Lauren attended Women in investment banking and has now secured a role with Deutsche Bank!

Attending the Women in Investment Banking event gave me a comprehensive overview of the industry and dispelled any misconceptions I had about pursuing a career in finance. The day was full of a wide range of activities from skills sessions, where we had the opportunity to learn more about the various application processes, to a buffet lunch, where we got to meet various representatives from the participating banks.  

I particularly enjoyed hearing from the keynote speaker, Virginia Laird, the Chief Administrative Officer for EMEA Markets and Securities Services for Citigroup. Virginia originally trained as a Lawyer and this is just proof to show that you don’t need to have a degree in Economics in order to pursue a career in Investment Banking! I also enjoyed hearing from the panel formed of equally inspirational women from the partnering banks. It was clear to see how passionate they all felt about their careers and this motivated me to apply to the insight programmes offered by the attending companies.

Since the Women in Investment Banking event, I have been fortunate enough to have been offered a place on the Deutsche Bank Graduate Outreach for Women (GROW) programme which is aimed at first year university students. The programme so far has been a fantastic opportunity to not only learn more about the financial industry, but also to develop skills that are needed to pursue a career in this field. As part of GROW, I have also been allocated a mentor who is incredibly friendly and she has been able to offer me lots of help and advice. I am glad that I attended the WIIB event otherwise I probably wouldn’t have thought about considering to apply to this amazing programme.  

I think anyone who is considering a career in Investment Banking should apply to this event as it is a great way to learn about the different opportunities available within the industry and see if it somewhere you could picture yourself working in the future. It is also a great way to meet employees of some of the biggest companies in finance and ask them any questions you may have. I found the day thoroughly enjoyable and recommend you apply as soon as possible! 


If you're interested in a career in investment banking pre-register here to be the first to find out about our next event http://targetjobsevents.co.uk/women-in-investment-banking/pre-register

Bertilla tells us her 5 top tips for attending a Women in Investment Banking event!

Top tips for attending a Women in Investment Banking careers event

Are you a woman interested in a career in investment banking? TARGETjobs Events' prestigious application-only Women in Investment Banking event gives career motivated female students a unique opportunity to hear first-hand what it is like to work in an investment bank. A day packed full of advice sessions, interactive activities and networking opportunities - there really is no better place to find out more about investment banking and the careers on offer - and a unique chance to meet influential representatives from the sector!

On the day, attendees have the opportunity to network with inspirational women in the sector, improve their employability and enhance the skills they need to secure future graduate schemes and internships! This is an unrivalled opportunity to get noticed by members of the partnering companies' recruitment teams, meet senior representatives and find out first-hand how to start a career in investment banking.

I was lucky enough to recently attend the fantastic event. Here are my 5 top tips that should hopefully help you make the most of this incredible opportunity:

1.     Keep an open mind. You might walk into the room with numerous preconceived notions about investment banking; perhaps you’ve even heard about bankers getting no sleep for three days straight! This event will dispel those myths for good – but only if you don’t let those horror stories stop you from realising how incredible a career in investment banking could be.

2.     Be confident. You are here for a reason! You have gone through a selective process and you are one of the chosen few. What’s more, the sponsors have invested a lot by sending so many experienced representatives to the event, so they want to meet you as much as you want to meet them. Put yourself out there and meet as many people as you can; ask those questions because there is no better time or place to do so!

3.     Do your research. Nothing is more embarrassing than asking a question about the sponsors that could have been answered by a quick Google search; it could set you apart in the mind of the recruitment teams for all the wrong reasons!

4.     Keep up to date. Brush up on the latest happenings in the financial and banking industry – even just 15 minutes of scanning through the FT beforehand will really show initiative and interest.

5.     It’s okay if you don’t know the jargon. If you are new to investment banking and (like me) don’t do a finance- or economics-related degree, don’t worry about not understanding the jargon – the important thing is to show initiative and willingness to attempt things you are not familiar with. The representatives don’t expect you to be the finished product who knows everything!

