We sat down for a chat with Carly, currently studying Physics at King’s College London, to learn more about her successful rotational Spring Week application at Citi.
Talk us through your application
One of my friends did a Spring Week with Citi and had then been fast-tracked onto their summer internship with Citi. He told me all about the firm and they seemed like a great bank to work for as they have a very diverse team and also value their clients interests before their own.
The application process started with a cover letter and an online form where I supplied basic information and answered a set of competency questions. I also sat a numerical test, one of my better results as there was a time limit per question rather than a limit for the whole test.
When it came to the telephone interview I was a bit nervous because it was my first one and I didn’t know what to expect. I prepared for a lot of financial questions but it was all competency-based in the end. It must have all gone well enough because I got a call the next day inviting me to join the Spring Week scheme.
Be proactive
My main advice - make sure you do your research and know the firm you're applying to inside out. One question I had in an interview was ‘What is the name of our CEO?’.
Seek out Insight Days and other opportunities to make contacts within the bank. They will really help you learn more about the firm and find out whether it's the right place for you.
Before my interview, I read success stories from other Bright Network members including a girl who'd secured a Spring Week at J.P. Morgan.
Finally, it’s not unusual to get rejected from a few applications - make sure you send off a number and you one will come off.
