tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-61780382126524875422024-03-12T23:06:53.668+00:00Future Economist?Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02285010012029104537noreply@blogger.comBlogger35125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6178038212652487542.post-16065118927121662602016-12-21T17:26:00.001+00:002016-12-26T22:11:34.970+00:00Where have I been?Hi everyone! I actually apologise as I have completely abandoned this blog. I can't believe I haven't posted anything for over 2 years.<br />
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The reason for this post today is I received a comment today and I just couldn't believe people still read this blog and I'm so glad that people have been encouraged by it. The reason I started it in the first place was to encourage people who wanted to go into financial related jobs as I felt there wasn't much advice out there when I was looking a few years ago. A lot has changed with me and I can't believe I started this blog 5 years ago. Finishing A levels and university seemed such a long way to go but it's here already. It's interesting to see how at some point you think you are so sure and set on what you want to do in the future and you get there and it looks completely different or things didn't go the way you planned them to.<br />
Not to worry this isn't a post of disappointment on not doing what I thought I initially wanted to do according to my '16 year old self' [first post back in 2011 I said I wanted to be an Investment Analyst] but a post of celebration that I made it through university graduating with a 2:1 in Economics and I am now working for Barclays.<br />
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In the last post I talked about doing a placement year in between my degree. I didn't end up doing that after all, I just did 3 years of university instead. I did no internships during university as well so it's such a blessing that I managed to get a job 3 months after graduation. I absolutely loved university and I'm so happy that I got to experience it, I met amazing people and had so much fun. It did get challenging at times with the degree itself but it all worked out!<br />
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If anyone does want advice on university feel free to ask by commenting. Anything from studying to staying in accommodation on or off campus and even commuting to university if you are in that situation- I have faced all three scenarios lol. Even job searching etc. I didn't know exactly what I wanted to do so I can give advice on such decisions too.<br />
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I'll give a little background into the job search scenario...<br />
At the beginning of my final year I decided to apply for the Barclays graduate programme in Personal and Corporate Banking. Barclays and HSBC are two companies that for a while I had aspirations to work for. I didn't get round to applying for the HSBC graduate programme in Retail and Wealth management because I had to to also juggle studying and job applications can be quite time consuming. The reason I went for Retail banking graduate programmes were because I wasn't too knowledgeable concerning other roles in investment banking for example, compliance, risk etc. I didn't want to apply for a job just because of where it was or the name sounded nice and I wanted to know what I was talking about which I found really hard when it came to really connecting with these other roles (I hope this makes sense lol). With retail banking I had done work experience with Barclays when I was 15 and as stated already in another post on my blog I did two weeks at HSBC. So I applied to Barclays and got through application stage and was invited to the video interview stage however there was a slight dilemma. When I was invited to the video interview I had 3 mid terms tests for my degree to study for at the same time and there is only a limited amount of time I get to complete the video interview. I wanted to do the best of my ability for both the interview and the mid- terms so I had to sacrifice in one of the areas. Long story short I asked for an extension in the time needed to complete the video interview which thankfully I was given but unfortunately I was too late in submission which meant all the places on the graduate programme were filled up by the time I did it [late November/early December].<br />
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After this I gave up on applications for a while and decided to just focus on my degree because I knew I had to get at least a 2:1 as a lot of jobs ask for 2:1 and above. Until around April, I believe, two representatives from CapGemini (IT consultancy) came to visit my university and I heard about their Business Analyst graduate programme that I applied for. I managed to get all the way through to the Assessment Centre but because of timetabling issues to run the Assessment Centre I never got to attend it (by the time I was asked to attend I had already started my current job- I waited a longgg time basically).<br />
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So fast forward I finished my exams and it was now time to apply for jobs even though I was still waiting on CapGemini. I applied to quite a few jobs and through that there was a mixture of no responses to getting through to telephone interviews but no further. At this time I hadn't yet applied to the job I am currently doing. I then got an opportunity to attend an Assessment Centre with Experian for an Account Executive role. This was through the Graduate Recruitment Bureau. Unfortunately, I didn't get the role which did bring me down a bit because I was so close to getting a job and honestly anxiety did start to come in for me as I felt time was going and I still haven't found a job after graduation. After this, I spoke to a friend of mine and she encouraged me to ask myself what I would enjoy. Throughout this period after I didn't make it into the Barclays graduate programme, I had abandoned the whole idea of Retail Banking but honestly this is the only area of banking and finance that I had adequate experience of and quite enjoyed. So I came across vacancies in both Barclays and HSBC in the local high street branches. Within a week after applying I got a job in Barclays. It wasn't where I expected to be but after working there for over 3 months now I must say I am glad I have even gotten an opportunity to work for such a well known company and now the opportunities to progress are endless.<br />
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So in the end I can say I have ended up in the company that I've wanted to work in for years and I must say that it's important to evaluate what you actually what to do and don't despise small beginnings. I am definitely happy where I am now and I'm excited to see where I'll end up in the future.<br />
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I felt like it was necessary to share where I've ended up on this journey and I really hope you are encouraged to keep going!<br />
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Will I actually become and Economist one day? Who knows. I can't promise to blog regularly but you might hear from me again to see where I end up.<br />
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God bless xx<br />
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<br />Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02285010012029104537noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6178038212652487542.post-48580832931878174302014-07-04T13:42:00.000+01:002014-07-04T13:42:49.399+01:00Brief catchup!Hello everyone :), I know I haven't posted in months and I apologise for that! Good news is that I have finished my first year of university and I receive my results in two weeks time. To be truly honest I am having a bit of a dilemma deciding what career path to take which is why I haven't been too active in looking for opportunities and posting about events. I know from previous blog posts it seems I have been so sure but I am trying to make some decisions. First year (planning for career wise) hasn't been too eventful as I am planning to do a placement year (a year I take out between my 2nd year and final year (four year degree programme)) so there wasn't many opportunities that I can really apply for because of that as a lot of them require me to be in my second year of a four year degree. I am hoping that as I am entering second year in October I will have a lot to share, especially my journey on looking for a year placement and perhaps applying for spring programmes as well but I will see. I'm really honoured that people are still reading my blog and I hope that my previous blog posts have been a great help to you!<br />