So there you have it – a career in investment banking is notoriously challenging, but attending this event confirmed how fun and rewarding it could be at the same time. I hope you will enjoy it as much as I did!

Bertilla Chow, Law, University College London

What to wear and how to prepare for TARGETjobs Events!

I have been at TARGETjobs Events for just over two years and the two questions we always get asked about our events are: What should I wear? and Do I need to do anything to prepare?

For our events we recommend that you dress as you would for a job interview. Get your outfit together and try it on in advance in front of a full-length mirror. Your outfit doesn’t have to be a plain black suit and white shirt – colour is fine. Nor do you have to go completely against your personality in terms of appearance – you’re looking for a good match between who you are and your potential employer.

The most common mistake we see? Footwear! Some of our events can involve a lot of walking and some of the venues we go to have a lot of stairs, so make sure you can walk in your shoes. On the other hand, don’t even consider wearing trainers (not even black ones!). We had someone turn up to an event in bright green trainers once, and needless to say, we turned him away. Ladies: if you want to wear high heels, there’s nothing wrong with bringing a smart pair of flat shoes in your bag as back-up – we do it all the time!

Men: wear a suit, shirt and tie (make sure they have both been ironed!) and wear matching socks.

Ladies: skirts or dresses should be no shorter than just above the knee and make sure you check the length is still OK when you sit down! Always try to avoid chipped nail polish, too.

Finally, keep any piercings discreet, and it is more than OK to wear religious dress.

What should I do to prepare for the event? Our top three things: research, research, research!

The most common misconception that our attendees have about events is that attending one is a fast-track to a grad scheme or internship. Our events are an introduction to an employer, so the more you put in to prepare, the more you are going to get out of it!

Recruiters are not there to answer the simple questions that you find on their websites. Hopefully you will have already done some research into the companies for your interview so attending the event is now your chance to find out the nitty gritty. Demonstrating your knowledge of a company will not only help you come across as someone who knows what you are talking about, but enables you to have better conversations and hopefully be more memorable. Remember there could be 50+ other students in the room that they will also talk to!

Have a list of questions written down in your pocket so you don’t leave the event thinking ‘I wish I’d asked that’. A few students also bring business cards. It’s not at all essential, but it can make you look professional and on the ball. It’s particularly helpful in networking situations if you meet people you’d like to stay in touch with.

Check out all of our upcoming events on the TARGETjobs Events website.

Best of luck and I can't wait to meet you at our next event!

Katie

Top tips for the TARGETjobs Events application process

Hi, I’m Nakita and I’m a junior project manager at TARGETjobs Events. I’ve been at TARGETjobs for just over a year and I have some great tips for the TARGETjobs events application process.

The application process for attending a TARGETjobs Event is pretty straightforward. You will be required to complete an online application form and, if you fit the criteria, have a telephone interview. The two stages have been broken down below to help you gain a better understanding of both stages.

Application form

• Before submitting your application form it is important that you read the application criteria, usually found on the overview page of each event’s website. You also need to ensure that your CV is no more than two pages long.
• The application form is the first step of the application process. It consists of providing personal details, your current university details and your predicted/achieved grade. The next section involves a 200 word covering letter. This is probably the most important section as it usually determines whether you will be invited to attend a telephone interview. You have been given the chance to show why you would like to attend so take advantage of it! This should include how you will make the most of the opportunity and what work experience or activities you have done to show your passion for the specific sector you are interested in.
• Once you have submitted your application form, one of the TARGETjobs Events team will be in touch via email, letting you know whether you have been successful.   
• If you have been unsuccessful, do not be discouraged from applying again. Our events are usually very popular and it is more than likely we will have more than one per year.

