Name: Alex
University: University of Oxford
Position: Consultant, UK Investment Management
What attracted you to FactSet?
I applied for the Consulting position at FactSet because I wanted a client facing role that was also technically demanding. With the opportunity to work in a rapidly growing company, meet people throughout the financial Industry, get extensive training and develop my skills, FactSet was an obvious choice.
What are the best things about working at FactSet?
Despite it being a cliché I really enjoy working here because of the other FactSetters. There is a fantastic office atmosphere where everyone is warm and friendly regardless of seniority which would be difficult to find in any other company. There is a great social side to the company whether it be from Consulting events or just the fact that the majority of the London office can be found at our local pub on a Friday evening.
What projects have you been working on recently and what you have you most enjoyed?
After my initial five weeks of training I had the opportunity to deal with clients directly. I joined the Scottish team and got to fly to Edinburgh to meet and help train the clients I had been doing projects for back in London. It was great to see how they use the product and how my work had affected them. I am currently working on the helpdesk which clients can call and email whenever they have a problem. It’s a great place to learn as I have complete responsibility of the client from the moment they call until they are satisfied with the solution. I often have challenging problems to solve, the work is very diverse and I am constantly learning something new.
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Name: Anna
University: University of the West of England
Position: Consultant in Global Banking and Brokerage
What attracted you to FactSet?
I had a friend of a friend who worked at FactSet. When I met with him to discuss the job it was clear that FactSet is a company that looks after its staff well, and promotes growth as an individual within the business. I was also drawn to the fact that it operates in the finance industry and provides great exposure to an array of clients. Further to this I especially liked the fact that FactSet was willing to sponsor the CFA programme.
What are the best things about working at FactSet?
One of the best things about working for FactSet is the culture of the company and the people. The people are great on two parts. Firstly, it’s great to work within a team of people where everyone has different strengths and shares their knowledge. It’s reassuring to know that there is always someone around who will be able to help you if you are working on something that’s new. Secondly, the team is great on a personal level also, and there is a lot of socialising. Further to this you have close contact with management, meaning that any good work you do does not go unnoticed.
Another great aspect is the fact that you personal development at FactSet is often discussed from the start of your career. This really encourages you to do well. To add to this they also sponsor you for the CFA programme if you wish to sit for it.
What projects have you been working on recently and what you have you most enjoyed?
I have worked with a variety of teams within the banking industry, ranging from teams which build structured products in investment banks, to teams that help prepare roadshows for IPOs. I have also worked with private equity clients and corporate finance teams. Working with such a wide range of clients does not only provide insight to the industry but also means that each day in the office is different. As visiting my clients is a large part of my role I also spend much time away from my desk, adding even more variety.
On top of this there is a technical element to my role, as I must learn the product inside out. As it is a large product that is always changing this can be quite a challenge.
To conclude I would say that one of the things I most enjoy about my role is the variety and the fact that it requires an array of qualities. This ensures that it is always a challenge and never the same.
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Name: Gerald
University: University of Kent and City University, London
Position: Consultant, UK Investment Management
What attracted you to FactSet?
I believe one of the key factors that really attracted me to FactSet was that this is a company that is going places. I applied for the consultancy role due to the challenging and diverse opportunities it had to offer within the financial industry. Furthermore, the working culture, overall enthusiasm and camaraderie really convinced me that FactSet was the company I had to work for.
What are the best things about working at FactSet?
One of the great things about FactSet is undoubtedly the people. We offer a great product but I believe great products really do come from a great working culture. From working on implementing projects that will greatly increase the efficiency of our client’s investment decisions to playing football with the FactSet team every week, FactSet is a great platform to start your career.
The supportive and coaching culture encourages you to take full responsibilities and provides opportunities for continual development by supporting CFA certification and other programmes. FactSet offers you a unique opportunity to really understand how investment professionals typically work and at the same time help a company that has tons of potential in the marketplace.
What projects have you been working on recently and what you have you most enjoyed?
One interesting project that I have been working on was to aid a client screen a list of stocks that they are potentially looking to invest in. I did this through one of many powerful applications we have to offer which is the universal screening application. Through this application the client was able to screen a list of stocks in accordance to various factors in order to easily compare and track the performance of their stocks.
Through this project it was great to understand the process of how investment professionals typically work and what information they take into consideration when doing their analysis.
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Name: Lovina
University: King’s College London, Cass Business School
Position: Consultant, UK Investment Management
What attracted you to FactSet?
I was primarily attracted to FactSet because I found the culture here very young, vibrant, and international. Having grown up abroad attending an international school, this is something that was really important to me when looking for a job.