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God bless xoxoAnonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02285010012029104537noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6178038212652487542.post-44512745624990681372013-12-23T16:03:00.001+00:002013-12-23T16:03:58.331+00:00First Semester! Soooooooooooooooo it's the end of the first semester at university. I actually cannot believe how fast these three months have gone. It felt like just yesterday I was leaving home and moving into halls and now first semester has ended, it's the Christmas holidays and I'm back at home for three weeks (might shorten it to two instead). To be honest, I do miss university. One thing I have appreciated is independence. I have definitely changed since I went to uni, trust me being away from home is not as bad as it seems.<br />
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In terms of my course, I think I'm enjoying it so far. I will not lie dropping out has crossed my mind but I was seriously over-exaggerating. In my opinion, at the moment the workload isn't as much as I experienced during A- levels. I do have quite a lot of free time during university when I think about it but that doesn't mean it's acceptable to slack. Fair enough first year doesn't count to your degree but it's very important if you want to apply to internships in your second year and in my case, a year in industry.<br />
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My first semester consisted mostly of multiple choice tests, one piece of coursework and a debate. In comparison to my friends in terms of workload, I think I got it pretty easy. However, I am now suffering with two pieces of coursework and revision for three exams so maybe not.<br />
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In terms of my career progression, during August I applied for the SEO First Year Fast Track Programme and recently I found out that I was successful with my application. The other day I was invited to a networking and training event for SEO candidates at the London headquarters for Ernst & Young (EY). If I impress at this event I have the opportunity to be fast- tracked to their Leadership Academy or Discover EY events. I have registered my interest for the training event so hopefully I will get a place :)<br />
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Finally I think I'll end with some general uni advice from my time so far:<br />
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<li><b>Utilise your free time:</b> First year is your chance to do things that you probably won't have time to do in your second year and final year. Try new sports, join societies, learn a new language. I actually forgot to mention in an earlier post that I have been learning Spanish :) Surrey University offer a Global Graduate Award which allows students to learn a language whilst studying. It doesn't count to your degree but it does appear on your transcript at the end of the year. I do need to utilise my free time even more to be honest. There's so much my friends and I could have done during first semester but didn't unfortunately.</li>
<li><b>Work hard:</b> First year results don't count to your overall degree (this might not be true for a few universities so check) but still keep in mind that when you are applying to internships and spring weeks employees want to see your first year results.</li>
<li><b>Enjoy yourself: </b>University is a time to enjoy! Have fun but know your limits. You're away from home so this is the time to do things that you couldn't do before but remember to be safe. </li>
<li><b>Socialise: </b>You meet different types of people in university. Make an effort to learn about different cultures.</li>
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I'm expecting great things from second semester. First semester has been good but I think second semester will be even better! I am really glad that I attend the University of Surrey. I've met some great people! </div>
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This is my last post of 2013, I really hope that I will have more exciting things to blog about next year and more frequent posts too. I will certainly try my best :)</div>
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Have a great Christmas and a Happy New Year!!</div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02285010012029104537noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6178038212652487542.post-25428070086273900272013-11-15T22:36:00.000+00:002013-11-15T22:36:28.967+00:00ACS in the city: Banking forum (31/10/2013)<i>"ACS in the City is a unique diversity talent attraction platform where leading private and public sector organisations connect with and attract high- achieving and promising black students from universities across the United Kingdom." : </i><b><a href="http://acsinthecity.com/">acsinthecity.com</a></b><br />
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Through my university's ACS (African and Caribbean society) I was informed about the ACS in the city banking forum. ACS in the city have and are also running a public sector, law and Google top black talent forum.<br />
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I decided to apply for this event because I felt that as a first year undergrad this would be the best time to be more active when it comes to my career because not long from now I'll be applying for spring weeks and placements. The application process was fairly straightforward. All that was required were personal details, CV and a couple of motivational questions. My advice when it comes to motivational questions is that to dedicate some time on them. It may seem really tempting to just answer the questions without truly taking your time to read what they are asking of you. When I answer motivational questions instead of filling it straight away on the application I create drafts on Microsoft Word. One reason why this is a good idea is because motivation questions normally have word limits so it's a great way to check the word count as you type. It's also really important that you answer the questions as best as you can within the word limit. This can be quite tricky because you may have loads to say but you can't say it all.<br />
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<b style="font-size: x-large;">The day of the banking forum:</b><br />
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I was travelling from university so it was a very early start for me. The forum was held in Canary Wharf, London so it wasn't too bad because Guildford is only 35 minutes away from London by train. I went with someone on my course so I felt more relaxed because I was entering a situation where I wasn't completely on my own. Usually, when I go to insight days I am on my own so I didn't really have an excuse to be nervous this time round but when I do meet new people I tend to be really shy (but I'm trying to change that). We arrived 20 minutes early which was good as not many people were there yet. As people began to arrive the atmosphere felt a bit more relaxing and after an hour we were all told the event was ready to start.<br />
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The first talk was an overview of investment banking. Usually, at other insight days I have attended I haven't really been able to understand the set up of an investment bank. That probably could have been because I was hearing terms that I hadn't heard before such as equities and securities but this time it really made sense. Perhaps it was because one of my modules goes through this sort of thing a bit but I think this was the most informative overview I have heard which was given by a representative from Fitch Learning.<br />
