After attending our annual Bright Network Festival, UCL graduate Leroy landed a graduate role at HSBC. We recently chatted with Leroy to discuss how he found the whole process.
Why did you choose this firm and this role?
I chose HSBC because I really enjoyed speaking to people that worked there at networking events like the BNF and I'm really interested in emerging markets and that's what HSBC is known for. I chose to join the Sales team in Global Markets because the role requires hard skills such as quantitative analysis as well as soft skills including both communication with a variety of teams within Global Markets and with clients which hugely appealed to me.
What was the toughest part of the application process? And your favourite part?
The toughest part of the application was probably the analysis test in the assessment centre - having to read masses of information and try to process it under tight time limits was quite difficult! My favourite part was probably the business interview. I was expecting the interviewer to go all out on brain teasers and technically challenging concepts but it felt more like a chat about financial current affairs and the markets.
Were you surprised by anything in the process?
Probably the most surprising thing was just how relaxed the assessment centre was. There's a lot of assessment centres out there which are just so cut throat but HR and the senior management in the Sales team were just so welcoming and more interested in what you could bring to the table instead of trying to catch you out!
What three top tips would you give your fellow Bright Network members?
Don't just keep up with current affairs days before an interview, having past events to bring into conversations adds another layer that can make you stand out. Make sure you have solid questions to ask interviewers. Smiling shows confidence and people want to see that they would enjoy working with you.
What's your lucky charm or pre-interview ritual?
My blue socks.
