J.P. Morgan - Sales & Trading

Sales & Trading

We'll keep your desk just the way you leave it. Our summer internships often lead to full-time offers.

In the Sales & Trading Summer Associate program, you spend ten weeks working with top professionals as they advise and facilitate transactions with institutional clients. As an integral part of a team, you are expected to make a personal impact right from the start. Following orientation, you’ll hit the desk and learn first-hand how capital flows from the world’s largest institutional investors to its most prominent borrowers and issuers; on-the-job training and networking opportunities continue throughout the summer, setting you up for a successful full-time career.

We hire most of our full-time Associates from the pool of Summer Associates, so you may very well find yourself returning to school with a full-time offer. And we assure you that, after spending your summer with us, you won’t hesitate to accept.

If you're serious about the markets, why would you go anywhere else?

The magnitude of a Summer Associate’s job

As a Summer Associate in the Sales & Trading program, you will be part of a team of top professionals who advise and facilitate transactions with institutional clients. Through training, hands-on learning, continuous mentoring and feedback, as well as numerous development opportunities, you can advance toward your career goals. You will work harder and learn more than you ever thought possible.

You will take part in formal shadowing rotations through different desks to learn about various markets and products. You will work alongside salespeople and traders to gain greater exposure and insight into the opportunities available within Sales & Trading. You will leverage and learn from J.P. Morgan’s global expertise. You will interact and socialize with J.P. Morgan colleagues, developing your own professional network and rounding out an unbelievable summer learning experience.

Each desk has different roles and responsibilities, but during this internship, you will receive top-notch training and may be exposed to some of the same assignments as full-time Associates.

As part of this program, you will be assigned to a Sales, Trading, Structuring or Markets Research role specializing in either a cash or derivative product. Read more about them in our Sales & Trading business area description.

Responsibility from the start

As a Summer Associate in Sales & Trading your responsibilities may include, but are not limited to:

Sales: Help maintain relationships with institutional investors and match our services and products to their needs; work with trading and research teams to provide comprehensive client coverage, including fulfilling client requests for market updates, pricing, executing client orders and providing institutional clients with information about specific securities; provide marketing ideas and help initiate transactions
Trading: Help senior traders cover institutional accounts and make markets in the group’s particular range of products; assist the senior traders in managing risk, liquidity and exposure; may help support all aspects of the trading desk: pre-trade analysis, research on index constituent changes, inbound and outbound trade processing and the design of optimal strategies for large trades; help track supply and demand; constantly evaluate market developments in order to give clients accurate product information
Structuring: Create customized investment strategies using conventional cash and derivative credit products; learn to structure complex products in unique ways and use creativity to come up with new products to match the needs of clients
Markets Research: Perform quantitative analysis to develop relative-value trade ideas for external clients and internal trading desks; play an active role in idea generation and may have the opportunity to contribute to publications, research notes, and client seminars; interact with sales and trading desks to reinforce the real-time relevancy of your work

Rotational program

As a Summer Associate in Sales & Trading, you will rotate through two or three groups. Each rotation will expose you to different markets and career opportunities. You may be assigned to a group specializing in a cash or derivative product. Perhaps you'll help a client hedge a risk position, report on an issuer's financial position and distribute deals to investors. Or maybe you’ll help them review their portfolio, consolidate their investments and find attractive ways to express their views on the market. Each desk has different roles and responsibilities, but during this internship, you will receive top-notch training on each of them. and may be exposed to some of the same assignments as full-time Associates. One thing is certain: by the end of the summer, you and your managers will have an excellent idea of which business group will best fit your interests and talents.

Training and development

World-class, hands-on training will be provided - both during orientation and throughout your internship. The summer internship starts with a four-day orientation program. Then, about once a week, you will participate in interactive Markets Meetings that will help you learn how to form and express opinions through exercises in which you offer real-life market updates and trade ideas to “clients.” You will get into the habit of keeping on top of market developments and learn how economic data and news events affect a sector or market. You will also have the opportunity to learn about product areas outside your own, through interactive seminars, small group discussions with high-level managers, and visits to other desks. And we’ll set you up with mentors to help you out along the way.

You will also get the unique chance to participate in our trading and sales simulations:

Trading simulation: Our trading simulation is designed to train you on the core trading competencies. Summer Associates participate in a computer-based training exercise over the course of a two-hour simulated trading day. Within the stated constraints, you "trade" in the market with your fellow Summer Associates, preferred clients, banks, and voice brokers. Your goal is to be the best market maker. A senior trader will observe and evaluate each Associate and provide constructive feedback.

Sales simulation: A high-pressure role-playing exercise, the sales simulation trains you and assesses your sales competencies. Each Summer Associate receives a package of information and in the space of thirty minutes pulls together a sales presentation. You then have ten minutes on the telephone to pitch your "client" - a senior salesperson in the bank who reacts to the sales proposals you suggest. At the conclusion of your sales pitch, your "client" will spend fifteen minutes interviewing you, assessing your performance and providing you valuable feedback.

What we look for

The work is fast-paced, demanding and intellectually stimulating. We are looking for entrepreneurial candidates with strong analytical, quantitative and communication skills. You should be someone who thrives on the challenge of competitive pressures. You should also be able to remain focused on client needs and work well with colleagues in a fast-paced, intense environment.

Experience in financial services is not required, but we do look for candidates with a passion for following the markets; we are interested in highly motivated, results-driven, creative individuals who can generate ideas and execute them successfully. Our candidates have strong entrepreneurial, and client relations skills. Fluency in foreign languages is an asset but not a requirement.

An aptitude for numbers is a must, even if you're a career switcher. If you don't have a strong financial or business background, be sure you can tell your story; be able to demonstrate your quantitative aptitude both scholastically and practically (former jobs, for example) and be ready to articulate how your background will enhance your career at J.P. Morgan. (You'll find out more tips in our Advice Center including advice for career changers.)

How to apply

For more information, read before you apply. It will give you details on application information and direct you to useful links related to your application. You may also want to visit our interview process and check with your campus careers office or our campus schedule to see when we'll be visiting (you'll find out more tips in our Advice Center).