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Furthermore, there was a panel session with senior bankers from various organisations. The banks that were represented on the day were Barclays, Goldman Sachs, Citi, JP Morgan, Bank of America Merrill Lynch, Deutsche Bank and Morgan Stanley. Some great advice was given by the panel about going into investment banking such as: be open- minded; stay true to yourself and build on your commercial awareness. The day continued with a networking lunch, speed question time with interns and an etiquette workshop. The day really made me question what I want to do. Previously, I wasn't really open to the idea of working in HR (Human Resources) but after hearing more about it, it's definitely an option I am considering. To be honest, I haven't got a set idea of where I want to work or what I want to do specifically anymore but that's the beauty of this blog. In a couple of years time it'll be nice to see my progression and the choice of career path I decide to pursue . That's what I love about studying Economics. I'm open to a wide variety of roles and opportunities!!<br />
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I decided to keep this short and sweet but if you are thinking of going into banking it's great to take up these opportunities and attend events like this. You will not only meet new people but you learn a lot and find out things that a lot of other people don't know. It also makes a good impression on employers that you apply to in the future. It's definitely something to mention in an application especially if it was an event that the bank you are applying for hosted!Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02285010012029104537noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6178038212652487542.post-23560842252753996552013-10-18T15:37:00.001+01:002013-10-25T12:36:56.442+01:00The beginning of university life..Hey guys :) It seems like I've been neglecting my blog but I've just been quite busy as I moved into uni three weeks ago. For the first time readers I go to the University of Surrey and I'm studying Economics. This blog post is pretty much about my first three weeks at university and what I've been up to.<br />
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The moving in process was quite relaxed. My family and I decided that it would be best for me to move in on a Sunday which I had mixed feelings about because I didn't want to be the last person to move into my flat but then again I get to spend a bit more time with my family before I leave :) Luckily for me I wasn't the last person to move into my flat which was great. The people helping out on the moving in weekend were really helpful and we managed to get help with my bags to my room which made life a lot more easier.<br />
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I really like my room, it's much more spacious than my room back home lol. I was allocated a band C room meaning that I have a sink in my room but I share the toilet and showers with my housemates (There are 3 toilets and 3 showers). Now.. I share my flat with 13 other people! At first it seems like a lot but honestly it's quite fun. Before I arrived I had this image in my head that every morning will be quite stressful because people will be fighting for showers but it's totally the opposite. I feel like I'm really blessed because my housemates are really friendly so there's a good vibe around. In terms of the showers situation every since I have arrived there has never been a time where I've struggled to use the shower.<br />
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Now on to my course.<br />
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On my first day I found out that one of my flatmates does the same course as me which left me at ease. Freshers week was pretty much filled with welcome talks/ registration during the day and parties during the night. I must say I didn't go out much during freshers week but I did attend a few society meet and greets where I made new friends :) One important thing when going to university is to join societies. Even if you get on with your housemates or not it's really good to attend events where you will find like- minded people who enjoy the same things as you do and to meet different people. For the African and Caribbeans out there join your university's ACS (African and Caribbean society) it's a great way to meet people from your country and other countries and just to socialise and make you feel at home. There should be societies out there for other ethnicities too but if there isn't make your own! There are probably people in the university wishing that there was a society for their country and you'll be surprised how many people might be willing to participate.<br />
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<b>Week 1:</b><br />
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During the welcome week I was given my timetable and now that week 1 arrived freshers week was over and the real deal began. In my course there are four modules, <i>Contemporary Issues in Economics, Introductory Economics, Quantitative methods and Economic data analysis. </i>In my opinion, at my university it's extremely beneficial if you have done A-Level Maths and Economics because a lot of the content in these modules are very familiar but there are people on my course who haven't done one or the other. This is a Bachelor of Science (Bsc) degree so if you don't enjoy maths do not do this course because already there is one whole module on Maths and Statistics. I advise that you should go for a Bachelor of Arts (BA) as there is less maths content. The first week lectures were quite boring because it was a lot of introductory content so there wasn't much learning. Lectures for my course are two hours long and each module has one hour long tutorials where we are split into smaller groups to discuss questions set by our lecturers. The good thing is that sometimes lectures do finish early but I think as time goes on this will not be the case :(<br />
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<b>Week 2:</b><br />
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As my lecturers had set questions for my tutorials I've spent the week answering these questions and doing a bit of research. There are three books I had to get for this semester and they cost me just over £100 altogether. University books are expensive believe me! One bit of advice I would give is look out for people from the older year groups selling books because they are cheaper but get in there fast because imagine around 200 students wanting the same book. Also check the edition of the book the student is selling because you might need a more recent version. If you don't manage to get books from older students always check Amazon but the used section. There you will find books for cheaper also.<br />
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I haven't been set any assignments yet but once I do I will try my best to post on how I am doing but blog posts will be rare for now.<br />
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If you have any questions about my course or my university please feel free to ask :)Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02285010012029104537noreply@blogger.com0Guildford, Surrey51.241518799999987 -0.5878635000000258551.240276299999991 -0.59038500000002581 51.242761299999984 -0.5853420000000259tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6178038212652487542.post-62457014965595409162013-09-03T10:27:00.001+01:002013-10-25T12:37:17.065+01:00Update post!<span style="color: blue; font-size: large;">This post is just to mention that I have changed the URL address of my blog to <b><u>lifeonaneconomicsundergrad.blogspot.co.uk</u> </b>as I am starting my first year in university in a couple of weeks time. This means from now on my upcoming posts will be of my time in university and any events I attend during my time there which is why I felt to change the name of my blog :)</span><br />
