Bigbankers at student career fairs

In spring, days are getting longer and students are looking for summer internships. We decided to ask our colleagues, what are their internship experiences and how did their careers start.

Mattias, Junior Housing Loan Specialist

My professional journey began at previous Delta Career Day. I went to explore different companies and quickly received an internship offer from Bigbank. Taking the internship has been the best decision of my university years. It immediately gives you the chance to work on real projects, and although it may take some time to adjust, it is incredibly valuable for personal growth.

Internships are where you learn the most, complementing and supporting your studies. I strongly recommend that all students take an internship as soon as possible.

I especially liked internship in Bigbank because of the work environment and flexibility. The employees here are truly passionate about their work and incredibly supportive— I immediately felt like I was in good hands. The company is also very accommodating, making it possible for students to work alongside their studies.

What's not to like? 😊

Ekke, Head of the Credit Risk Modeling Unit

My career path started during my university years when I attended an investment conference organized by the Estonian Students' Society, where P2P lending platforms were introduced. One of these platforms provided access to its loan portfolio dataset, which allowed me to start developing my own credit risk models. Within the same environment, I could also select loans to invest in and apply my model to find loans with the best risk-return ratio. This was my first real encounter with actual data, and although I made every possible mistake in modeling, it provided me with valuable lessons.

The most important lesson I learned was that data and the ability to use it effectively hold immense value and power. This realization gave me confidence that I wanted to work with data and develop in the field of modeling.

Later, when I started working as a modeler in a bank, I already had a portfolio of risk models and a clear interest in the field, which gave me a strong advantage. I highly recommend that students, in addition to internships, work on exciting projects on their own and showcase them during job interviews. This way, we can discuss your project and skills rather than just relying on a diploma. It gives candidates a much stronger position!

Marina, Head of Housing Loan Sales Unit

As a first-year economics student, I had the opportunity to apply for a summer teller position. I got the job, and at 19 years old, during the second semester of my first year, I stepped into the banking world for the first time. I was offered the chance to continue working after the summer. That’s how I started studying while gaining practical experience at the same time.

One of the greatest advantages of banking is that it offers opportunities for everyone. Those who enjoy interacting with people can work with clients; those who love numbers can go into credit analysis or investments; and those interested in technology can develop products and systems.

Over the past 17 years, I have tried various roles—I started as a teller, then worked as a client manager, credit decision-maker, product manager, head of credit risk, and eventually, head of the sales unit. This experience has taught me that my true passion lies in people, not processes. It is through people and relationships that I can create the most value for my employer.

Marcus, User Support Specialist

My professional journey began with an internship at a software development company while studying at a vocational school. The company primarily focused on developing e-commerce solutions for clients. It was a great opportunity to apply what I had learned in my studies to a real work environment.

For students who are just starting their studies, I highly recommend doing an internship early on. Internships provide valuable experience and help build relationships that may later lead to job opportunities.

Hannes, Product Engineering Manager

Full-time front-end developer career began for me in a startup. Until then, I had grown professionally as a freelancer. For anyone starting, I'd recommend choosing their focus and committing to it.

Bigbank is big enough to see the effect of your work on scale (in 6 countries!). And small enough to have your ideas heard and implemented.