11 answers
Ayesha
Student
Grays, England, United Kingdom
1
Question
Updated
972 views
How do you find apprenticeships in finance, business or banking?
I’m struggling to find an apprenticeship for the upcoming academic year and was hoping to seek some help in finding something.
#apprenticeships
#help
#finance
#banking
#business
11 answers
Dawn Wong
Tax Accountant
3
Answers
New York, New York
Updated
Dawn’s Answer
Hi Ayesha,
That's a great question! I realize that you're in the UK, so I'm giving a brief disclaimer that I'm speaking from my own experience in the US.
Generally, every college/university has a career center and has some sort of internship search engine that is affiliated with companies that hire students for part time or full time roles for graduating students. I'd start at your university's career center first. They most likely also offer resume building opportunities and help you with mock interviews in order to better prepare you for the possible positions that call you back.
In my college, there were also several networking events throughout the year that big financial service companies host - they typically send a few employees to represent the company and to tell students more about their roles in their field. I find these events very helpful because many times, their employees are told to note prospective candidates and you may very well establish a connection that may lead to an opportunity if you and the recruiters can connect well. I'd keep an eye out on the firms that you are most interested in, and note the days that they will be coming in to speak.
Lastly, I would recommend you to not be afraid to reach out to people on professional networks like Linkedin- these platforms are created so professionals and students may reach out to each other alike, for job and learning opportunities. I know many of my colleagues are open to grabbing coffee and elaborating more about their roles when they see a curious student trying to find out more about their industry.
I hope this helps! This is a very abbreviated summary of what tools are out there for you to land your next apprenticeship. Best of luck in all your endeavors.
-Dawn
That's a great question! I realize that you're in the UK, so I'm giving a brief disclaimer that I'm speaking from my own experience in the US.
Generally, every college/university has a career center and has some sort of internship search engine that is affiliated with companies that hire students for part time or full time roles for graduating students. I'd start at your university's career center first. They most likely also offer resume building opportunities and help you with mock interviews in order to better prepare you for the possible positions that call you back.
In my college, there were also several networking events throughout the year that big financial service companies host - they typically send a few employees to represent the company and to tell students more about their roles in their field. I find these events very helpful because many times, their employees are told to note prospective candidates and you may very well establish a connection that may lead to an opportunity if you and the recruiters can connect well. I'd keep an eye out on the firms that you are most interested in, and note the days that they will be coming in to speak.
Lastly, I would recommend you to not be afraid to reach out to people on professional networks like Linkedin- these platforms are created so professionals and students may reach out to each other alike, for job and learning opportunities. I know many of my colleagues are open to grabbing coffee and elaborating more about their roles when they see a curious student trying to find out more about their industry.
I hope this helps! This is a very abbreviated summary of what tools are out there for you to land your next apprenticeship. Best of luck in all your endeavors.
-Dawn
Anushka Chhaya
Financial Accountant
1
Answer
New York, New York
Updated
Anushka’s Answer
Hi Ayesha -
I suggest casting a wide net, at first, and then narrow down the specific place, companies or locations that you are most interested in so that you can spend the majority of your time focusing on applying to places that you are most excited about. See the steps below for an example of starting broad and then narrowing your focus and energy so that your search results in an exciting job prospect/apprenticeship!
Step 1 - Make sure your resume is accurate, complete and reflective of you and the skills you can bring to the table. I suggest spending a good amount of time on this so that you can reuse your resume as you start applying to jobs.
Step 2 - Upload your resume on the big job boards like Monster.com, Indeed, Angel List, LinkedIn etc so that you can easily apply to new apprenticeships as they come up. Set alerts for yourself on these job board so you are notified when new apprenticeships are added to the site.
Step 3 - Search the large job boards for any and all apprenticeships that may align with your skills and your future goals. Try your best to ensure you are qualified but it is also OK to reach for a position that you aspire to work in. Use your judgement but cast a wide net here.
Step 4 - Look up companies you want to work for and apply for open apprenticeships as you see them on their websites. If you don't see any open positions, it doesn't hurt to reach out to the recruiting team if they provide contact information on their website. Be kind and respectful in your reach out but don't be embarrassed to ask for more information about upcoming roles they may have.
