Work experience week, Review

I found the experience quite rewarding because it provided me with a vast insight into the work at Citi. We were able to take advantage of gaining access to current analysts as well as speaking to various placement students whom many originated from similar universities with similar courses which helped us to understand fully what is required for specific roles within the company.

The experience was very organised and I felt that the staff present were very sociable, friendly and the atmosphere was generally very pleasant. Staff were very supportive of us students and provided us with an extensive supply of information regarding the various career opportunities.

I felt that the support in terms of gaining knowledge into the various roles within Citi was very helpful and the advice given by analysts on their experiences helped to boost confidence with us students which allowed us to identify which segments/areas we felt would be most applicable as our potential career path.

The skills we developed taking part within the work experience week are highly transferable and means we can further enhance those skills if we were to apply for a large company such as Citi. The experience has allowed me to push myself out of my comfort zone which I believe is really important in achieving success. As well as this, it has allowed me to identify the skills I am better at while also highlighting areas which I can improve upon eg. Cv presentation/cover letters. Overall gaining a solid insight into the working environment has enabled me to understand more the operations of a large multinational business which will help in my coursework in my modules especially operations management which is a course I'm currently doing as part of my degree.

In terms of structure, the insight programme was very well organised and each event that took place was completed in a reasonably timely manner. Also, the flow of each event was in a logical sequence by starting off with a few introductory sessions such as team working and cv building to more difficult and challenging areas eg. Group discussions using a scenario based case study.

The atmosphere was generally very positive which was great to witness. It definitely helps a great deal in trying to attract potential applicants into a large company where people generally view to be more bureaucratic/strict and lack of communication. This insight programme allowed to me to understand the various cultures employed within the business. Citi places a great deal of team work across numerous roles where certain areas are also closely aligned allowing for more coordination among activities.

The employer insight programme proved to be a very worthwhile session and has enhanced greatly my understanding of a large company. Work shadowing was a new experience for me and was a task which personally I found to be rewarding. it allowed me to accumulate more knowledge and understanding of the various analyst roles while demonstrating the neccessary skills/expertise/qualities needed to seek a potential career related to the industry.

I recognize that culture plays a crucial role within business operations. The insight programme enabled me to understand quite clearly the various cultures adopted by the company. I was able to recognise through gaining an insight into the various departments that certain departments worked within a different framework. However, it was noted that skills such as teamwork were placed very highly on the list of key skill areas reinforced within the company and it was evident from engaging in the experience that teamwork was reflected consistently across numerous roles and departments.

There definitely were opportunities for networking and engaging with current employees. What was thrilling about the experience was that we were able to talk one on one with various graduates whom were able to share their knowledge/expertise with the group and they also provided a comprehensive insight into their perspectives of working at Citi.

Yes there was a presentation delivered to us highlighting the vast social opportunities being offered outside of the work. This presentation was concise which was good which attracted some attention from the students.

Yes I would definitely recommend the experience to a friend who is seeking to enter a career path into the financial services industry. Experience is paramount in today's competitive environment and it is worthwhile to engage in this programme to possess a more richer and clearer understanding of the actual processes and procedures handled within a large company.