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<span style="color: blue; font-size: large;">Thanks</span></div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02285010012029104537noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6178038212652487542.post-67482961036183282262013-09-02T23:25:00.000+01:002013-10-25T12:44:26.802+01:00Royal Bank of Scotland Career Insight Programme (22nd August- 23rd August)Last month, I attended a two-day career insight programme at the Royal Bank of Scotland (RBS). This event was aimed final year A Level students who were interested in pursuing career in banking and to allow them to learn more about the Royal Bank of Scotland and what they do.<br />
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This event was held numerous times during August and there are a few more in September. The one I attended consisted of 24 students. The application process for this was held online were I had to fill in my personal details, qualifications and answer two motivational questions. A couple of weeks after I did that I received a phone call from a member of the Early Career team at RBS informing me that I have gained a place.<br />
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<span style="color: blue; font-size: large;"><b>Day One:</b></span><br />
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The first day was held at the Bankside office. The day began with a mini networking session but this was with the students. We were all served breakfast and we had around 45 minutes to go around and get to know each other. It was a bit awkward at first because we were thrown into it straight away but I tried my best to move around and get to know others. We then had an introductory session into RBS. The person in charge of the event gave us an overview of what RBS is about and what opportunities they offer for undergraduates and graduates. Secondly, we heard from Jennifer Holloway, a personal brand specialist, who spoke to us about how to build on our personal brand. I found this really helpful as she really made us think about how you may be seen by others and how this could affect your impression on people. One thing that stuck with me was when she asked "<i>What do people say about you when you're not in the room?</i>", with the answer being, "<i>Whatever it is, that's your personal brand.</i>" This really made me think about how I act when I first meet people and what could I possibly change to avoid giving the wrong first impression. After that there was lunch and then another guest speaker gave us more of an insight into RBS and the roles and responsibilities of the different areas of the bank which are :<br />
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<li>Retail/ Commercial bank</li>
<li>Investment bank</li>
<li>Private bank (Coutts)</li>
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Furthermore, there were two other guest speakers. The first speaker was from Enactus which is a non- profit organisation which enables progress through entrepreneurial action and the second speaker was from The Prince's Trust. This section of the day was to inform us on how to make the most of university. I was quite attracted to Enactus and luckily they do work with the University of Surrey so I will be looking into that once I start. To end the day we got split up into groups of two and shadowed current summer interns at RBS. I got to shadow two interns who worked at Coutts which is the private bank owned by RBS. The students I was with and I got to visit the Coutts building in Strand, London which is really beautiful. It was different to see how quiet Coutts really is unlike the other RBS buildings and find out what the interns do there. The interns I met were so kind and gave a lot of good advice.</div>
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<span style="color: blue; font-size: large;"><b>Day Two</b></span></div>
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Day two began with a really early start. We were asked to arrive at 8:00 am in comparison to arriving at 10:00 am the previous day. Luckily we were provided with breakfast before we started. The first activity was an Economy insight session by a current graduate. He basically ran through the events of the financial crisis in 2008 and how this affected the world economy. Afterwards there was a graduate panel where we got to learn what five graduates do and we were open to ask them questions about their experience. The best part of the day I must say came after the break when we all took part in the "Bank You Build" challenge. This activity consisted of a competition where five teams had to build up their own banks through completing several tasks in each section of the bank, such as; wealth, international banking, retail banking and so on. All these tasks were to be completed on iPad's in a space of an hour and what ever team got the highest percentage won. Unfortunately, my team was last but it was fun to complete the various challenges. </div>
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Finally, after lunch the day ended with testing and a group exercise. The 24 of us got split into two groups to complete these tasks. All the students that gain a place on the career insight programme are given a exclusive opportunity to gain a place on the RBS Spring Programme. This meant that at the end of the day we were given the chance to start the application process and complete the first psychometric test in order to progress. This didn't mean that we must apply for the Spring Programme but we were just given the chance to get that head start if we wanted it. Luckily, it was a situation based exercise which assesses your response to a situation. I was really happy that it wasn't a numerical or verbal reasoning test because from previous experience I'm not really great at them :(. After this the day ended with a group exercise. We were made to do this to give us a taster of what to expect at an assessment centre. We were given a scenario of a number of people who had to be saved from a sinking boat ( I think?) and justify who we would save. In groups we had to discuss this and give a short presentation on our choices. An activity like this assesses things such as interaction, ability to give ideas and presentation skills.</div>
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So, that was how I spent my two days at RBS. I did thoroughly enjoy it and I really do advise those going into Year 13 to apply for this next year because you will learn a lot from it and develop a greater understanding of banking :)</div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02285010012029104537noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6178038212652487542.post-84728887551871283272013-08-28T17:18:00.000+01:002013-09-03T10:31:04.841+01:00A Level Results Day!!!After waiting for sooooooooooooo long on Thursday 15th August 2013 I finally received my A Level results. This results day wasn't the same as others. This results day was extremely important as I was finding out what university I would be going to in September. Especially the night before, I was so so nervous but the day arrived..... I logged into UCAS Track at 7:30 am and discovered that I got into my firm choice the University of Surrey!!!!<br />
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I was extremely excited when I saw this as I REALLY wanted to go to Surrey. The campus is beautiful and the university is now 2nd in the Guardian League Table for Economics above universities such as LSE, Cambridge and UCL. I'm so relieved that all this stress is over. Literally, I spent half of my summer worrying about results day and now it's come and gone just like that. This post is a bit late but I have exactly a month left before I move in. I have so much shopping to do and prep in this space of time but surprisingly I'm really relaxed. It's quite daunting the idea of moving away from home. I question myself sometimes if I'll be able to cope but I guess this is all part of growing up.<br />
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In relation to my career progression, these were my A Level results:<br />
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<span style="color: red;"><b>Economics: A</b></span><br />
<span style="color: red;"><b>Government and Politics: B</b></span><br />
<span style="color: red;"><b>Maths: B</b></span><br />
