We recently caught up with Ryan, who whilst studying Economics in his final year at LSE, secured himself a graduate role at EY in their Financial Services Office as a Business Consultant. Ryan shares how he found the application process as well as offering his advice for fellow Bright Network members.
Why did you choose this firm and this role?
I had done an internship on the trading floor of an American bank. While I liked financial services, I was interested in exploring other potential careers. This role seemed to be of a similar genre, but more long-term focused compared to the short-termism culture we see at banks. I applied to similar roles at other firms, but ultimately chose EY because I felt more welcome during the whole process (at the AC everyone was friendly and after my interview the partner called me the next day to ask how I was/etc.).
What was the toughest part of the application process? And your favourite part?
The toughest for EY in particular was the online testing. There were numerous tests (not the standard numerical/verbal/logical) and it took about 90 mins to complete everything. My favourite part however, was my interview with the partner. It was nice to interact with an individual from the firm who had 'seen it all'.
Were you surprised by anything in the process?
I was pleasantly surprised that the HR team were so friendly.
What three top tips would you give your fellow Bright Network members?
Firstly to apply to as many firms as you can; to meet people from the industry before applying; and lastly, cover every inch of the company website.
What's your lucky charm or pre-interview ritual?
I'm not a morning person. So if I have an interview/AC in the morning, I sleep the whole evening the day before the interview and just stay awake from the night before.