Yousif attended last year’s Bright Network Festival, in which he encountered representatives from the Bank of England. He is in his first year at KCL, and has just secured a summer internship with the Bank of England to begin in June.
Why did you choose a summer internship with the Bank of England?
Having long maintained an interest in economics and policy-making, I chose the Bank of England because I was fascinated by the unique nature of the high-impact issues and work involved. From monetary analysis to supervision I was eager to explore the roles available at the Bank and understand how I may make a difference. I applied for this role because I wanted to gain a more comprehensive understanding of the Bank and which division I would see myself working in the most. By honing and demonstrating my technical and non-technical skills on a project over 6 weeks, in addition to utilising the many networking opportunities available, I would then be able to gain this understanding and therefore inform my future choice of career.
What was the toughest part of the application process? And your favourite part?
The toughest part had also to be my favourite part. This was a stage about halfway into the application process, where we were given a logical reasoning test. It gave us a lengthy, detailed and complex scenario unique to the Bank of England and wanted us to solve the problems that arose. It was definitely challenging, but also quite fun and intriguing - evident by the fact many fellow applicants discussed how they approached it at the assessment centre.
Were you surprised by anything in the process?
Given the role was open only to first year students I was surprised by the length and detail of the process. In comparison to other first year roles available at different firms, this definitely had to be the most comprehensive application procedure of them all. By virtually mirroring the graduate scheme application process, this is something I very much liked as it gave me essential practice and experience for when I apply for a job.
What three top tips would you give your fellow Bright Network members?
Persevere, take care of yourself and practice/prepare loads.
What's your lucky charm or pre-interview ritual?
I eat lots of fruit and listen to my favourite jazz records.
