RBS Female Leaders Insight Week Review

I really enjoyed this insight scheme. It was well planned, professional, and it enabled me to experience several parts of the bank, as well as it provided opportunities for networking with both peers and professionals. What I enjoyed most about the insight week was the multiple Q&A sessions we got to have with employees, they were really patient with us. I think what I enjoyed least was the job shadowing, it was an excellent opportunity to get to know the bank, but the sessions were a bit long.

Being on this insight week at the Royal Bank of Scotland, I felt very valued by the company. They arranged for travel in advanced, as well as booking me in a hotel room for the duration of the insight week. They even provided a daily allowance for food, which was very nice. The time and effort spent on creating this experience must have been big, there was a lot of support and guidance involved, as well as a lot of people there to help.

There were mixed levels of guidance and support during this insight. Beforehand, there was not a lot of information to be obtained. When applying, all I knew was that it was going to be in april, they did not provide the dates up until later in the spring. They also did not give us any plan for the week beforehand. However, the support received during the week itself was great. When we first got there, we got an information pack with all we needed; a plan for the week, contact numbers, FAQs, information about the job shadowing and tips for the assessment centre. They were also always there if we had any questions, so I was very happy with the support we received during the week.

During the week, there were great opportunities to develop several skills. The most important of all, I would say was networking. We got to network between ourselves, but also many opportunities to interact with employees, which was something I found very valuable. The assessment centre tasks we had to undertake on the final day also helped me develop skills, which were vital for me because I have never been in an assessment centre before, and I think that is something that is going to help me a lot in the future.

The insight was very well structured. At the beginning of the week we got a plan for the whole, which was very consise and easy to understand. The plan was structured so that those who had to move locations could do so with ease, as well as leaving enough time for lunch and breaks inbetween activities.

The atmosphere during the insight can be summed up in one word: friendly. Being a female leaders insight, it was mostly women attending, which in my opinion was very empowering. All the other attendees were very nice, and since RBS had booked us in to the same hotel, we were able to spend time together. All the employees at RBS were also very kind, helpful and approachable, which made the week very enjoyable.

RBS was very intent on showing us how it is to work in the bank. They showed us this by providing four job shadowing sessions over the course of two days, which in each sessions we got to shadow employees from various departements. What was positive about the job shadowing was that we got to experience the firm from their point of view, as well as see how a normal day at work is for various people. They also encouraged us to ask them questions.

On the first day of the insight week, we attended a series of talk and panels, about the company and their culture. We got a lot of insight in to their philosophy, how they are changing the culture at work and what they value as a company. As well as attending these talks and panels, we were also able to ask both recent graduates and experienced employees all the questions we had about RBS.

Being just a four day insight week, we were not paid. However, they arranged all travel to Edinburgh for each of the attendees, as well as providing accommodation. They arranged for us to stay at the Marriot, which is a very nice hotel, and also conveniently close to their headquarters. We were also given a daily allowance for food.

They provided many opportunities of networking and meeting other employees of the bank. On the first day we got to attend panels and ask questions, as well as they had invited lots of employees to lunch, so that we could network with them. The job shadowing was also a very good way to network with employees, and they had also arranged a "buddy system" for us, which meant that recent graduates were available at every location to make sure we were in the right place and to have lunch with us.

The networking and social opportunities were very nice. They had included a lot of recent graduates, which was very helpful, because they knew and remembered what it was like to be in our shoes, and gave us lots of helpful tips for the assessment centre. Many of the same employees were there to network with us for the different events, which was nice, because that provided an opportunity to get to know them better.

During our first day with RBS, we learned a lot about what activities the employees can get involved in outside of work. They have lots of different networks and groups for different areas of interest, perhaps the most relevant being a womens network, which sounded very interesting. It was obvious that they provide a lot of resources for professional development as well, as we were told this by some of the employees later on in the week.

I would definitely recommend this insight week to a friend. It was a very good way to learn about both RBS, and the different aspects of banking in general. However, I think I would only recommend this insight week to female friends, seeing as it is very female focused, as it is a female leaders insight week. However, RBS does not discriminate, and all genders are able to apply.