Telephone interview

• If you have been invited to attend a telephone interview, – well done!
• Our snazzy interview booking tool allows you to choose an interview time that suits you, which means we're expecting you to be prepared and ready for our call.
• How you answer the phone sets the tone instantly for the interview, as it's our first interaction with you as a person, not just as a CV. Consider your greeting;: beginning with 'good morning/afternoon, this is Nakita speaking' will instantly make you sound prepared and confident, and create a much better first impression than a 'hey' or, as I have experienced, 'what?'. Not the best way to start. Equally, you want to finish your interview on a positive note, so have a question or two prepared (but not 'when will I hear from you?') and thank the interviewer for their time. Most importantly, be yourself! You’ve been offered this chance because you’re the kind of person the interviewer is looking for, so relax, be confident and let your knowledge and motivation for the job/event/sector shine through!
• The interview will usually consist of questions regarding why you would like to attend and what you have done previously to show your passion for the specific sector you’ are interested in.

Our events are an amazing opportunity for you to meet some fantastic companies and graduate recruiters – don’t miss out and apply today! Check out all of our upcoming events on the TARGETjobs Events website.

Why you should be an early bird!

We have some great events coming up this autumn providing you with a chance to meet some of the biggest graduate employers. Here’s why you should beat the rush and get your applications in now!

Early bird gets the worm!

·        Just like buying tickets for a festival, you are much more likely to secure a place on the event if you get your application in early and beat those last-minute Larrys!

 ·        Secure an early interview slot and you could land an early place on the event this will set you apart from everyone else! It gives you time not only to prepare for the interviews, but also to research the event partners and the graduate schemes they offer, putting you in a better position to land your dream job!

·        It gives you more time to research who is going to be there. Find out what exactly they have on offer, research as much as you can and prepare your questions – this will put you in a great position when applying for grad schemes as you will know exactly where you want to go and what you want to apply for. It will also make you stand out to the event partners you are interested in if you know what you’re talking about, which could help to secure you a place on their scheme.

·      What else do you have to do? It’s the summer! OK, so apart from your part-time, full-time or multiple jobs. Get your applications in early so that you have secured your place before you go back to uni. This way you won’t get distracted from your work or vice versa. You don’t want your application to get put to the bottom of your priority list and before you know it find you’ve missed your chance to meet graduate recruiters who could open that door to the start of a great career!

Applications are now open for Explore Sky, IT’s not just for the boys, Future Female Engineers and Women in Investment Banking, so why wait? Be an early bird and get your application in now at targetjobsevents.co.uk/.

What I gained from attending Women in investment banking and why you should apply

Siew tells us about her experience of attending Women in investment banking! 

Name: Siew Sanz Ng

University: University of Oxford 

Course: Philosophy, Politics, and Economics

Being a PPE undergraduate, my insights into the global finance industry were rather limited. What helped strengthen my knowledge base and connected me to different experts in the industry were Women in Investment banking. Apart from busting intimidating jargons, the event helped me to understand the differences between areas such as merger & acquisition, asset financing, sales & trading, asset wealth management etc., which area falls into the public or private side and how these different areas interact with one another. The event also equipped me with the tools and resources to find out more about each area specifically.

More importantly, I was interacting with key financial experts, allowing me to gain personal insights into the industry – what attracted them and what exasperated them. This helped me to better understand how my skills and personality will fit into the sector and eventually helped me to make the right decision on which division to apply. Furthermore, speaking to them definitely boosted my confidence in the interviewing process because I was able to draw on the insights on individuals who knew the industry inside out.

Hence, this is why you should apply for Women in Investment Banking. Not only will you get the opportunity to deepen your formal and informal understanding about the industry, you get to build sustainable relationships with both the experts and other attendees of the event. I still keep in touch with them and received support from them throughout my internship application process. If I had not attended this event, I would not have found out about the Deutsche Regional Internship Opportunity and would not have eventually received an internship offer from Deutsche Bank.  

Our next event is on 6 November 2015. Apply now!

http://targetjobsevents.co.uk/women-in-investment-banking