Two years ago, Beshoy never thought his dream job would be in finance. During his traineeship, he discovered a lot about himself, his career and developed into a confident Financial Risk Specialist at ING. Now he can't imagine any other career!
How it began
Beshoy studied for a few years in Egypt, where his passion for mathematics began. Five years ago, he moved to the Netherlands to further pursue his dreams. He began his bachelor's degree in mathematics at the Vrije Universiteit and also worked as a junior data scientist.
"I noticed that I got excited about solving problems in the workplace," says Beshoy. "Through my side job, I became interested in finance and felt I had the right skills, but I wasn't sure how to get started. I often talked to friends about my career. One of them suggested looking at traineeships, and that turned out to be exactly what I needed!"
A data adventure
Beshoy is now a Financial Risk Specialist at ING in the Trading Risk Management Valuation department. "I thought working at a bank might be a bit boring, but it's not at all! I work on challenging projects and solve complex problems with my team. It really feels like a data adventure!"
His team is a mix of international colleagues and experienced professionals. Beshoy started as the first team member alongside the product owner and now works with four other colleagues in his squad.
"I work one day a week in the office and the rest from home. My week is a mix of coding, analysis, reading and interesting meetings. But what I enjoy most are the brainstorming sessions in the office, where we come up with creative solutions together," he says.
Someone to lean on
As a young professional, Beshoy had to quickly get used to his new work environment and developing new skills. "In the beginning, it was sometimes quite overwhelming," he admits. "There was so much new to learn and I wanted to make a good impression right away."
He recalls a moment when he was stuck with a difficult task and doubted he was right for the role. "I really didn't know how to proceed," he recounts. "During one of our meetings, I shared my concerns with my talent manager, Floris. He listened, gave me good feedback and suggested breaking the task down into smaller, manageable steps."
"Floris made me feel comfortable sharing my concerns," says Beshoy. "He encouraged me to be open and helped me set my priorities. That was really a turning point for me. I realized that it's actually a strength to ask for help when you need it. That was a valuable lesson."
Zelfvertrouwen opbouwen
Beshoy is trots op hoe ver hij is gekomen. “Bij de bank hebben we het banking book en het trading book. Het trading book houdt alle financiële activa bij die gekocht en verkocht kunnen worden. Voor mij was dit compleet nieuw. Het mooiste is dat ik nu van een totale beginner ben gegroeid naar iemand die met vertrouwen complexe concepten kan uitleggen aan collega’s—dat geeft echt voldoening,” zegt hij.
Training and development
"The trainings during the traineeship were an important part of my development," says Beshoy. One of the best trainings was on MBTI, where he learned about different personality types and how to work together effectively. "The best thing about this training was that it celebrated the diversity of personalities, rather than pigeonholing people," he explains. "It helped me understand how to best work with different types of people, which is super important in a team."
The training gave Beshoy not only theoretical knowledge, but also practical skills that he could apply immediately. "It was great to be able to put new knowledge into practice right away," he says. "And because I did the training with other young professionals, I never felt alone in my learning process."
Every challenge is an opportunity
Are you starting your first job soon? Beshoy has a few tips for you: "Don't be afraid to ask questions if you don't know something. Through Floris' support, I learned to tackle challenges step by step and ask for help when needed. This helped me tremendously to find my place and grow in my role. Remember, every challenge is an opportunity to develop yourself!"
