Meet Bryanna Norwood
Corporate & Investment Banking Undergraduate
The Past: “How did you get here?”
What distinguished Wells Fargo from other competitors, as a professional opportunity for you?
The culture at Wells Fargo is extremely different from other banks on the street. The bankers who work here care about your well-being and your experience. As a Summer Analyst and now full-time Analyst, I can say I have met and am still meeting team members who can help me with quantitative learning, opportunities, and advice. The bankers are willing to answer questions and take the time to explain their answers. No other bank has a culture like we do here at Wells Fargo.
The Present: “What do you do here?”
What is a typical work day like for you?
An Analyst’s life can vary from day to day, no one day is the same. I usually begin at 8:15 a.m. with online news and checking my calendar and email. I make a checklist of things that need to get done and I follow that list throughout the day. I remain flexible just in case my bankers need additional help with pitches, models, Request for Proposals, or other work. I often bring my lunch to save money and eat healthier; it also adds time to my day. For a break in the afternoon, I’ll go down to Starbucks or stand outside to get some fresh air (super important to do as an analyst!). My day ends when I’ve finished everything on my checklist, which can be the early to late evening.
What was your most enjoyable project at Wells Fargo? Why?
One of my most enjoyable projects to date is working with the City of Charlotte. Most recently, we were Senior Manager (Left Lead) on a Series 2018 Transaction (>$400 million). I am a native of Charlotte, NC, and being able to see infrastructure built with money from a deal I supported is one of the coolest feelings as an analyst.
What are the top three skills (technical and soft) that are required, daily, in your role?
1) Organizational Skills: As an analyst, you are juggling a lot of things at once; a few pitches here and a few deals there can add up. Staying organized keeps you on track and allows you to know what is due and when it’s due. It also helps the senior bankers as well. I like to say, “A great analyst is an organized analyst”.
2) Excel Quant Skills: Excel is used on a daily basis. You need to understand how formulas and macros work in order to do your job. As a Sophomore, Politics and International Affairs major (shout-out to the Liberal Arts majors!), I knew nothing about Excel, but with Analyst Training, studying, and practice, I began to master Excel. You may not be the best coming in, but as you practice your confidence will build.
3) People Skills: You’ll be working with many people on a daily basis, both on your team and outside of your team. A relaxed, personable, and relatable analyst can stand out from among the crowd because they are easy and enjoyable to work with. This skill is just as important as being quantitative at Wells Fargo.
How would you describe the corporate culture of your group?
The Southeast Public Finance group feels like home. The bankers in my group are easy to work with, happy to answer questions, and have great personalities. We dress business casual on a daily basis and often talk sports (both college and professional).
The Future: “Where do you want to go?”
What future opportunities do you hope to embark on in your career? Does Wells Fargo provide avenues to foster these goals?
My goal is to continue being the best analyst I can and hopefully secure a 3rd year offer. There are many opportunities for growth within Wells Fargo. If you do a great job as an analyst, you have the opportunity to move “A to A”, from an analyst to an associate. You also have the ability to move within the bank if there’s another division that interests you.
Advice: A word to the wise…
A motivational piece of advice you wish someone told you as a young professional going into your specific industry?
Do not beat yourself up when you make a mistake. Learn from that mistake, move forward, and make sure it doesn’t happen again. (Pro tip - If you print out a document you’ve created, you’ll catch most of your mistakes before anyone else sees them.)
A professional piece of advice you wish someone told you as a young professional going into your specific industry?
Network as much as possible as a summer analyst and continue it throughout your program. Networking with individuals, both junior and senior, gives you the opportunity to ask them questions about the path to their current role. Feel free to send bankers an email to get time on their calendar during your summer, they’ll be more than happy to talk with you.
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