Accountancy, banking and finance

Accountants are employed by organisations and private clients to audit accounts, provide financial advice and manage accounting processes.

Accounting & finance +1
•

Insurance broker: job description

Insurance brokers identify and organise suitable insurance cover for commercial organisations and private clients.

Banking, insurance & financial services
•

Insurance underwriter: job description

Insurance underwriters make decisions about insurance policies using statistical and commercial information.

Banking, insurance & financial services
•

Investment banker - corporate finance: job description

Investment bank corporate financiers provide financial services and advice to commercial and government clients about various financial matters including fund and debt management, mergers, flotations, acquisitions and privatisation.

Investment banking & fund management
•

Investment banker – operations: job description

Investment bank operations staff are responsible for the efficient, accurate, profitable and risk-free clearing and settlement of bank transactions for corporate and government clients.

Investment banking & fund management
•

Investment fund manager: job description

Investment fund managers advise private and corporate clients to help them get the best return on their investments.

Investment banking & fund management
•

Retail banker: job description

Retail bankers provide members of the public with financial advice and banking services.

Banking, insurance & financial services +1
•

Stockbroker: job description

Stockbrokers buy and sell securities (eg stocks and shares) on a commission basis on behalf of private and commercial clients.

Investment banking & fund management
•

Ace the application process

Discover the skills you'll need to create winning applications, learn how to write stellar CVs, and get tips to help you nail your interviews.

The top skills retail banking, insurance and actuarial employers want

Skills and competencies

To get a graduate job in financial services you need to convince recruiters that you have the skills to do the job well. But which of your skills should you be making a big deal of in your applications and interviews?

Banking, insurance & financial services
•

How to write a graduate CV for retail banking, insurance and actuary jobs

Showing on your CV that you can exceed targets and build good relationships will make you a graduate that financial services employers want to interview.

Banking, insurance & financial services
•

Expert video interview tips to impress recruiters

Whether it’s a live Zoom interview or a pre-recorded video interview, our expert video interviews tips will help you secure an internship or graduate role.

Investment banking & fund management +21
•

The skills you need for banking and investment graduate schemes

Skills and competencies

Aiming to develop the competencies investment banks want to see when you apply? You’ll need to go beyond ‘teamwork’ and ‘communication’ to stand out from the crowd.

Investment banking & fund management
•

Compare your investment banking graduate CV to the competition

CVs for a graduate scheme with an investment bank usually fall into three types: straight and narrow, everyman and wildcard. Want to know where your CV fits and how to improve it? Read below.

Investment banking & fund management
•

Wanted: the skills accountancy recruiters are seeking. Reward: a top graduate job

Here are five of the top skills that will get you a graduate accountancy or financial management job.

Accounting & finance
•

Four common interview questions for graduate jobs in accountancy and financial management

You can't know exactly what questions you're going to be asked in an interview for a graduate job in accountancy, but there are some common questions that you're likely to encounter.

Accounting & finance
•

Group exercises at investment banking assessment centres

Investment banking recruiters like to keep the precise content of their assessment centre group exercises a closely guarded secret. But if you're aware of typical tasks and structure, you’re unlikely to have any major surprises.

Investment banking & fund management
•

Why are communication skills so important in accountancy?

A successful graduate career in accountancy will be impossible if you don’t possess good communication skills. Here’s how to demonstrate yours throughout the application process.

Accounting & finance
•

Example investment banking interview questions

What better way is there to prepare for your graduate or internship interview at an investment bank than with a selection of sample questions?

Apply for finance roles

Discover your future career with GradSims

In these free mini-courses you'll get career insights from graduates, do real-life tasks, and get priority access to roles.

Want to be the next management accountant at CIMA?

Get a true feel of what it's like by listening to real stories from grads who’ve already been on the journey, and trying out actual tasks in the role.

Are you the next accountant at ACCA?

Get exclusive tips and advice from graduates who are currently in the role, and a chance to do an actual task from ACCA.

Are you the next assurance graduate at EY?

Get exclusive tips and advice from graduates who are currently in the role, and a chance to do an actual task from EY.

Want to be the next management accountant at CIMA?

Get a true feel of what it's like by listening to real stories from grads who’ve already been on the journey, and trying out actual tasks in the role.

Work experience and internships

Getting an internship or work experience could be your ticket to landing a full-time role - discover your options here.

Getting work experience in an accounting firm

Internships and placements

An internship can be a first step towards a graduate job in accountancy. How and when should you apply for work experience and how do you make the most of it?

Accounting & finance
•

Getting work experience and internships in retail banking, insurance, regulation or actuarial science

Internships and placements

Advice on applying for internships and placements in finance, as well as how to make a good impression during your work experience and what options are available.

Banking, insurance & financial services +4
•

The investment banking work experience pipeline and what it means for you

Advice

Banking and investment graduate recruiters view their spring insight programmes and summer internships as talent pipelines to fill the majority of places on their graduate schemes. Start in your first year – or be prepared to play catch-up.

Investment banking & fund management
•

Four ways you can prepare for your investment banking internship

Internships and placements

You’ve been accepted onto an internship at an investment bank, so now a whole new task lies in front of you: preparation. What should you do before you start your internship to give yourself the best chance of securing a full-time job later on?

Investment banking & fund management
•

Graduate jobs in finance: why students should consider alternative routes into the industry

Careers advice and planning

Students who want to work in finance should think outside the box and make their own opportunities to break into the industry.

Banking, insurance & financial services +1
•

Get ahead: join our events

Head to our free events to network with employers that interest you, develop your skills and knowledge through interactive workshops, and get expert advice to help you secure your ideal graduate role.

Peers in Careers: a professional one day conference

Along with five partnering universities, targetjobs and Gradconsult are hosting a professional industry idea factory event, providing you with an invaluable opportunity to make a really positive impact on your own professional development and growth of network.

Employers in Accountancy, banking and finance

All employers

Our top employers

Industry leaders with a large annual graduate intake.

EDF

Engineering + 7

A career that will deliver change. Together we can help Britain achieve Net Zero.

PwC

Accounting & finance + 16

Explore. Inspire. Reimagine.

HSBC

Banking, insurance & financial services + 3

Be part of something bigger. Founded in 1865, HSBC is one of the world's largest banking and financial services organisations

Azets

Accounting & finance + 6

Achieve your ambitions and kick-start your accountancy career at Azets.