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I will not even lie, in comparison to the expectations I had for myself when I started my blog and what I thought I would get I am WAYYYY off. I'm very grateful for my results but I do feel like I could have done better especially in Maths. These results do affect the events and programmes I can attend at banks. Luckily for me a lot of insight days and internships require the minimum of 300-320 UCAS points. I have managed to get 320 UCAS points which is good but not so good in certain circumstances. I really haven't let this bring me down. I guess the most important thing for me to do now is get a First Class Honors Degree in Economics by 2017. In the next four years I aim to attend insight days, a spring insight week, gain an internship and get myself onto a graduate programme. One reason why I love my degree structure is because I get a year out after my second year to complete a placement. I'm really excited for that part because it really determines whether or not I can get a job right after I graduate which is the ideal plan.<br />
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So as you can see my blog is leaving the A Level chapter and entering a university one. I began this blog at the beginning of my A-Levels and as you can see I have progressed and made it into university. I'm really excited to embark on my next journey and perhaps the blog posts may be more frequent because I'm eligible for a lot more opportunities now!!Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02285010012029104537noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6178038212652487542.post-49797389301849308052013-07-29T17:42:00.000+01:002013-09-03T10:31:22.631+01:00An Insight into HSBC (Wednesday 24th July 2013)Last Wednesday (24th July) I attended the HSBC insight day at Canary Wharf. This event was advertised on the HSBC graduate careers website under the Pre- University Programme section.<br />
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I didn't manage to take a picture of the building myself but it is absolutely beautiful. It is incredibly tall and I was so overwhelmed by it. The inside is also very beautiful and modern, I was really impressed. The building has one of those see-through lifts and it was actually quite scary because I'm scared of falling from great heights so I tried not to look down.</div>
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The event took place on the 6th floor and all of us that attended were provided with refreshments before the day began. It was nice to be surrounded by other students who were interested in banking and weren't exactly looking to do the same degrees in university. There was also a mixture of males and females so this wasn't an insight day aimed specifically at females like some are.</div>
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Firstly, there was a brief introduction on HSBC's Balance Network who sponsored the insight day. The Balance Network aim to promote gender- balanced workforce. Additionally, there was sessions on an overview of HSBC, an overview of Markets and a Q&A session with four Analysts. These three sessions provided more of an understanding of what HSBC is about, what a section of investment banking is like and what it's like to be an Analyst at HSBC. This was followed by a networking lunch with members of all business areas. It gave us the chance to find more about the different types of sections in investment banking such as Mergers & Acquisitions, Sales and Trading. </div>
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After lunch there was a CV skills session where one of the recruiters at HSBC gave us advice on how improve our CV's. I learnt that desirably, CV's should be one page so I now have the problem of cutting down my two- page to one but I am seeking help with that. After that was an overview of Banking by a member of the banking area of HSBC. As the day was coming to an end we got more advice on what to expect at assessment centres. An assessment centre is one of the stages of application when applying for programmes such as internships and graduate schemes. This is a common stage in a lot of investment banks but Goldman Sachs actually doesn't include this. The last part was a session from another recruiter informing us on the opportunities HSBC provide such as the Spring Week, Summer Internship and Graduate Programme. At the end each of us were given the opportunity to say what we enjoyed most about the day. </div>
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I found the day really helpful. I really admire HSBC as they are really team- orientated and it seems like such a laid back yet hardworking place to work. The insight day did attract me to apply for the programmes HSBC offer in the future. It was good to know that it's okay to not know what area of banking you want to go into exactly and some banks including HSBC help young people to identify that during Spring Week programmes. To find out more about the programmes HSBC offer visit this website: <a href="http://www.hsbcnet.com/hr/graduate-careers">http://www.hsbcnet.com/hr/graduate-careers</a></div>
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Finally, not long ago I managed to gain a place on the RBS career insight programme. This is a two- day programme which offers an insight into the bank, work shadowing opportunities and many more. I think applications are still open but spaces are very limited so if you are interested and in Year 13 visit this website: <a href="https://www.rbsgraduatecareers.com/EventManager/Search/CandSearchEventResults.asp">https://www.rbsgraduatecareers.com/EventManager/Search/CandSearchEventResults.asp</a></div>
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I received briefing on what the two days will consist of and I must say I am excited yet nervous. A blog post on this programme will be published at the end of August.</div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02285010012029104537noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6178038212652487542.post-57584091876999509152013-07-15T14:21:00.002+01:002013-07-15T14:23:16.380+01:00HSBC Work Placement 1/7/13 - 12/7/13<div style="text-align: center;">
In the first two weeks of July I took part in the HSBC Work Experience Programme. </div>
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" 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I previously did a blog post on how I got onto the programme so if you haven't read it already here is the link: <a href="http://madetoaspirehigher.blogspot.co.uk/2013/04/hsbc-work-experience-placement-offer.html">http://madetoaspirehigher.blogspot.co.uk/2013/04/hsbc-work-expe</a><a href="http://madetoaspirehigher.blogspot.co.uk/2013/04/hsbc-work-experience-placement-offer.html">rience-placement-offer.html</a></div>
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Initially, my work placement was only meant to last one week but I managed to get it extended to two which was actually very beneficial.</div>
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On my first day I didn't do much but that was expected as I needed to settle in. I spent the majority of my time at the back office of the branch where the senior clerks sit. I will not lie there was a lot of filing to do but I guess that it's part of the job and that is part of the role of the senior clerks when dealing with paperwork.</div>
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I was also given a work experience booklet which included the history of HSBC and some information to help me learn more about the bank. </div>
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I was also assigned a small project to interview one of the employees about their role etc. I have not completed that yet because the branch was quite busy during the two weeks I was there, but I will go back just to complete that as it is a part of the programme.<br />
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Over the two weeks I had set responsibilities given to me to do at the beginning and end of the day. I liked that because it meant that when I arrived in the morning I wouldn't have to wait on someone to tell me what to do, I could just go in and do my tasks. Every morning there would be a little meeting where the managers discuss the targets for the staff, how well they are doing as a bank and any praise they received from customers. On Tuesdays there would be a longer meeting of 45 minutes. This is where new campaigns would be discussed and any issues would be raised.<br />
