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📈 Differentiating Yourself in a Competitive Financial Industry 📈

Breaking into the financial industry as a student can feel impossible. Internships are competitive, and finding ways to differentiate yourself in applications can be tough. But guess what? There’s so many things you can do beyond searching for practical banking experience to boost your employability and stand out to employers.

Black and white silhouette crowd with one stand-out woman highlighted in pink, and captioned 'How to Stand Out In Applications'

Here’s what worked for me:

Join Societies (And Committees!)

Get involved in societies, especially if they’re career-related. Even better though, apply to join the committee! This will put you in direct contact with industry professionals when it comes to events. It’s an excellent way to build a solid network (with both students and employers) and guarantee your place at invite-only events! Plus, it shows passion, which looks great on applications.

 
'Women in Banking and Finance' Society instagram page showing 9 posts of events, and their marketing flyers

Attend Insight Days and Career Events

Sitting through hours of panel discussions might not be at the top of your list, but these events will give you so much to discuss in your interview. You’ll not only learn what topics are trending in the industry, but immersing yourself in corporate environments allows you to pick up professional etiquette and contributes to a success-orientated mindset. Connect with your interviewer by demonstrating your understanding of how companies are tackling things from AI to equality. 'Bright Network' is excellent for discovering employer events. Keep your eyes out for women's only events too - they are less competitive and so inspiring!

 

Search bar with 'how can i get exposure to companies' with photos of womens insight days and finance panels

Make the Most of Online Resources

Virtual experience is better than no experience! Platforms like The Forage let you complete a range of different simulations, from investment banking to strategy consulting. They work with top companies from JP Morgan to KPMG and provide application advice upon completion. There’s also endless coding resources online – one of my favourites is Code First Girls which offer quick courses to 16-week ‘CFGdegrees’.

 

In short - if you’re able to join a society, attend some events and complete a couple of online courses (combined with part-time work experience), you’ll definitely position yourself much better than before!


Created visual of emails with invites to various open days and companies sharing job opportunities

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