UBS Insight Review

I enjoyed the insight week so much! All participants were so intelligent. I met a lot of friends. The insight week was informative, and I have gained a lot from it. There were a series of talks and workshops throughout the week which gave us an overview of different sectors in the investment bank.

There were around 70 participants (quite a large group). We were divided into groups of six of seven so that everyone could engage in group activities. I felt respected by the HR and employees, as they were always making sure the content of the programme was suitable and not too technical for us.

A lot of guidance and support were given during the insight. A few people from HR were here all the time. We could ask questions whenever we were in doubt. Employees were also very supportive; sometimes they might not be sure about the questions we asked, but they were willing to find out the answers for us.

The insight programme was very well structured. We had four full days of activities and the last day was an assessment day. All the activities we did introduce different sectors in banking industry to us, so we got to understand more about a bit of everything. The insight pretty much changed my decision on my future career path.

My general impression to UBS was that people there are extremely nice. The bank focuses a lot on their values, especially on collaboration. They respect and value diverse perspectives so that everybody has the chance to express their opinions. As everyone I met was kind and supportive, the atmosphere was great and chill.

We had a four-hour job shadowing session which was a previous opportunity for us to understand and discover more about our chosen division. The graduate told me about her day-to-day work and most of her responsibilities. She also talked me through some recent deals that she has been working on and the methodology of doing some of her job (e.g. Pricing).

UBS emphasizes a lot on its culture. We had a talk about UBS Identity and Strategy on the first day. The company specializes on what it is good at, which is a unique competitive advantage that their clients value. They also spend smartly and use the best ideas to unlock the full potential of the firm. The bank also does a lot of volunteering work as it wants to contribute back to the society and the work environment.

All the activities we did (including workshops, talks and job shadowing) deepen my understanding of different divisions of the bank. They corrected some of my wrong perceptions and assumptions which I had previously. Having observed the work environment of some departments, I became clearer about my future career path after the insight.

We had a lot of opportunities to network throughout the week. There was networking lunch session (with delicious food provided) every afternoon where we could speak to current employees who are on graduate schemes or who have experience in spring/summer internship. We also met a few employees through activities like graduate panels, talks and tours.

There was a social event on the Monday evening. We went to a bar close to the office where food and drinks were provided. It was a great opportunity to network with other participants of the programme as we were the only group of people in the bar. The only criticism was that the nibbles were not enough to fill our tummy. (The food was even more competitive than the spring week programme!)

Apparently they do voluntary mentoring work in a school that UBS sponsors on a regular basis.

Definitely!