How can UK students compete with EU students?

Any second year UK target undergrads just struggling to compete for SA recruiting?? Feels like no matter how much I work, there's a European with 10 internships, HEC masters and 3 other masters aged 29 that will always outperform you...

14 Comments
 

I second this. We absolutely also take it into account when discussing candidates post-interview. British applicants are usually greener, but we get the joke that the European and British education models are different. We (try to) hire for potential, not for current ability (after a year or two actually on the job, that additional intership or 3 becomes a rounding error)

 

I found it easier to pitch for a specific vertical such as O&G, Infra, FIG etc. where the modelling is super complex and often unique but I already had done some of it previously in extra-curriculars at my University. It's honestly hit and miss but it worked for me at least, anyway. 

 

Prospect in IB - Gen:

I found it easier to pitch for a specific vertical such as O&G, Infra, FIG etc. where the modelling is super complex and often unique but I already had done some of it previously in extra-curriculars at my University. It's honestly hit and miss but it worked for me at least, anyway. 


Wdym pitch for? Are you just trying to show on ur cv that ur a specialist, since applying to teams alone isn’t possible

 
reachforstarsss

Prospect in IB - Gen:

I found it easier to pitch for a specific vertical such as O&G, Infra, FIG etc. where the modelling is super complex and often unique but I already had done some of it previously in extra-curriculars at my University. It's honestly hit and miss but it worked for me at least, anyway. 


Wdym pitch for? Are you just trying to show on ur cv that ur a specialist, since applying to teams alone isn’t possible

In my interviews, they'd ask "which vertical are you most interested in?" so I said e.g. FIG. Then they'd ask about FIG modelling, so I'd say DDM. They'd ask about why FIG is different and how banks make their money, so I'd talk about NIM and why the modelling needs to be done first using the Balance Statement, then the IS and then the cost of equity as debt is something that they make money on etc. One interviewer asked about Life and P&C insurance business models, which I could explain with the premiums, provisions for losses etc. and he seemed to vibe with me as he was a FIG banker himself. 

 

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