Entrepreneurial. Unique. Progressive. Client-focused. These are a few reasons why I not only came to work at Jefferies, but have stayed at Jefferies.

During my junior year of college, when I was choosing where to spend my summer internship, I knew I wanted a place at which I could make a career. I wanted the camaraderie, the drive, the challenge. Throughout those first ten weeks at Jefferies, I networked and explored everything an investment bank had to offer. It was not until I joined the Media and Telecom group full-time that I truly realized what a privilege and unique experience the generalist period was in terms of shaping my career. In a way, I could make my own path, find a group that fit my interests and what I wanted to accomplish. Each year, the generalist internship program ensures that the incoming first year analysts and associates are placed into groups that are both a cultural and intellectual fit. It is a program that provides an invaluable foundation which extends well beyond those ten weeks as an intern.

As I enter my sixth year at Jefferies, I often think the better question is not necessarily why people come to work at Jefferies, but why we decide to stay. As an analyst to associate promote, I had reached a pivotal time in my career. I had the choice of continuing with my group in this newfound role or starting a new career path elsewhere. The decision for me came easily. Within an evolving industry, every day is different. I constantly learn something unfamiliar and conquer new obstacles. I recognize that I am at a place where my voice matters and where I have a great deal of exposure and responsibility at a junior level. Since the first day of my internship, I have continued to build a network that reaches farther than just the boundaries of my group. This is a network of mentorship and camaraderie, one which is unique to Jefferies and one that I continue to build each day. And within my growing network, I have realized that the Jefferies mentality is reflective of what the generalist period succeeds at creating for its interns: we are adaptable and entrepreneurial, we are progressive thinkers, we are team players, we are hungry to do well and create value for our clients. These characteristics are what define Jefferies and are among the reasons so many of us have chosen to build our careers here.