Dan received an offer to return to UBS for a Summer Internship, after successfully completing a Spring Week. We caught up with Dan to find out more about the application process and his top tips for Bright Network members interested in pursuing a career with UBS.
Why did you choose to apply to UBS?
When I was applying to spring weeks during my first year of university I reached out to as many alumni as I could – something that I'd encourage everyone to do as their insights can really lend perspective when trying to choose the right firm for you. Those that I spoke to from UBS couldn’t speak highly enough of the culture which, after getting an offer for their Spring Week, was something I was able to experience for a few days first hand.
The office is stunning and everyone I met during my time was welcoming, supportive and truly embodied UBS's core values. For me, this confirmed that UBS would be somewhere I'd love to work in the future, so I was delighted when I got the offer to return for a Summer Internship.
How did you find the application process? Were there any stages you found particularly enjoyable or challenging?
The application process for the Spring Week was relatively straight forward: CV, psychometric tests, competency questions and a video interview. Successful spring week applicants are fast-tracked to an assessment centre for the internship, consisting of a case study presentation and two interviews. Personally, I found the case study the most challenging part as it was very different to anything I'd done before and requires a fair bit of preparation (it's hard to wing a technical exercise in front of a senior banker who's been doing this kind of thing for years!). That said, I thoroughly enjoyed my AC experience; all my interviewers were friendly, made me feel relaxed and took time to explain concepts and answer my questions in detail.
What three tips would you give to BN members looking to follow in your footsteps?
Read as much as you can about the firm and have an awareness of what's going on in the world – it's impossible to teach passion for the job and interviewers will see straight through you if you're not genuine.
Be persistent and don’t be fussy – ultimately it is a bit of a numbers game, apply early and apply everywhere (but still take time to tailor your applications to each firm).
Don’t be intimidated by or compare yourself to others – focus on being the best version of yourself and if you're good enough, you'll be successful, regardless of who you think you're up against.
How did Bright Network help?
I found Bright Network's commercial awareness updates really useful and reading them definitely sharpens your understanding of current affairs, which is especially important in the run up to interviews. The opportunities they promote can also help open your mind to alternative career options you may not have otherwise considered.
And finally, what was the toughest interview question you faced?
Probably, "Tell me something interesting about yourself". This is sometimes seen as a 'make-or-break' question since it should be relatively straight-forward and fluid to answer, but in fact it's very easy to get wrong under pressure if you haven’t thought about how to answer it beforehand. Hopefully it's not too difficult to think of something interesting about yourself, but the skill lies in crafting your response to be just the right length and balance; really use it as a chance to sell yourself and demonstrate the skills they're looking for, but don’t ramble so that your end up boring your interviewer! It should be well-structured, concise and a bit quirky to ensure they remember you.
