UBS Insights 2016 Review

The insight provided an invaluable overview of the investment banking sector and UBS specifically, as well as going into deeper detail about the work of each individual business area. A work shadowing opportunity allowed me to receive real insight into what kind of careers are available in this industry, and how such a career might progress.

A great many UBS employees came to speak to us, including some very senior ones, and great emphasis at all times was placed on answering our questions and being open to further discussion. Several networking events were put on, which were attended by a broad range of additional people, and all of the sessions were obviously very carefully prepared, and designed to maximise our understanding and insight.

Whether it be specific sessions geared towards soft skills and performing well in assessment centres, or having graduates from each division represented come to work with us during workshops to lend an expert eye, there was an amazing amount of support throughout. Every presenter was very open to taking questions, and these opportunities were taken fantastic advantage of by all present.

My degree is non-finance, so the more technical skills will have limited applicability here, but they will clearly be extremely useful to any future career in finance. Even though the insight was presented with a (reasonable) UBS emphasis, the understanding it conveyed of the structure of the industry and the skills required by each division are directly applicable throughout the sector, and are immensely useful details to have in mind when attending an assessment centre.

The insight was extremely well structured, with a clear programme presented on day one that comprised presentations from all divisions (and interactive workshops for most), as well as sessions on softer skills which are valued by banks such as UBS. Networking sessions were carefully arranged, with the graduates present clearly enthusiastic about sharing their careers with us.

There was a fantastic atmosphere throughout the insight - after the inevitable initial uncertainty, everyone was very willing to get stuck in and participate fully - certainly greater participation was key to gaining the most from the experience. All the presentation and workshop leaders were very open and engaging, which created a very convivial atmosphere in which we felt very free to ask the questions we really wanted answered.

Throughout the week, it was clear that considerable care had been taken to design an insight that was genuinely valuable to us, conveying the very sort of information we were seeking to learn. In particular, the specific sessions on preparing for Assessment Centres were immensely useful; I feel these significantly set my mind at ease and improved my performance at the Centre.

The relation to full-time working was very clear - especially during the work shadowing session. Here, we were able to spend a whole afternoon shadowing an employee from the business division of our choice, gaining a real understanding of what they do on a day-to-day basis and being able to ask questions in a very candid manner.

A great deal - in fact, there was an entire session on the culture at UBS, going into great detail as to how it is unique in the industry and firmly built on the views of its employees rather than corporate buzz. Not only did this provide valuable information for the interviews in the Assessment Centre, it instilled a real desire to work for UBS in all of us.

The combination of in-depth detail on different career divisions, explanations of the bank's culture and a substantial work shadowing opportunity conveyed an enormous amount about a career in investment banking - from the broad facts to some very closely-honed details. This greatly enhanced my ability to make an effective comparison to the other careers I was considering, and thus come to a conclusion.

The expenses policy was very reasonable, and seemed to extend to international air travel where this was appropriate.

There were substantial networking opportunities, both during specific networking events flagged for the purpose and through general interaction with those employees leading certain sessions. Work shadowing gave an invaluable opportunity to network with a specific graduate in my area of interest, which I believe will be of incredible use to my career/application journey over the next few years.

As well as the arranged social event on the first night, which very effectively eased what tension remained after the first day and allowed us to get to know each other in a much more relaxed environment, there were plenty of breaks throughout the programme, in which refreshments were provided - these, along with the provided breakfast and lunch, provided an ideal opportunity to speak to people; through these, I managed to meet almost all of the 70 or so participants at some point.

Through Q&A sessions, as well as discussions with individual employees during networking sessions, it became apparent that UBS provides an enticing suite of employee networks and clubs, the latter of which seem to function almost in the same vain as university societies! The community action initiatives UBS is involved with also provide employees with an opportunity to get involved with fantastic volunteering projects.

I would not hesitate to recommend this insight - it has the perfect mix of content, pitched at the perfect level, pitched in the perfect manner. It has massively inspired me to consider a career in this field more than I ever had before, as well as opening my eyes to the reality of the industry. In short, an incredible experience, which I believe will pay dividends throughout the rest of my career.