As at many Financial Services companies, women are the minority. Although men seemed to respect their female colleagues, and women are able to be promoted alongside men, there are less women in senior management than men (in the Institutional Equity Division). There is also a much more significant density of women in sales than in trading (currently one women on all of the derivatives trading desks combined). During my internship, I met two pregnant women who were not discontent with the maternity leave policy because they understand that their jobs are market-focused and require face time.

You can advance if you network; you can do a good job, but if you do not build relationships to draw on, you could be out of luck if objectives change and they need to make changes. Sometimes the "push" to have more women in this industry can almost create an unequal president at times - they have a way to go to make things equal. In the right group though, you will be supported and have opportunity for growth.

Management is great, very supportive of female advisors. However, the male colleagues are often quite sexist and many will not engage with you like they would a male colleague. Feel very written off, especially after my pregnancy began to show. But on the surface, very supportive in terms of policies, less so in reality.