Isaac applied for the Summer Analyst Internship at UBS after coming across the global firm at the Bright Network Festival, and was kind enough to share some of his experiences with us.
The representatives of UBS really stood out to me when I attended the Bright Network festival and provided me with more than enough info on the type of firm they were and the opportunities available to me. When further researching the firm, I found that their strong culture and drive to diversify their workplace in order to get the best workplace is a belief that is in line with my own. Why this role? It is because I have always been inquisitive into how financial markets function, and as I enjoy working in a fast paced environment as well as using my analytical skills. I believe this internship will provide me the excellent opportunity to exercise and improve on those skills.
The toughest part of the application process had to be the assessment centre. Running for about 6 hours, it is a gruelling experience to ensure they really get the candidate they are looking for. From multiple interviews to tests to presentations, all I can say is preparation is the best way to tackle this part of the application process. My favourite part of the application has to be the group presentation in the assessment centre. Here it was good to see many different ideas from many candidates and they different ways they put forward and argued their ideas - it was a great opportunity to learn different skills from other candidates.
The one thing that surprised me during the process was the response times from the firm. My applications and assessment centre feedback was within a few days, which was a surprise, as some other firms take longer to respond.
If I had any advice for other applicants, I would say always preparing is important. Similarly, make sure your personality shows in everything you do – interviews are always designed to get to know who you really are. Finally, as in exams, always address the question asked.