Background Check - UK SA

Hello fellow monkeys,

I’m currently a final-year student at a target (Cambridge/Oxford/Imperial) and was recently fortunate enough to receive an IBD offer from a lower BB firm (Deutsche/UBS/Barclays).

This past summer (2024), I interned at a long-only asset manager and received a full-time return offer for their investments grad scheme, which starts in September. The plan is to do the BB summer internship (June-August) before starting full-time at the asset manager.

I assumed this would be fine since there’s no overlap, but I’m concerned about BB background checks. Will they contact my previous employer for a verbal reference? Ideally, I’d prefer the asset manager doesn’t find out I’ve accepted a summer stint in IB before I join them full-time.

Ta!

27 Comments
 

op there's too much info in this post without any need - only putting yourself at risk here.

 

Thanks. Any chance I would be able to provide them with an additional form of verification i.e. payslips, offer letter, other and ask them not contact prior employers? / 'Do not contact this employer' check box? Unfamiliar with background checks from large investment banks and would appreciate any colour at all. 

 
[Comment removed by mod team]
 

I've never heard a background check company here in the UK contact a previous company for referrals, especially for a summer.

You will need to provide proof that you interned at previous internships, in this case, a P45 or Pay Slips.

Don't overthink this. Source: I've interned in 2 BBs, with neither of them contacting previous firms for referral and only asking for payslips to verify previous experience

 
[Comment removed by mod team]
 

You've never had Experian do your background check then (they were a nightmare to deal with). FCA-regulated companies have to be much more stringent with their background checks and they will almost always contact previous companies for referrals. 

 

Strand Capital are the secondaries guys right? Apparently one of the senior deal-makers asked the receptionist for a rubber - you can't make this stuff up  

Congrats on DB, maybe I'll see you there! 

 

Yes it’s a top fund, basically the BB of secondaries. I didn’t hear about that but I heard they lost a deal due to the Microsoft outage (the excel shutdown) 

 

Not sure you will just be allowed to post a pay slip. In my case they used a 3rd party which reached out to all of my previous employers asking to confirm the dates on resume, and reasons for leaving.

I don't see anything wrong with an extra internship of experience gain if there is no overlap. 

 

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