Written by Manya Anand
Introducing Rachel Malik
Nationality : British
Current location: San Francisco, California, Unites States of America
Role : Vice President, UHNW West Region Investment Counselor
Department: Wealth Management
Years of experience: 6.5 years
"Growing up in foster care, I wasn’t supposed to make it this far. Statistically, kids like me don’t end up in finance. They don’t get into top universities. And they definitely don’t land jobs at top financial institutions. But I refused to let the world decide my future for me before I had even tried."
Who is Rachel Malik?
At first glance, Rachel Malik’s career looks like a straight shot to success, scholarships, finance internships, and a prestigious job at Citi. But behind every polished LinkedIn profile is a story, and hers is one of relentless perseverance.
Rachel was born in a tiny village in the north of England, a place where “one bus came every hour.” The idea of working in finance felt like a distant dream. But one day, she saw a TV program about bankers and thought, "That looks cool”.
It was Miss Hassell, her high school teacher, who saw something in her before she did. “Rachel, you can be whatever you want. But you need to stop wasting your potential.” She pushed her to apply for the J.P. Morgan’s Aspiring Professional’s Program, but Rachel resisted. She thought kids like her didn’t get opportunities like that.
She applied and got the internship, against all odds. “I never intended to go, but my grandma knew what was right for me and gave me the ultimatum" “You either go, or you don’t live in this house anymore.”
Rachel’s career path
At 17, with no choice but to go, Rachel took the train to London. When she stepped off at Canary Wharf, staring up at the skyscrapers for the first time, she thought: “What the heck just happened? This is crazy.”
“That internship at J.P. Morgan was her first taste of finance. It confirmed that she didn’t just dream of a seat at the table, but that for the first time it was within arm’s reach”
Despite her strong resume, Rachel faced rejection after rejection when applying for graduatepositions. “I thought how hard could this be? I have an internship at J.P. Morgan and Silicon Valley Bank, four international scholarships (participating in educational programs in Singapore,India, China and New Zealand whilst an undergraduate), a degree from a Russell Group university, and top grades. And then I got rejected from everything.” Her dream of working in finance wasn’t as simple as getting good grades and applying.
"I didn’t have connections; I didn’t know what they were looking for. I thought you just submitted a CV and that’s it."
She learned the hard way that in finance, “your network is your net worth”- quoted by co-founder Léonie Kennepohl. With no job offer, Rachel accepted a fifth international scholarship, this time to do her masters in China. It ended up being a wonderful experience, life changing to say at least and pushed her out of her comfort zone. She left with many lessons but one that stood with her, she had to completely change her application technique. Leveraging her network, she contacted the Social Mobility Foundation who put her in touch with a volunteer for the charity, a lady with a wealth of recruitment experience, to help her work on her CV, cover letters and interview technique.
Coming back to London, Rachel went all in, full of confidence. She was convinced that this time, it would work out. But she learnt that was easier said than done, it took her 50+ job applications, before landing her dream job in Wealth Management. From her 50+ applications she was invited to just two interviews, one of them being her dream job. She was offered both opportunities but knew which direction she was meant to go!
Dream job and advice to younger self
The key to success? Networking and LinkedIn, she made sure her name was seen and she created a strong personal brand early on. When she finally landed the job, not only did she prove others wrong, but she also proved to herself that she belonged.
If Rachel could talk to her younger self, she’d say: Own your narrative.
"Believe in yourself, even when no one else does. Stop waiting for permission to celebrate your wins. Chase opportunities that align with your passion, not just prestige. And most importantly - lift others as you rise."
Rachel Malik didn’t just break into finance she kicked the door open and left it wide for the next generation.
"Take a moment to celebrate how far you’ve come instead of always asking, ‘What’s next?’ Success isn’t just about the next goal; it’s about appreciating the journey."