Student Review

Being a part of the FCA insight week was a truly enjoyable and interesting experience. Firstly, it was great to meet 25 other woman who are too interested in finance and have a want to be successful in their future work - I learnt a lot from them just as much as I did from the talks FCA provided. I gained a good feel for the culture of the FCA, as well as being informed about a wide range of departments and networks.

I found the time I spent at the FCA valuable - not only have I made and met some lovely people I can now call my friends. Everyone answered any questions we had to a high standard and I can now walk away feeling as though I know exactly what the FCA do, what jobs they have to offer and what their objectives are.

In terms of support and guidance, we had a good network of people to go to if we had any questions or concerns. I felt comfortable talking to everyone who led the insight week and they encouraged us to talk to them about anything we needed to. It was great fun thanks to them.

The insight week gave me a better understanding in terms of what I want to do in the future - I would definitely consider the FCA as a future career. It allowed me to recognise the importance of culture of firms and what to look out for when applying for jobs. Also, it helped me to become more confident in talking to new people, and present.

It was structured well and everyone knew exactly what we were doing. There were a range of talks, whilst also involving opportunities to talk to people and walk around the FCA. However, I do feel that there was a lot of sitting around and I would’ve loved to have been in various rooms within the firm, yet I realise that this would be a challenge to organise.

The atmosphere made the week. Everyone got on so well, and after the initial shyness and nervous anticipation as to what to expect, we all worked well together and were not afraid to talk. It was so nice to get to know more woman my age, and also from my university and course.

It catered to a various range of people in terms of where development may be needed. Generally, it allowed us to test whether we were able to communicate and get on with others our age, and also boost our confidence in terms of presenting which I tend to struggle with.

The insight involved a variety of talks with people within the firm, and one to one session with current graduates. This allowed them to answer our questions honestly and we could easily see what the culture of the firm was and how each employee found working at the FCA. Not just graduates, but people had been her for years gave us their take on the experience they have had.

It was clear form everyone that the FCA had a set culture that focused a lot on the well being of their employees, ensuring that they are able to have a life outside of their work. The workplace made it obvious that there was little divide between more senior roles and those such as graduates - all communicated with ecahother and felt comfortable working together.

Overall, I feel the the insight week gave me a good idea in terms of what kind of company I want to work for. I’m still unsure as to what I want to do, but I now ave a clear idea of what regulation and working in regulation means. Also, it showed that even if you work for a firm, there is a large range of roles that are within it.

Being from outside London, my hotel in London was paid for as well as breakfast. My travel to London was reimbursed but I was to pay for in city travel yet this was not a problem as everything else was provided for us. It was well organised and I really appreciate what was provided.

There were chances every day to network and ask questions. There were a range of ways this was provided - either by having a Q&A session after talks, one to ones with graduates and also getting into groups and talking to employees from different departments. It gave us a good chance to get a feel from everyone possible.

There were very insightful and the employees were really engaging and willing to answer any questions we had. They made us feel comfortable and I did not feel as though I had to hold back in terms of asking anything I wanted to know. I gained a rich insight into the FCA.

We found out a lot in terms of what the FCA can offer for activities outside of work. For example, they are able to take 28 hours annually to volunteer, and also get involved with networks within the firm. The firm seems flexible when people have ideas and willing to listen.

I would 100% recommend this insight to a friend - not only do you get to know some wonderful girls involved in the week too, but you also understand what you really want from a firm when it come so to applying to future jobs. I gained a lot from this experience.