In addition to this, having focused on finance throughout university, what appealed to me about this position was that I would be working alongside a broad range of financial professionals, including portfolio managers, sector analysts, risk managers, and investment bankers. I thought this would be the perfect opportunity for me, seeing that I had an interest in financial analysis as well as that I wanted a client-facing role with an element of customer service.
What are the best things about working at FactSet?
I think the training program at FactSet is excellent and gives you a good foundation to start off your career. The progression from five weeks of lectures and interactive sessions, followed by three months spent on ‘project pool’ helping a team support their clients, and then spending three months on the helpdesk has been intensive and challenging, yet has helped me develop my professional skills and learn how to form and manage good relationships with my colleagues and clients.
I think the consulting position is good for new graduates because the company offers a very supporting and coaching culture, which allows you to grow and keep learning through continuous training and support.
Another good thing about working at FactSet are the people who work here. My colleagues are all very open, friendly and innovative, which makes the company a very diverse and exciting place to work.
What projects have you been working on recently and what you have you most enjoyed?
I’ve completed training and have been given my own clients over the past few months, which I have been enjoying thoroughly. A few of my clients are based in Dublin so I get to fly there every two weeks to visit them, which is an added perk!
Projects I have been working on include setting up training sessions, building customised workflow solutions, and resolving day to day client queries. One of my clients has recently undergone a takeover and there has been a lot of work involved with this, because we’ve had to ensure that the FactSet transition from one workplace to the other has been seamless.
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Name: Rakesh
University: King’s College London
Position: Consultant in Global Banking and Brokerage
What attracted you to FactSet?
There are many reasons why I chose to apply to FactSet. I was drawn in by FactSet being voted in the "UK's 50 Best Workplaces." Second was the career progression that is offered here. You start as a consultant and with enough determination and hard-work I don’t see there being a reason why you cannot replicate Phil Hadley’s path. Thirdly, the speed with which we are growing is phenomenal. The excitement working in an ever-adapting environment is second to none. Last but not least, the opportunity to be sponsored for the CFA is a great addition.
What are the best things about working at FactSet?
When you start your career at FactSet you quickly discover the benefits of working in such a dynamic environment. Teamwork is an integral part of any job, and at FactSet this is no different, working with teams across the company on differing projects gives the job great variety. The work we do for our clients makes us indispensible as we are often at the very core of their day-to-day tasks.
At FactSet each client receives a dedicated consultant, allowing us to build relationships with them. Since our market data and analytic software is used by everyone, from interns to directors, I have the opportunity to work with people from all experience levels. Whilst we do work hard, we are provided with free lunch daily and also have access to complimentary snacks and drinks throughout the day. With FactSet's London office being located within the “Square Mile” you are central to restaurants, café’s, shops and bars.
What projects have you been working on recently and what you have you most enjoyed?
Within five months of joining FactSet, I was made the lead on a project, working on integrating the data we provide into PowerPoint. This enabled the client to easily create presentations and pitchbooks in a more efficient manner than would have otherwise been possible. From the offset I communicated with the client directly, arranging meetings to discuss the progress and to answer any questions they had. Prompt completion as always was very important, but more so due to the sensitive nature of this project.
One of the most enjoyable aspects of this project was the pressure that came with the time constraint. This meant I would have to prioritise work and be in regular contact with the client. The project required the help of colleagues if it were to be completed on time. Working with them and brainstorming the most effective method of completion added to the experience. The trust shown in me by my manager has given me the confidence to further my career here at FactSet.
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Name: Samuel
University: Aston University
Position: Consultant in Global Banking and Brokerage
What attracted you to FactSet?
FactSet allows me to bring my technical skills and interest in working into the Finance industry together. This, coupled with the role of a consultant gives me maximum exposure to all different aspects of the industry alongside different seniority levels; right from the junior analysts to senior directors.
What are the best things about working at FactSet?
I believe you would find it difficult to find a job whereby you are working in tandem with COOs, Senior Executives and Managing Directors of some of the world’s largest investment banks within six months of starting your first job. You are being exposed to the key personnel within the Finance industry and really enable you to make an impact on their workflows – this is really empowering. However, this is matched only by working with your fellow colleagues at FactSet. The workforce is young, vibrant and of high calibre – whilst you get to learn a lot from dealing with clients there is much inspiration to be drawn from your colleagues.
What projects have you been working on recently and what you have you most enjoyed?
My recent projects include looking after a trial with some private wealth management clients – they deal with individuals of high net worth and therefore the tools they use are not only specialised products; but they use it in a unique way. Being able to see this through alongside working with specialists within FactSet has been a positive challenge.
Additionally, I have been involved with overseeing the organic growth of desks in departments where FactSet has previously had minimal exposure. Being able to work with clients who did not use FactSet before and then making it a necessity of their daily workflow has been a source of great satisfaction to me.
