to pursue a career in finance?
I recommend starting as soon as possible, it is a very competitive field but also incredibly interesting. So be as proactive as you can, join the Finance Club, read the news, and go to all networking events you can. Talk to people, ask around. It is a diverse field, so the earlier you discover where you want to focus on better.
My other advice is that prepare yourself to be rejected many times, and do not stop trying. Some of the smartest, most hardworking people I have met in my life work with me now and they were also rejected many times. Everybody is, it is normal, and it is how you learn.
What skills do you consider are needed to succeed in finance?
Finance is a big world, so I am going to speak from my experience as an analyst and former intern. Firstly, do not be scared of asking questions, everybody has been there, and you will avoid a lot of mistakes. You also have to learn to manage expectations, at the beginning it is difficult to understand how long it takes to finish the tasks you are assigned, and you should be patient with yourself. Especially in the beginning, you change between projects with different people and in different sectors all the time, which means that you are constantly adapting and learning. Finally, it is important to keep the big picture always in mind to understand the strategy and the end goal of the projects you are working on, to fully grasp all the knowledge and learn as much as possible.
What’s the best career advice you have ever been given?
This also serves as a life advice: always be kind to people and be passionate about what you do.
What is one thing you wished you knew when you were a student?
I think this will apply to many people, but when I was a student, I was really worried about securing a good internship, and I think the application process for me was 10x more stressful than any exam season. I only wish that I had a more relaxed mindset, that when I was 19-20 years old somebody told me that “don’t worry, you will find a job, so enjoy your studies, still work to get where you want, but do not worry, you will be fine.”