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In terms of the tasks I did, I got to shadow the cashiers to see how they deal with customers. Initially, I didn't think that working as a cashier was as complicated as it seems. When I did my work experience at Barclays Bank I was able to work as a cashier and serve customers but I guess a lot has changed within 3 years in terms of rules and regulations. A lot of checks are put in place to ensure security and to prevent fraud. I also shadowed the councilors. These are the people who see customers when, for example, they want to open an account. By doing this I did learn a lot about the procedure and realised it isn't even that straightforward to do something as easy as opening a bank account. Additionally, I spoke to one of the business specialists who works as part of the business banking section of the bank which deals with people who want to start up their own businesses and provides lending to those businesses. During the first week I went mystery shopping to another bank. I had to assess the bank I visited against certain criteria and give feedback back to the bank. I received good customer service from the bank I visited but perhaps I could have been more questioning in order to test their customer service skills more.</div>
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I think my favourite parts of the work placement was creating a staff quiz and helping out as a meet and greet. One of my tasks was to create a quiz for the staff on the history of HSBC and the products they offer. We did the quiz during the Tuesday meeting where the staff were split into two teams and my work experience buddy and I read out the questions for them to answer. It was so funny seeing the competitive side come out of the staff and it was honestly so much fun. Another thing I did was work with the meet and greet team who stand at the entrance of the branch helping customers with any inquiries and booking appointments. I really enjoyed helping customers when they needed help. Obviously, I wasn't knowledgeable enough to advise them but if they needed help with the express banking facilities ( paying in with cash and cheque, filling in pay-in slips, checking statements etc.) I was readily available. <br />
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During the work placement I realised that having a part-time job where I deal with customers and communicate constantly really helped my confidence. In the past I was really shy when talking to people I didn't know but my confidence has really improved. I really liked talking to the staff as well as they were so incredibly kind and really tried their best to help me enjoy my experience even though they were so busy.</div>
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Overall, I really enjoyed the placement. I really did choose the right branch to work for and if I do get the opportunity I would love to go back. I really admire the relationships between the staff. Everyone is extremely friendly and willing to help each other and I think that is a great attribute to have in a team of people.</div>
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On the last day I was presented with this certificate for completing the programme.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKeXJR-FJpgXsOQUCOY_3AD1VvtarOMZZEVfFNPQptXHPt1XSZwgdSaJ2VGElJrjzzCx6pBNzIRMoPvyLhW-fHM1sAgRsDAc9jVXjkxeTT31Zvwr5gpM7NENrPRqrNIMsM3AU0Q9mZm0uK/s1600/IMAG0532.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKeXJR-FJpgXsOQUCOY_3AD1VvtarOMZZEVfFNPQptXHPt1XSZwgdSaJ2VGElJrjzzCx6pBNzIRMoPvyLhW-fHM1sAgRsDAc9jVXjkxeTT31Zvwr5gpM7NENrPRqrNIMsM3AU0Q9mZm0uK/s320/IMAG0532.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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It was a great experience and it made me realise that I'm willing to find out more, not only about HSBC but what banking offers. I really do suggest if you are interested in going into banking and between the ages 14-18 this is a great opportunity to enhance your CV and learn more about the industry. This is more aimed towards retail banking but still has its benefits either way. Keep a look out on the directions website: <a href="http://www.directions.org.uk/" style="text-align: center;">http://www.directions.org.uk/</a> and the HSBC work experience website: <a href="http://jobs.hsbc.co.uk/apprentices/work-experience-programme.aspx" style="text-align: center;">http://jobs.hsbc.co.uk/apprentices/work-experience-programme.aspx</a> . They also offer an apprenticeship programme for those who are not interested in continuing with education at the age of 16 onwards <a href="http://jobs.hsbc.co.uk/apprentices/apprentice-programme.aspx" style="text-align: center;">http://jobs.hsbc.co.uk/apprentices/apprentice-programme.aspx</a> .</div>
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During my placement I also decided to apply to attend the HSBC insight day. I had previously come across this event but I didn't think anything of it because I thought there was no point of applying when I had already got a place of the work experience programme. I eventually changed my mind a couple of days before the deadline and applied by sending my CV and a cover letter to a designated email address. Fortunately, a couple of days after the deadline I received an email confirming my place on the insight day. It takes place at Canary Wharf on Wednesday 24th July 2013 and I will be doing a blog post about the event. I'm glad I applied because I get to learn about Global Banking & Markets which is a completely different aspect to retail banking. There will also be interactive presentations and networking sessions.<br />
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Look out for the next blog post in a weeks time!!</div>
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02285010012029104537noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6178038212652487542.post-80137776267288367482013-06-27T21:04:00.000+01:002013-06-27T21:08:08.447+01:00Update: Exams & Work experienceHello everyone. I feel so bad for not blogging for so long but I must admit not much has been going on lately. I've been so consumed with revising and completing my final A Level exams so I haven't been extremely involved in much.<br />
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I just wanted to do a post just to show that I definitely haven't abandoned my blog. I just have a couple of updates:<br />
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<li>Firstly, from the beginning of July I'll be starting my unpaid work placement at HSBC that I previously blogged about. I think I initially mentioned that it was a one week placement but after talking to the branch I will be working at I managed to extend it to two weeks which is great! At the end of the placement I will be sure to do a blog post about what I got up to.</li>
<li>I've finished my A Levels!!!!! This is an extremely huge relief for me. The past two years have been so intense especially the last couple of months but I'm done now and and I hope I've worked hard enough. Now, I'm awaiting my results to find out if I've got into my first choice university, University of Surrey or my second choice, University of Kent. If you want to know more about that follow the link <span style="color: red;"><a href="http://madetoaspirehigher.blogspot.co.uk/2013/03/results-day-7th-march-2013-ucas-update.html">http://madetoaspirehigher.blogspot.co.uk/2013/03/results-day-7th-march-2013-ucas-update.html</a> </span>where my choices are explained.</li>
<li>I'm just awaiting confirmation at the moment but I should be starting my virtual work experience throughout the whole of July. Yes, virtual work experience. I first heard about it through an email I received from Directions which is an online career service <span style="color: red;">(<a href="http://www.directions.org.uk/">http://www.directions.org.uk/</a>)</span>. The virtual work experience is done through a scheme called <b>Get In. Get On. </b>I don't want to talk about it too much but I will do a blog post on it at the end of July.</li>
</ol>