Spend some time on this step and make a list of qualified companies or search attributes that may result in an exciting opportunity!
Step 5 - Learn and repeat! Don't give up and continue searching for open roles in specific places you aspire to work for and places you may not have heard of.
Good Luck!
I suggest casting a wide net, at first, and then narrow down the specific place, companies or locations that you are most interested in so that you can spend the majority of your time focusing on applying to places that you are most excited about. See the steps below for an example of starting broad and then narrowing your focus and energy so that your search results in an exciting job prospect/apprenticeship!
Step 1 - Make sure your resume is accurate, complete and reflective of you and the skills you can bring to the table. I suggest spending a good amount of time on this so that you can reuse your resume as you start applying to jobs.
Step 2 - Upload your resume on the big job boards like Monster.com, Indeed, Angel List, LinkedIn etc so that you can easily apply to new apprenticeships as they come up. Set alerts for yourself on these job board so you are notified when new apprenticeships are added to the site.
Step 3 - Search the large job boards for any and all apprenticeships that may align with your skills and your future goals. Try your best to ensure you are qualified but it is also OK to reach for a position that you aspire to work in. Use your judgement but cast a wide net here.
Step 4 - Look up companies you want to work for and apply for open apprenticeships as you see them on their websites. If you don't see any open positions, it doesn't hurt to reach out to the recruiting team if they provide contact information on their website. Be kind and respectful in your reach out but don't be embarrassed to ask for more information about upcoming roles they may have.
Spend some time on this step and make a list of qualified companies or search attributes that may result in an exciting opportunity!
Step 5 - Learn and repeat! Don't give up and continue searching for open roles in specific places you aspire to work for and places you may not have heard of.
Good Luck!
Joshua Kashani
Student
8
Answers
Boston, Massachusetts
Updated
Joshua’s Answer
Hi Ayesha,
I wanted to offer another piece of advice in addition to what everyone has said so far.
Almost all of my internship experiences have resulted because I reached out to someone by cold email so don't be afraid to cold email a professional in the space you are interested in. My process typically involves a LinkedIn search of the bank/firm I want to intern with, followed by a filter to find people from the same university I attended. Alumni tend to respond a lot more often than professionals from others schools so you should try to target them first. After finding a list of names at the specific bank/institution I want to intern with, I look up the email format of that specific place - a quick google search usually yields great results (eg: Evercore email format)! The next step is to write the email! Be sure to include key pieces of information about yourself as well as information about the person you are reaching out to so that they know you aren't just copying and pasting the same email to a bunch of people (its a small thing but it makes all the world of a difference). In the email, also be sure to ask for a time to talk to them over the phone. Not only will this help with actually securing the internship but it will also give you a bunch of different perspectives which may help with your career efforts.
I hope this helps with everything and if you are still confused or still need some help just let me know!
Best,
Josh
I wanted to offer another piece of advice in addition to what everyone has said so far.
Almost all of my internship experiences have resulted because I reached out to someone by cold email so don't be afraid to cold email a professional in the space you are interested in. My process typically involves a LinkedIn search of the bank/firm I want to intern with, followed by a filter to find people from the same university I attended. Alumni tend to respond a lot more often than professionals from others schools so you should try to target them first. After finding a list of names at the specific bank/institution I want to intern with, I look up the email format of that specific place - a quick google search usually yields great results (eg: Evercore email format)! The next step is to write the email! Be sure to include key pieces of information about yourself as well as information about the person you are reaching out to so that they know you aren't just copying and pasting the same email to a bunch of people (its a small thing but it makes all the world of a difference). In the email, also be sure to ask for a time to talk to them over the phone. Not only will this help with actually securing the internship but it will also give you a bunch of different perspectives which may help with your career efforts.
I hope this helps with everything and if you are still confused or still need some help just let me know!
Best,
Josh
Louise Reed
Payroll Analyst
1
Answer
Newcastle upon Tyne, England, United Kingdom
Updated
Louise’s Answer
Hi Ayesha,
You can find a lot of apprenticeship opportunities using the Government website
https://www.gov.uk/apply-apprenticeship
You can fill in specifics about your area, and what you are interested in.
Hope this helps!
You can find a lot of apprenticeship opportunities using the Government website
https://www.gov.uk/apply-apprenticeship
You can fill in specifics about your area, and what you are interested in.
