Sales & Trading (S&T) is the division of an investment bank that pitches trading ideas and executes or facilitates trades in securities like stocks, bonds, currencies, and commodities for clients. Unlike investment banking, which focuses on large corporate deals, S&T works with securities and manages the complexity of executing very large trade volumes without disrupting markets. Sales professionals manage client relationships and provide pricing, while traders execute trades, make markets, and manage risk to generate profit. Supporting roles like structuring, research, and quantitative trading help design complex products, generate investment ideas, and run electronic trading platforms. Together, these functions enable efficient market access for institutional investors while generating revenue through fees, spreads, and trading profits.
Check out Wall Street Prep’s Sales and Trading Guide and Mergers and Inquisitions’ Sales and Trading Overview to learn more.
Jeremy Rosen ’00, Managing Director, and Alexa Brennan ’25, Analyst, at BNP Paribas shared tips for students interested in Sales and Trading.
- Build essential skills first: Prioritize attention to detail, multitasking, staying calm under pressure, teamwork, and a genuine interest in financial markets as the core skills employers expect. Creativity and strong problem-solving abilities are valuable bonus traits that can help you stand out by supporting business processes and driving improvements.
- Show genuine market interest early: First- and second-year students do not need advanced technical knowledge—interest can be demonstrated through listening to Bloomberg Radio, following market news, or personal investing.
- Prepare for interviews: Expect technical, behavioral, and cultural questions. It’s okay to get technical answers wrong—BNP Paribas values calm, confidence, and problem-solving. Behavioral and cultural fit matter most, and follow-up questions may dig deeper into your experiences.
- Stand out beyond GPA: Use your resume to highlight who you are outside the classroom. Personal interests and hobbies—even non-finance ones like baking sourdough or hiking—can differentiate you and make your application more memorable.
- Engage with employers: Attend information sessions and network consistently; employers track student engagement and genuine expressions of interest.
BNP Paribas is still reviewing applications for second-year students applying for 2027 Summer Internships and seniors applying for 2026 Full-Time positions. Apply now on Handshake:
2027 – Summer Analyst Internship – Global Banking, Asset Finance & Securitization
2027 – Summer Analyst Internship – Investment Grade Finance & Corporate Sales
2027 – Summer Analyst Internship – Global Markets, Sales & Trading
2026 – Full Time Analyst – Global Markets – Sales & Trading (Note: Openings are extremely limited and require very specific skillsets. We recommend networking and researching to learn more.)
