BAML Spring Insight Week Review

The insight gave a me a great chance to explore the banking sector through the work shadowing and various talks the were presented. The was always an opportunity to network amongst both employees and the other insight students which was a great way to get to know more people.

There was a heavy emphasis on diversity and inclusion throughout the week and this was echoed by the firms employees which contributed to the overall welcoming atmosphere. There was certainly a lot of effort put into the week and the networking dinner, mid way through the week, in The City also made us feel highly valued!

The itinerary given to us at the beginning of the week was followed closely and so this enabled to keep track of where we supposed to be and when as well as seeing what the next day involved. The HR team was always on hand if we needed anything and the employees were more than willing to make us feel welcome, I lost count of how many coffees i was offered during the work shadowing! However, as part of the programme there is an opportunity to be fast tracked to the summer internship, although we were not made aware that some of the divisions didn't have the chance to be fast tracked until after we had made our preferences. This meant that some students lost out on the chance to be considered for the fast track programme and were offered mock-interviews with feedback instead.

The insight has certainly prompted me to think about the wider economic and political effects on the markets as well as enabling me to learn more about how the bank works and the roles of the different divisions. The feedback from the mock interviews was also very useful and so I will be able to use the constructive criticism to ensure that I will perform better in future interviews.

The insight was very well structured and organised however we felt that there were some occasions were the presentations, although extremely useful, could have been shorter i.e. 30 mins instead of an hour, to allow for more divisions to present and ensure that students were engaged at all times. Overall the timetable provided at the start was a great guide and ensured we were all aware of the programme and could plan ahead in advance if needed.

Everyone was so welcoming and, surprisingly, there was not a competitive 'cut-throat' atmosphere amongst the students as everyone was so friendly. The HR team and other employees in the bank were also more when willing to help and share their experiences with us and there was a clear team-oriented culture within some of the business lines.

There was a clear effort to make sure that we received attention from all levels of the firm including the EMEA president and Senior VP's through to recent graduates. There were multiple networking opportunities ranging from formal to informal however the best was definitely the networking dinner which worked on a rotational basis giving us a chance to talk to different people from the firm.

This was done through the work shadowing in the business lines we selected as our preferences on application. The experience was dependent on the line of business chosen although some were given a chance to see the office space where they work and gain further insight into the roles that they perform within the different teams.

The insight experience lived up to the values presented on their websites and in their brochures with a particular emphasis on diversity and inclusion. The company is honest in acknowledging its weaknesses, for example, the imbalance between males and females even on the programme - attention was drawn to this and it was acknowledged to be an area of improvement.

Clear guidance provided on the route into gaining a job with the company as well as the skills required by each division and business line. The practical work experience enabled us to hear directly from the first year graduates as to how and why they got into the roles they were in and use this as a great networking opportunity.

All travel experiences will be reimbursed and the accommodation provided for those outside of London was less than 10 minutes away.

As mentioned before, there were many chances to network and meet employees of the company and people were keen to introduce themselves and find out more about what we were doing in the bank and which levels of study we were at. The first chance to formally network was at the start of the week where there was a welcome drinks evening with employees from all levels.

very useful and relaxed, everyone was very friendly and more than willing to share.

There was some mention of various societies and clubs employees could get involved in and there was a lot of emphasis on charity work although it appeared that only a few got involved or were aware of the various programmes. (This could be because of the varied working hours across the business lines!)

Absolutely! Even those not considering a career in banking as it provides a great insight and opens up a career path you may not have otherwise considered, so definitely apply!