Spring week Review

The Barclays Spring Week was organised and executed excellently. The response time of HR before the spring week was fast and within the spring week they were all extremely supportive. Furthermore, there was a massive diversity of events- from leadership activities to how to talk persuasively. Moreover, the insight scheme allowed me to gain an insight into investment banking and demystified so much of the process. It was truly a privilege to have been part of the process.

All the staff were wonderful and understanding. Moreover, the emphasised how much of a success it was for us to be on the Spring Week programme itself and that simply by being there we had achieved something great. Furthermore, all the staff ,no matter what seniority they were, took a genuine interest in you as an individual and it really did feel like they wanted you to work at Barclays as much as you wanted to work there! The accepting and welcoming atmosphere fostered by all the staff no matter where you interacted with them and their understanding of the fact you might not even know anything about what they do truly made me feel valued as an individual.

Whatever I needed whether it was help with a CV, questions about the application process, what we were doing next or asking what the HR were looking for HR helped with which I found really helpful. They could not have been more supportive. Moreover, I was provided with a buddy who was extremely helpful who called me before the week to ask if I had any questions about Barclays in general or if there was anything that I wanted to ask him. Within the spring week itself, everything was made clear and questions, no matter how stupid they might have seemed, were answered conscientiously and enthusiastically. The support system was immaculate and it would be very difficult to have improved upon it.

In my degree studies, there were no particular skills that I learnt on the spring week which will assist me. However, this is probably because I am a second year and also not doing a finance related degree. However, the strengths profile and other activities such as the leadership activity and the speaking persuasively activity all provided me with an insight and transferable skills which will assist me in both my career and my wider life as a whole. However, it is not to criticise the spring week in any way. I did not apply hoping for it to help with my degree; I applied hoping to gain an insight into investment banking and gain transferable skills!

Extremely. Firstly, we were provided with an app well in advance of the spring week which meant that we were able to see the candidates agenda and be able to know what to expect come the spring week. Moreover, timetables were provided when we were actually on the spring week and HR made sure everything flowed very well. Furthermore, it felt like the spring week managed to touch on many areas in the small amount of time it took up. For example, I have gAined a better insight into my own strengths, into investment banking as a whole and the sectors of market and banking themselves too. The structure facilitated this understanding. Also, there was ample time given to each activity and the amount of time dedicated to the group work meant that we could prepare it without staying late!

Everyone was extremely friendly and welcoming. Moreover, everyone made you feel valued and welcomed no matter who it was you were talking to. When I was on the trading floors it felt like the colleagues at Barclays genuinely wanted to get to know me and my motivations for pursuing a career in banking. Moreover, the fact that so many bankers took their time to introduce themselves to me as opposed to the other way around truly made me feel welcomed as obviously when you are shadowing someone it is a bit of a risk to go up and interrupt someone's work. Truly it would be hard for Barclays to have made me feel anymore welcome within the spring week programme!

£250