Insights From a Corporate Internship: The D.E. Shaw Experience

How You Get The Job

Any student at DU aiming for a corporate internship experience will emphatically attest to the claim that the internship season is brutal. As companies started coming to campus, I was in quite a dilemma. I have always considered myself as someone deeply interested in the field of Economics and has always looked forward to completing a Master’s in Economics. So, sitting for internships required not only considerable effort but also thought and consideration. It is always a dilemma to choose between these two aspects of life after college; to go for higher education or go for a corporate job. Some are lucky and know exactly what they wish to do. I was not so much. Even after calling up at least ten people, I was confused. Some advised me to go for the internship, others to study for a Master’s. Amid this predicament, I decided to sit with myself and think about my motivations.

I realised that I liked research a lot because I had already tried it- be it through academic assignments or research projects, and I was familiar with the field. But I had never tried out a corporate internship, or any corporate experience to be honest. And so, being the heuristic learner that I am, I decided to sit for the internship season and to open myself up to this new experience. Who knew maybe I would enjoy this experience and find my calling.

And so began my turbulent, but short-lived, journey traversing the internship season. The first company I applied for, I didn’t even make the first cut. My name was not on the shortlist and I was disheartened. I remember feeling inadequate and highly under-qualified. I was happy for my friends, but nobody can quite explain the feeling of failing an opportunity on your first try. Then came along D.E. Shaw. They came to campus with the opportunity for a Financial Research Intern and I remember feeling that the job description was very appropriate for the kind of corporate exposure I needed.

The selection process was quite unlike all the other firms that came to campus, though. Even though we sent our resumes through the Campus Placement Cell beforehand, the resume shortlisting never constituted an eliminative round. All students who had registered had to undergo an aptitude test consisting mostly of quantitative and logical reasoning questions, which were easy to moderate. The shortlisted candidates had to undergo a 'Hirevue'- a unique AI-led interview that asked us both HR and knowledge-oriented questions. The next shortlist came within a few days. Around ten people were shortlisted for the next round of interviews. The one thing that sets D.E. Shaw apart from other companies is that the context of their interview questions is quite predictable- they are usually from whatever you have mentioned in your resume. But paradoxically, this is exactly what makes their interviews so difficult to crack. Because the width of the subject matter is predictable, the depth can often overpower. I was expected to know every detail of whichever topic or subject I had mentioned in my resume. I was expected to know all the current global happenings even remotely related to any of the achievements mentioned in my resume- the company focuses a lot on understanding how you formulate and execute arguments. They are looking for the thought process behind your answers, so I would definitely suggest focusing extensively on improving your analytical skills and voicing your reasoning as you answer your interview questions.

Sleepless In Office

Suddenly, I had D.E. Shaw. For about eight months, it didn’t matter to me, because the summer break was far away and so was my internship. But as June drew closer, it was time to get to work. The internship format at D.E. Shaw is ever-changing. The last Summer Internship Programme (SIP) they launched was an 8-week online internship. This time, the format was 6 weeks online, and the last 2 weeks offline. Initially, I was gloomy- the whole reason I had opted for the corporate internship experience was to get more corporate exposure. How was that supposed to happen in front of a screen? But I soon found out, I was wrong.

My mentor was quick to check in with me weekly and get updates on the work I was doing. The project was engaging and gave me exposure to the ways of formulating and executing the kind of rigorous financial analysis that D.E. Shaw is famous for. The last 2 weeks, however, will always remain ingrained in my memory as a wonderfully enriching experience. As we finished up our analyses and presentations, I got the chance to interact with the other interns completing SIP 2024. I am still in contact with those amazing people with such great drive and ambition. If nothing else, at the office I got to meet colleagues who are extremely skilled at what they do and got to take a peek at their thought processes. The most valuable insight I got was how to connect the dots—in corporate, you will have about 50 different perspectives and facts in front of you. And no matter what position you are in, a large part of your job will consist of piecing together these different pieces of information to form a narrative that benefits your firm. That is why analytical skills are highly valued in internship and placement interviews—it is because they are a very large part of corporate life.

What To Do Once You're In

Every internship experience is different. Every placement experience is different. All I can hope is that this post offered you some insights into the internship process and work culture at D.E. Shaw. Without stretching it further, I wish you best of luck for your corporate (and life) experiences!