Having attended both our annual Bright Network Festival and Technology Top 150 event, Sharjel successfully applied for a summer internship at the global investment management firm BlackRock.
Why did you choose this firm and this role?
I chose this firm and particularly this role as I am really interested in Financial technology. Blackrock being the World's Largest Asset Manager from its core has always been a fantastic pioneer of Technology. The Aladdin program that is used within Blackrock had be intrigued and therefore I applied for this technology role to gain further exposure to the software.
What was the toughest part of the application process? And your favourite part?
The toughest part of the application process was the problem solving exercise in the assessment centre. This consisted of 5 problems which had to be solved within 15 minutes. This was particularly interesting as I was given a very vague question to answer from which I had to ask questions in order to work out the answer.
My favourite part of the process was the interview with the Managing Director of the division. As nervous as I was, this very relaxed and I was able to have a conversation being myself.
Were you surprised by anything in the process?
I was surprised when it came to the group task. This was new to me as I had never done this before. We were given lots of pages of information regarding a case study; we had to read it, identify the risks, come up with solutions and present it to a panel of members all within 30 minutes!
What three top tips would you give your fellow Bright Network members?
1. Go to events such as Bright Network festivals and talk to companies as this gives you first hand exposure and you find out things which are not available on the internet, which gives you the edge during interviews!
2. You might have heard this numerous times but, BE YOURSELF. During my interviews I tried to be as honest as possible, it really shows you are naturally motivated for the role.
3. Research the company culture and values and make sure you agree with them and not just for the sake of getting a job or an internship!
if you have any questions regarding application processes or anything in general, message me on linkedin: Sharjel Amir
What was the toughest question you faced at interview?
If you were given £100 million, where would you invest it?