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That's all for now but like I previously mentioned my next blog post should be about my work placement at HSBC. I'm currently on my summer holidays and I know it's really important for me to relax but I'm trying my best to make it as productive as possible. I still have a job and I will be getting back into volunteering to complete my retail skills certificate after I took a break for exams.<br />
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Until next time :)</div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02285010012029104537noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6178038212652487542.post-4188664213357140582013-04-15T21:52:00.000+01:002013-04-15T21:52:19.950+01:00Deutsche Bank 'I Have a Dream' Program interviewsI was a bit hesitant when I was making the decision whether or not to publish this post. When I started this blog I knew that I wanted to give the best advice and share my journey into finance even if it included some downfalls so I guess it's the best decision to post this even though I'm a little disappointed.<br />
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I recently applied to Deutsche Bank's I Have a Dream Program which gives final year A- Level students an opportunity to take part in a paid placement in one of the banks divisions. I was attracted to this program because I am interested in a career in investment banking so I thought this program would provide me with an excellent first step into the career. The application consisted of the usual personal details, education, work experience details and a few questions such as,<i> "Why do what to work in an investment bank?" </i><br />
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I really wanted to take my time with this application. There was a word limit on each of the competency sort of questions so it was really important that I answered the question to the best of my ability in order to display my interest. To do this I made sure that I also got advice from my college's careers adviser. When I was ready I sent off my application. I actually expected it to take a couple of weeks before I got a reply but less than a week later I received a call from Rare Recruitment. Rare Recruitment are involved in the program as they'll provide ongoing support and personal development for the students that have made it onto the program. They told me that I was successful and had made it into the first round on interviews. Afterwards, I received a follow up email providing me with details of the interview.<br />
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<b>First round interview: Thursday 4th April 2013</b><br />
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I was told this would be a competency based interview. To prepare for this interview I made sure I researched what competency interviews are like and what type of questions can be asked. The interview was held at the Rare Recruitment office. Competency based interviews are used to test your skills and if your skills suit the role you are applying for. I was asked about my problem solving, team work, communication skills and more as well as why I would like to work for Deutsche Bank. I also had to state my preference of the division I wanted to work for and I chose Corporate Finance.<br />
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<b>Feedback:</b><br />
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The next day I received a call from Rare Recruitment telling me that they have spoken to Deutsche Bank and would like to invite me to the final round interviews. I was extremely happy because I was quite nervous. I was given some feedback and was told that I should be more confident when giving my answers and should perhaps speak more slowly to prevent me from pausing when giving my answers.<br />
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<b>Final round interview: Thursday 11th April 2013</b><br />
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So I had a week to prepare for this interview. This interview was held at Deutsche Bank. I was advised to do a lot of research on Deutsche Bank, Corporate Finance and practice competency behavioural questions. I couldn't really tell how my interview went but one of the things I liked was that the interviewer was very friendly so this created a relaxed environment.<br />
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<b>Feedback:</b><br />
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On the day of the interview I was told that I would receive a call by Monday and I did. Unfortunately, I didn't make it onto the program but it was nice to experience an investment banking interview. Again, I was told that I didn't come across as confident with my answers. In my opinion, I thought I did better than my first interview but I guess I didn't.<br />
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What I would take from the experience is that I really have to deal with my confidence. I think I just have to relax now and wait until I get into university before I focus on my career for now. Exam season is soon approaching so it's really important that I focus on that. My message is that in life you're going to go through downfalls and disappointments but it's all an experience. Downfalls happen so you can learn and improve in the future. If ever something goes wrong don't let it bring you down but use it to make the right decision late :)Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02285010012029104537noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6178038212652487542.post-12193731006923437082013-04-04T21:33:00.000+01:002013-04-04T21:37:12.070+01:00HSBC Work Experience Placement Offer & Telephone Interview TipsHello :) So it's been a while I guess since I last did a post and I did mention that I would do one on telephone interviews. Before I begin I have some good news. I have been offered a place on the HSBC work experience placement.<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<img 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" /></div>
<br />
This unpaid placement lasts for one week during July where I'll get:<br />
<ul>
<li><span style="color: red;">An insight into HSBC's strategy, its history and its values</span></li>
<li><span style="color: red;">Experience of actual jobs that I'd be doing if I came to work for HSBC full time</span></li>
<li><span style="color: red;">An opportunity to work on an actual project and share my ideas with management</span></li>
<li><span style="color: red;">Tips on interview technique and presentation skills</span></li>
<li><span style="color: red;">Feedback and ideas on how I can develop myself</span></li>
<li><span style="color: red;">An opportunity to network with other employees in the amazing world of work</span></li>
</ul>
<div>
I'll also gain:</div>
<div>
<ul>
<li><span style="color: red;">An invaluable insight into what it's like to work in financial services</span></li>
<li><span style="color: red;">An opportunity to come back for more work experience</span></li>
<li><span style="color: red;">An opportunity to keep in contact with HSBC</span></li>
</ul>
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<a name='more'></a><br /></div>
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<div>
Vacancies opened during January and I applied the day it opened. Candidates had the choice to choose what branch of HSBC they wanted to work in so when applying you applied to the specific branch instead of doing a general application. I chose the Stratford, East London branch simply because it's not too far from home for me. The application was very straight-forward where I had to upload my CV, a cover letter and complete a couple of questions as well as mentioning previous work experience. Once I sent off my application 3 days later I got invited to complete an online assessment. I usually dislike online assessments as I haven't had a good experience completing online numerical and verbal tests but luckily this test was an online dependability test where they asked questions about how you would react in certain situations and what decisions you would make. When completing a dependability test my advice is always to be truthful. Don't try and choose an answer that you think they expect to be chosen. Dependability tests are there to tell what your personality is like and if you're suitable for the role. </div>
