Congratulations to Nikita on securing an internship with HSBC for summer 2019! We recently had a catchup with Nikita during which she told us all about why she wanted to work for HSBC. She also shared with us some of her tips for how to nail that application process.
Why did you apply to HSBC?
In year 12 I got accepted onto their Aspiring Female Potential Programme. During this programme everyone was really sociable and incredibly friendly. People would often take me aside for a 10-minute chat just to explain their role at the company. It was a fantastic opportunity for me to get an insight into the different departments in addition to gaining a good understanding of the company’s working culture. I loved every minute of it and felt that my values were closely aligned to the values the company propagated. Since then I’ve really wanted to work for HSBC.
Did you find the Bright Network FESTIVAL useful?
I not only found the Festival useful but I also really enjoyed it. I had signed up well in advance for it and was really excited when the day came about. I remember speaking to quite a lot of different banks but what I remember most vividly was a talk given by a Bright Network alumnus. She was talking about her experience at her internship, she gave us lots of tips for the application process as well as a young person’s perspective on the working environment. It was really refreshing to hear from someone who had recently been through the application process and was coming from a similar place to many of us current members.
What was the application process like?
So, I had managed to get onto the HSBC Spring week. At the end of the Spring week I was given a closing interview. Off the back of this interview I was invited to an assessment centre. At the assessment centre we had 2 one on one interviews. After this we had a team exercise which was a bit different to lots of other group projects. For this exercise we split into pairs and given a statement. We were then told that we had to either argue for the statement or against it in a miniature one on one debate. It was quite interesting group exercise that I felt challenged our teamwork and collaborative skills in a rather different way than before. At the end of the day we were given a topic and told we would have to carry out a one on one presentation.
What three tips would you give to your fellow Bright Network members?
- Be true to yourself in the interview. By this I mean don’t try to be someone you’re not because you’ll get found out pretty quick.
- Apply early! Your CV will look more impressive if yours is the first one they read rather than the thousandth one they read.
- Go to networking events like the ones Bright Network run. It’ll help you meet people and talking to them will help you decide whether you want to join that firm and go into a certain industry.
What was the hardest interview question you faced?
Where do you see the global markets being in 50 years?
