Summer Insight Review

It was an incredible opportunity to meet people from all divisions of the bank, get to know their experiences. We also got to know some less well known divisions of the bank, and understand how they fit into the larger system. Very informative and interactive sessions were planned every day.

By the time we got to the end of the week, we were able to meet people from the different divisions multiple times, meaning that you really start to establish a relationship with those people. The dinner also meant we were able to speak to more senior members of the teams. These opportunities clearly showed how much the bank valued potential junior members of the team.

When doing exercises, we often had a team member sit with each group, working through the exercise with us. This was not only a valuable networking opportunity, but also meant that they could guide us through different exercises.

Not only did we get an insight into skills needed for banking, but also life-long career skills, such as in public speaking. There was also an AC skills session, which would useful for all interviews generally. The bank generally is involved in a lot of extracurricular activities, meaning that insight participants are also exposed to a variety of different activities. For example, there was an innovation forum in the middle of the week, which encouraged us to develop our courage to think outside the box. These are all skills and information useful for our entire degree.

Overall, it was very well structured with presentations and interactive activities dispersed evenly throughout the week. There could have been a few more interactive activities, since the week was very heavy on presentations.

A great atmosphere: the calibre of participants was quite high. We had a lot of fun generally, and since a lot of us lived together in the accommodation provided, it was easy to make friends.

We were not only given opportunities to learn about the different divisions of the bank, the bank also gave us workshops regarding how to succeed in public speaking, and how to succeed in interviews. Workshops during the week also included some feedback, meaning that we would be able to improve.

An insight week is very much an introduction. This would not give you a really good idea of a full time experience, simply because the program is so short. However, we had a lot of exposure to the people who are working at the bank now, and it really gives you an insight into their experiences. It was clear how they are clearly happy to be where they are, and are truly passionate about their career development. In this sense, we did gain an understanding of the culture of working at BAML full time.

Once again, due to the plentiful networking opportunities, we were able to gain an insight into the culture of the workplace. However, it is obviously not possible to have a very deep understanding considering you are only there for a week.

Definitely: you get a great taster for what you will be doing in each of the divisions. The people from the divisions you are interested in will also be around to talk to you. By using these opportunities, you really get a feel for the culture of the team, and can make an informed decision whether this bank is right for you.

Those outside London were provided accommodation and we were also reimbursed for expenses up to 300GBP. Additionally, lunch is provided, along with pastries at breakfast time. A dinner was organised for Thursday night, while canapés were provided on Monday evening. In this sense, it is very much an accessible event for any student.

Networking events were scheduled for every free moment of the insight week and that was part of what made the experience so fantastic.

While some events were a little impersonal (panels, where we were able to ask questions in a big group), there were speed dating style events, cocktail type events and lunches that allowed for closer contact with full time employees. At the dinner on Thursday night, very senior team members sat at each table and interacted with us. Altogether, lots and lots of excellent networking opportunities.

There is a big emphasis on extracurricular activities at the bank and there were presentations on those aspects of the bank as well as their core businesses.

Definitely highly recommended: it gives you great insight into a bulge bracket.