GAIN Sweden
Internship Guide
Your journey starts here.
How to find, land, and ace your first internship in the investment industry; we’ve got you every step of the way.
You don’t have to figure this out alone
Good grades and a degree from a reputable university aren’t enough anymore to get a shot at the dream job after graduation. This guide is GAIN Sweden’s answer: everything we’ve learned from the industry, mapped into one place — so you don’t have to figure it out alone.
Think of it as your personal, on-demand advisor. We’ve cut through the noise and focused on what actually makes a difference.
What’s inside…
By reading the guide, you’ll walk away with:
A clear map of the investment industry; Investment Banking, Private Equity, Venture Capital, and Asset Management explained side by side, so you know exactly where your strengths fit.
The Swedish recruitment calendar, decoded; exactly when summer and off-cycle applications open, months before firms ever say so publicly.
A CV and cover letter recruiters actually read; the exact structure, keywords, and bullet-point formula, with templates ready to use.
A case-interview playbook; before, during, and after; built with Talent Eye, a recruitment partner with 15 years placing candidates into finance.
Real advice from women already in the room; first-hand interviews from Altor, SEB, Monterro, and Axcel on what actually got them hired.
The confidence to apply; because the biggest barrier is rarely skill. It’s daring to put yourself forward.
Meet the women behind the advice
This guide isn’t written from the outside looking in. It’s built around real conversations with women working across Private Equity, Asset Management, and Venture Capital; sharing exactly what got them hired, what they got wrong along the way, and what they wish someone had told them sooner.
Alicia Ohlsson — Private Equity, Altor
Took the consulting route via Bain & Company into a PE seat. Talks curiosity as a superpower, and the lone-wolf habit women need to drop.
Louise Böhme — Assistant Portfolio Manager, SEB
Tested operations at a boutique fund and a bank-wide traineeship before finding her seat in fund management. On the hidden roles students overlook, and why you can’t wait to be picked.
Ella Berglund — Investment Manager, Axcel
Went from an accounting desk in Östersund to a PE interview with 24 hours’ notice. On claiming your space and why this industry isn’t a zero-sum game.
Niki Shahidi — Investment Intern, Monterro
A GAIN Investment Insight Program alumna, now living the internship herself. On daring to apply, imposter syndrome, and surviving your first six months.
Geraldine Von Celsing — Talent Specialist, Monterro
Screens hundreds of would-be investors a year. On the grade myth, why AI cover letters backfire instantly, and what a 10-minute case is really testing for.
Sally Makki — HR & Talent Analyst, Altor
Shapes who joins Altor and how they grow once they’re in. On proactivity, owning your mistakes, and the two career routes that lead back to a PE firm.
“Dare to ask for help. We girls are generally much worse at it — we think, ‘I’ll fix this all by myself.’ But asking for tips and case experiences before an interview isn’t cheating — it’s a smart and necessary tool.”
— Alicia Ohlsson, Private Equity, Altor
FAQs
Students who want to break into the investment or management industry, whether that’s Private Equity, Venture Capital, Investment Banking, Asset Management or management consulting — regardless of what year you’re in or what you’ve studied so far.
Yes, completely free.
Earlier than you think. Off-cycle internships are typically applied for 4–6 months ahead, while summer internships at major banks can open as early as September/October the year before. The guide includes a full year-wheel so you know exactly when to apply to which firms.
Everything from understanding how the industry fits together (sell-side vs. buy-side, the “Big Four” career tracks), to building a strong CV and cover letter, acing case interviews, and making the most of your internship once you land it.
It’s built together with the industry — with input from investors and talent leads at firms like Altor, Axcel, Monterro, and SEB, plus recruitment specialists at Talent Eye. It includes first-hand interviews with women who’ve been through the exact process, from application to offer.
GIIP (the GAIN Investment Insight Program) is a separate, deeper 9-week program with mentorship, valuation training, and a stock-pitch project — it’s GAIN’s most hands-on entry point. The guide is a free resource anyone can read; GIIP is an application-based program that goes further.
Got questions?
We’re here to help. If you have questions about the guide, please email:
Emmy@gainsweden.org
