Online applications for graduate careers in investment banking

Most applications for investment banking and investment management graduate jobs are now made via online application forms. These forms can take two to three hours to do properly. You need to ensure you’ve chosen the most appropriate answers and shown yourself off in the best light, so leave yourself enough time to do yourself justice.

What questions will a banking and investment online application ask you?

Each bank and investment firm is likely to have its own application system tailored to its needs. Each form will ask you to submit some basic biographical facts – your contact details academic history, previous work experience and so on.

It may then ask you a series of questions based around why you want to work for the employer and in finance, before moving on to your skills and competences. For instance, you could be asked to provide an example of when you worked in a team. The form could end with a large box asking for ‘further information to support your application’. Alternatively, it could ask you to attach a covering letter and CV.

Some forms give you the option of saving your answer and returning to them later before you submit them. This is a good idea as you’re more likely to pick up on any mistakes.

How to answer difficult finance application form questions

There is no such thing as a difficult question if you have a clear idea of what the selection criteria are and what matching skills, knowledge and experience you have. For banking and investment jobs, you’re likely to be asked about solving a problem, working in a team or dealing with clients. When answering these questions, choose examples from different areas of your life and be as specific as possible when describing them. Concentrate on your personal contribution to whatever it is you’re writing about and stress achievements and outcomes.

Structuring your finance form answers

Gauge the required length of the answer by the size of the answer box on screen. Banking recruiters aren’t impressed by waffle: you need to show that you can be businesslike by providing concise answers, but you do need to give them enough information to assess you. The STAR technique is the secret to getting the balance right on competency questions. Describe the Situation or problem; the Tasks you needed to do the Actions you took; and the Results.

The ‘information to support your application’ box gives you the chance to include anything that will help your application that you haven’t covered elsewhere. But a good structure is essential here. Use headings and bullet points to convey your points concisely.

Mistakes job-hunting savvy graduates avoid

Think twice before you cut and paste answers from other application forms. It’s all too easy to forget to change vital details, such as the organisation name. In any case, it’s important to tailor an application to the company you’re applying to and the role being sought. Make sure it’s obvious that you’ve made the effort to think about what they’re looking for, why you would fit their requirements and why you want to work for them.

Check your spelling and grammar. Be particularly careful that you do not misspell the name of the organisation, as this is sure to send your application straight to the reject pile. So double-check your application form for errors and run it past a fresh pair of eyes before you hit send.