I've heard that it used to be extremely helpful in getting interviews at large firms for diversity candidates but now is useless.
Can someone who went through SEO recently walk through the process and if it was helpful?
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Not useless at all. If you come from a non target then this can be your only way.
Could you give some more information about if it helped you get interviews and such? I am a URM at a semi-target school with a good resume.
You apply online and you need to pass a screener. Once accepted you get all of the stuff that helps you for interviews. Once you pass the IRA (which tests your ability to do well in an actual interview) that’s when you get to apply to roles at banks through SEO.
If you are talking about SEO London then yes they are extremely useful in getting a role (if they like you). They have solid relationships with basically all the major banks (sans Morgan Stanley / Credit Suisse).
What about in the US?
Yes do it 100%. I’m an URM from a non-target and SEO helped me land at MS/GS/JPM in a major US city
It was a huge help for me. I highly recommend it if you have the option. Attending all the trainings, webinars, etc. can get annoying and time-consuming, but it connects you with internship opportunities that you normally wouldn't find. It also is good at keeping you up to date on diversity days, application openings, etc.
I don't know how much SEO directly contributed to it, but I managed to get an SA gig at a BB this summer in NYC with their help, coming from a southern non-target public school. I'd say their trainings and knowing when things were going on definitely helped.
Slightly confused on the diversity recruiting at these banks, do I have to apply for their diversity program and once accepted Im considered diversity? Or in my application I check the box for ethnicity and say I heard from SEO?
Some banks offer early recruiting processes for those that attend their diversity days (these are events like Goldman Sachs Undergraduate Camp). On most applications, there will be both a race/ethnicity box and a part where you list any organizations with which you are affiliated/told you about the internship. You would put SEO in that second one (and any other organizations that you may be involved with like ALPFA, SHPE, NSBA, etc.) I think this is what got me accelerated recruiting with my bank, but it was pretty unclear. Apply to all the diversity events you can.
Hope this helps!
Seo useless? Who told you that?
.
I highly recommend SEO. The main perk is that once you're in, you are able to apply to partner companies through a portal that only SEO candidates have access to. This gets you much more looks than just applying online. The network is also very willing to take time out of their day to help you, more so than other connections you may make I would say.
I fully agree with you.
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