Hope this helps!
Victoria F.
12
Answers
Foster City, California
Updated
Victoria’s Answer
My company actively recruits from college campuses (usually), but of course, this year is different. Individual departments in college/universities typically have listings. Also, visit websites for the companies you are interested in.
Brian Xu
Financial Analyst
24
Answers
Raleigh, North Carolina
Updated
Brian’s Answer
I think the best way to go about this is to first look at job searching websites and to apply to those. Then there is always the option to cold email smaller businesses asking if they have internship opportunities paid or unpaid. You can also look for opportunities to do work for family friends or your friend's parents' businesses if they have spots. The most important thing to keep in mind is to stay motivated throughout the entire process, it is crucial to not give up and not to be disappointed by results.
Mark Slatin
SVP, Dir. of Client Experience
2
Answers
Columbia
Updated
Mark’s Answer
Yes. Identify organizations you align with. Write a customized cover letter along with an updated resume.
Reach our to Human Resources and ask for an internship.
Reach our to Human Resources and ask for an internship.
Sherrie Teague
Sales
5
Answers
Clearwater, Florida
Updated
Sherrie’s Answer
Hi Aeysha, many banks offer internships and allow you to rotate to multiple departments which allows you to explore the varying career options. I would write a very professional introduction letter to the human resources division and let them know of what you are looking to do. You might try regional and community banks to give you a flavor of what each financial institutions size differs with respect to how the institution is managed and how each handles service delivery.
Harkirandeep Kaur
1
Answer
Indianapolis, Indiana
Updated
Harkirandeep’s Answer
You should definitely attend career fairs in your area. Networking is really important!
Richard A.
physician
2150
Answers
Updated
Richard’s Answer
From what I understand investment banks operate on a strict summer/full time timeline. For apprenticeships, try searching
'search funds in [city]'
'small private equity funds in [city]'
less traditional places/more buy side places / advisors like investment management are much more likely to have off cycle internships. Good luck!
'search funds in [city]'
'small private equity funds in [city]'
less traditional places/more buy side places / advisors like investment management are much more likely to have off cycle internships. Good luck!
Ben Richards ACA
Accountant
1
Answer
Swindon, England, United Kingdom
Updated
Ben’s Answer
Hi Ayesha,
I'm an ACA qualified Chartered Accountant and am fortunate to have been on both sides of the fence on this one! If you're looking for an internship or work experience, a number of the main accountancy firms offer paid experience for graduate level opportunities. I undertook one with the medium-sized firm Mazars between my second and third years at university, and most of the top 10 accountancy firms have similar opportunities. I recall BDO and Smith & Williamson were two such firms, in addition to the Big 4. Best bet here is to look at their websites and navigate yourself around. Some opportunities are available in the winter, but I believe most were across the summer.
If you're out of school or college and are not looking to go on to graduate level you may have better luck going through the apprenticeship route. There are a number of companies who are looking for apprentices right now, and your best opportunity of finding one is to both look at job websites and also to contact local colleges to see if they have anything available. I recently recruited an AAT Level 3 apprentice for my Finance Team through our partnership with New College in Swindon, Wiltshire, and I'm sure local colleges in your area may have a bank of similar opportunities.
Good luck with your search!
I'm an ACA qualified Chartered Accountant and am fortunate to have been on both sides of the fence on this one! If you're looking for an internship or work experience, a number of the main accountancy firms offer paid experience for graduate level opportunities. I undertook one with the medium-sized firm Mazars between my second and third years at university, and most of the top 10 accountancy firms have similar opportunities. I recall BDO and Smith & Williamson were two such firms, in addition to the Big 4. Best bet here is to look at their websites and navigate yourself around. Some opportunities are available in the winter, but I believe most were across the summer.
If you're out of school or college and are not looking to go on to graduate level you may have better luck going through the apprenticeship route. There are a number of companies who are looking for apprentices right now, and your best opportunity of finding one is to both look at job websites and also to contact local colleges to see if they have anything available. I recently recruited an AAT Level 3 apprentice for my Finance Team through our partnership with New College in Swindon, Wiltshire, and I'm sure local colleges in your area may have a bank of similar opportunities.
Good luck with your search!
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