Bright Network member Karimah recently secured an industrial placement with Lloyds Banking Group. She’s in the middle of her Banking and Finance Degree from Loughborough, and hopes to be a stand out candidate at her placement.
Why did you choose the Fraud Analyst Placement at Lloyds Banking Group?
The role chose me in a way, as I applied for the role that best suited my skill set. The role and company is something that would work in line with the Banking and Finance degree that I’m currently studying for at Loughborough University, so it seemed like the right fit for me at the time. Lloyds also particularly appealed to me - I went into a drop-in session and I spoke to other graduates who already worked there. It seems like a great place to work in terms of work, life balance and personal development.
What was the toughest part of the application process? And your favourite part?:
In general, the application was rather easy, much more so than I had expected. However, I found the presentation tough, particularly the calculations and working out the time period in which to present. The presentation was also my favourite part, as it gave me the opportunity to learn, voice my opinions and experience, and link back to what I have learned previously.
Were you surprised by anything in the process?:
Yes, the fact that I needed to learn how to code was a surprise, as this was not in the job description, although it was a bonus to learn and take forward.
What three top tips would you give your fellow Bright Network members?:
1. Show commercial awareness – make sure you are up to speed on everything as you don’t want to be let down just because you haven’t done your research.
2. Learn their values however you can and make sure that they are consistent with your own values.
3. Make yourself comfortable enough to integrate into a team environment.
Any final words of advice to pass on?:
It's really important to demonstrate that you’re capable of a lot more that what is expected of you (and particularly more than the others you’re competing against for the role you’re applying for). I want to stand out from the crowd with my personality and knowledge.
