We recently caught up with Tom, who is about to join British Airways as a Finance Graduate.
Tell us a little bit about yourself and your background?
I come from a small village in North Yorkshire and attended a public school and sixth-form. I completed my A Levels in Maths, Chemistry, and Physics and at the time thoroughly enjoyed Maths and Chemistry, however, from a personal interest in computers I decided to take a risk and study Mathematics and Computer Science at university. In my first year, I grew an interest in Finance and Accounting and decided to pursue a career in this field after taking a few modules that connected these two subjects such as computer-based trading. During the summer after completing my degree, I did an internship with a reinsurance firm. This experience confirmed to me that a career in finance was the right choice.
What is your role and what element are you most looking forward to?
My role is a Finance Graduate. I am most looking forward to working within and learning about 3 different areas of British Airways during my course. The variation of technical and non-technical roles provides an exciting program and allows me to find where my strengths lie.
What stood out to you about British Airways?
BA’s commitment to stewardship through their British Airways Better World campaign, while still building a thriving and leading airline business stood out to me. British Airways cares about people, their employees, their customers, their neighbours on this planet, and this was evident throughout the application process which only increased my desire to secure a job at British Airways.
What was the application process like to join British Airways?
The application process was easy to follow with plenty of communication and support, meaning I felt well-prepared for each step. The mixture of in-person, video, and text components allowed me to show my strongest attributes and motivations. The emerging talent team and current graduates did a fantastic job of making me feel comfortable and welcomed on the assessment day, which is normally a stressful experience for applicants.
How did Bright Network help you secure this role?
It’s no secret that you are juggling many applications at once as a graduate. Bright Network's deadline tracker took a big weight off my shoulders and I was able to better organise my time, which allowed me to prepare more for my British Airways application and interviews.
Finally, what top three tips would you give Bright Network members looking to follow in your footsteps?
- Stay organised and plan your time. Preparation is key so having time for this, potentially alongside studying, can be difficult. Make timetables, prioritise tasks, and plan ahead so you don't overload yourself.
- Have an open mind and don’t be scared to explore new things. I went to university with the expectation of being a computer scientist but found my passion in finance. I think being open-minded and embracing challenge is a desirable trait and I’m sure this contributed to my successful British Airways application.
- Be yourself to show your best. I believe I thrived during my British Airways application and assessment centre because I just showed them who I was and didn't worry about what other applicants were doing. That way, you show the assessors your greatest strengths.