Insight Program Review

I really enjoyed the insight program for several reasons: Firstly it was really interesting to get an insight into the variety of careers you can have within an investment bank. Secondly it was great to get to know the ethos at Nomura and establish that this working environment would suit me and allow me to thrive. Thirdly I enjoyed making connections both with my peers and the professionals at Nomura. It is a constant reminder that it is the people around you that you can learn from the most rather than just what you learn at school.

I felt extremely valued as it came to my knowledge that this was a very high demand opportunity and many had applied for this program. I was very impressed by the fact that professionals who are extremely senior at Nomura, gave up their time to talk to us about their careers, give us advice and explain complex ideas. I remember a particular professional Mr Pelc who is co Head of Macro Technical Strategy and it was inspiring to learn about his career progression and he gave me very good advice about what Nomura is looking for in their employees.

I received just the right amount of guidance, especially during some challenging group tasks. Sometimes we just needed a nudge in the right direction and there was always a professional there to help us.

This experience has definitely inspired me to pursue this career in the future. I feel that my scientific skills would be extremely applicable in the banking industry. It was extremely useful to understand what Nomura recruiters would be looking for on the CV and cover letter parts of the job application. Major mistakes and instant turn offs were also highlighted which I will definitely keen in mind in the future. I also learnt about how to improve my presentation skills in many situations such as, interview, networking lunches and researched 'pitch' presentations. This is very useful as it is an essential skill for life, such as during job applications and making new friends. However, the most useful skill that I developed on the insight day was about making connections. Throughout the three days I realized that to get the most out of the opportunity, it was essential to make connections, ask questions and act upon any opportunity to show your interest.

It was very well structured with a nice balance between presentation sessions, interactive sessions, group tasks and networking lunches. There was never a moment where I felt unoccupied whether it be focusing on a task or making new friends. I particularly enjoyed the group task where we made a presentation on a current economic trend. My group presented on China's slowing economy and I found it an extremely stimulating task as: Firstly we got to research about a very interesting, topical area. Secondly I got to know the people in group very well and I feel I will definitely stay in contact with them and keep the relationships going. Thirdly we got to work on our presentation skills which was extremely valuable as this is a crucial part of this industry, (being able to present your researched ideas, clearly, concisely and respond to difficult questions on the spot).

Right from Mr Lorenco's introduction to Nomura, I knew that this was a very unique bank, that valued their employees highly and delivered excellent results. Throughout the three days, the atmosphere was very friendly and I felt that everyone was extremely approachable. There was also a very professional atmosphere throughout the three days, everyone including my peers from school took this opportunity seriously and I enjoyed learning from those around me. I feel that the connections I made during the insight days were extremely valuable and I will ensure that I keep them up as I enjoyed meeting such motivated, intelligent and interesting people throughout the three days. I also enjoyed the location of Nomura as it was in central London, the view was incredible and I was very impressed by the professional and 'smooth running' atmosphere at Nomura.

I felt that Nomura invested so much time into us, which is extremely valuable, especially in the banking industry. I met many professionals who offered advice, insight and their knowledge which I highly value, as I understand professionals in this industry have very busy schedules so I really felt Nomura invested a lot of time into us. Examples of these situations include: 1. Interview session where I learnt about 'selling yourself', how to approach difficult interview questions and how to present yourself. 2.Q& A sessions where we got to ask about any aspect of working at Nomura and personal career questions. 3. CV and cover letter session where we learnt about what recruiters are looking for and how to stand out during the application process. 4. Networking lunches where we got to make connections and converse with professionals 5. Feedback on group presentations was extremely valuable so I now know what was good about my presentation skills and what I need to improve upon.

We got to learn about the variety of roles in Nomura, from the investment banking side to the back office side. It was very interesting to understand how the various roles in the banks linked with each other and how collaborative the industry is (for example investment bankers rely on the computer models designed by professionals in the back office). Other insights include the support system when you first start working at Nomura. I was impressed to learn that senior professionals at the bank are very accessible and open to giving their advice and opinion if you are ever stuck. I also learnt that if you work hard and produce results, you are able to progress in your career which is great to know because it shows that Nomura values their employees.

I have a great understanding of the company culture as there were many opportunities to talk to professionals at Nomura such as during networking lunches, Q&A sessions and group tasks. I feel as if I have a much better understanding of the ethos at Nomura and about the great support system in place for new recruits. It was very valuable to understand about the support system because I find I work best in a collaborative environment which is exactly what Nomura is about, as I gathered from the responses I got from my questions.

This experience has broken down an illusion I had of the banking industry which was that you needed economics to get a job. I now know that this is not the case and Nomura especially encourages diversity, what really matters is passion and the ability to learn. Although technical knowledge and skills are required, I learnt that Nomura provides support for this so I can use my scientific skills and apply them to the banking industry.

In my opinion this was the best aspect of the the insight program, there were various situations such as the Q & A panels, networking lunches and group tasks. I gained insight and many gave very valuable advice about careers in the industry. I have followed up on these connections by using LinkedIn.

I found them very valuable as I gained insight, advice and knowledge from professionals at Nomura. I also enjoyed getting to know my peers as they were all extremely motivated, hard working and interesting individuals.

After talking to several professionals, it seems as if you are able to find people with similar interests easily within the bank and get involved in activities such as sports in groups.

I would definitely recommend this to anyone who is interested in the banking industry because it really breaks down some illusions that the press presents of the industry and also provides valuable insight into the company ethos because it is important to understand what type of environment would suit you best in the future, As a female I felt this opportunity was eye opening, as I had previously thought this was a male dominated industry but after the insight program, I know this is not the case. Overall a very stimulating, insightful and eye opening experience which enables you to learn about Nomura, careers in the industry, how to stand out during the application process and enables you to make connections both with professionals and your peers.