<div>
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<div>
Over a month later I received an email telling me that I have been successful in the previous stage of the recruitment process and that I am invited to take part in a telephone interview which will be conducted by one of their graduates.</div>
<div>
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<div>
Now it's time for my telephone interview tips and how I prepared for it.</div>
<div>
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<div>
I was told that I will be asked about how I related to HSBC's values which are:</div>
<div>
<ul>
<li><span style="color: red;">Leading with courageous integrity</span></li>
<li><span style="color: red;">Standing for what is right</span></li>
<li><span style="color: red;">Being dependable and doing the right thing</span></li>
<li><span style="color: red;">Being open to different ideas and cultures</span></li>
<li><span style="color: red;">Building connection with people</span></li>
</ul>
<div>
With this knowledge I decided to research competency questions that are likely to be asked and based on skills such as communication, team work, resilience, integrity, responsibility and more. It's best that you plan ahead and identify what skills you have gained from work experience, college/uni and any extra- curricular activities. The interviewer is more interested in what you did which displays the competency rather than what the situation is. </div>
</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
It's really important that you look at examples of competency questions so you have an idea of what an interviewer can ask as it's much easier when you're prepared with an answer. Telephone interviews are different to face to face interviews because the interviewer can't see you so you can't judge their reactions during the interview. You must make sure you're prepared and ready to answer the questions. </div>
<div>
<ul>
<li><span style="color: red;">Make sure your phone is fully charged</span></li>
<li><span style="color: red;">Make sure you're in a quiet place and be sure that you will not be interrup</span><span style="color: red;">ted at any time</span></li>
<li><span style="color: red;">If it helps, keep some notes with you. Make sure everything you need is ready and in front of you to avoid movement during the interview</span></li>
<li><span style="color: red;">Try and sound enthusiastic whilst speaking</span></li>
<li><span style="color: red;">Ask questions at the end of the interview as you would in a face to face interview</span></li>
<li><span style="color: red;">Don't talk to fast. The interviewer will be writing notes so talk at a decent pace. This should also help to calm you down.</span></li>
<li><span style="color: red;">Most importantly, BE YOURSELF :)</span></li>
</ul>
<div>
When I had the phone interview I was quite nervous because I knew it was really important to make a good impression. I had my notes in front of me, a piece of paper and a pen just in case I had to write down any notes. I had examples ready for the question I thought I would be asked. I was asked two questions but the questions asked were not what I expected. It came to a shock to me because I had to think quickly on the spot. Thankfully, I tried not to panic too much and I managed to think of an answer. If this ever happens to you don't panic. Just make sure you tell the interviewer that you need a moment to think and they will be ok with it. The interview was very short but I knew I tried my best. </div>
<div>
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<div>
The HSBC work experience placement is run in the UK and offers young people aged 14-19 to gain an insight into financial services. I will do a post about my week at HSBC in July and I hope this motivates some of you out there to apply next year. The opportunities are out there. Make sure you seize the opportunity :) </div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
I'm really grateful for this placement and I know this is the beginning of a great career in banking. I know that</div>
</div>
<div>
my interests lie within investment banking but it's important to gain work experience even if it's not completely related because the skills you obtain is what makes you stand out when applying for a job in the future.</div>
<br />Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02285010012029104537noreply@blogger.com13tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6178038212652487542.post-67779877972419400612013-03-08T20:55:00.001+00:002013-03-08T21:52:47.783+00:00Results day: 7th March 2013 & UCAS updateFor students that live in the UK we all know that yesterday was results day!!! Yes, I was definitely dreading it but I must say I was the calmest I've ever been in comparison to previous results days. Let me start with what I got:<br />
<br />
<span style="color: red;"><b>Mathematics C3: A</b></span><br />
<span style="color: red;"><b><br /></b></span>
<span style="color: red;"><b>Economics Unit 3: A</b></span><br />
<span style="color: red;"><b><br /></b></span>
<span style="color: red;"><b>Economics Unit 2: B</b></span><br />
<span style="color: red;"><b><br /></b></span>
<span style="color: red;"><b>Government & Politics- Governing the USA- Unit 4C: U</b></span><br />
<span style="color: red;"><b><br /></b></span>
As you can see overall I didn't do too bad but I did fail my politics exams. It felt like deja vu because I was in the same position this time last year when I failed my first politics exam. At first when I saw the grade I wasn't that hurt because I was so mesmerised by my grade in Economics. I absolutely didn't expect to get an A because I never got to finish the exam which I was really upset about at the time. It's pretty scary that I have failed politics and I only have one chance to make it right but I'm really grateful that I have people around me that believe in me which is great!<br />
<br />
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<a name='more'></a><br />
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It's a day later now and I've finally made the decision to accept my firm and insurance offers on UCAS. In a previous post I mentioned that I got all my offers but I wanted to wait until results day before I made my decision.<br />
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So now it's finalised. My firm is the University of Surrey and my insurance is the University of Kent. For those who don't know after receiving offers from the universities you've applied to you providing that you have at least two offers you pick a firm and insurance. The firm choice is the university that you really want to go to providing that you meet the requirements in August and the insurance choice is the back up so if you don't meet the requirements for your firm choice you will end up at your insurance. I have to now aim to achieve AAB in my A Levels in order to get into Surrey. It's going to require A LOT of hard work but I'm willing to put in the work. </div>
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I'm honestly really grateful that I managed to get the grades that I did with the exception of politics. These results meant so much to me especially with the fact that I also have a part- time job. It's been said that having a job whilst doing A Levels is bad but I'm so happy that I've managed to prove not only to myself but also my parents that I can prioritise my time and take my education seriously. If you are in my position where you have got a U in an exam it's really not the end of the world. I am living proof that you can go from an U grade to an A grade but it's really important to take a step back and evaluate what you think you were doing wrong and how you can improve. To be honest, that is exactly what I am doing and I know that I'm going to have to work so much harder. You may feel like giving up but trust me DON'T. We all have to make sacrifices but remember it will all be worth it at the end believe me!!!! </div>
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I decided to choose Surrey & Kent because I was mainly attracted by the offer of a year in industry. I believe that it's really important to have valuable experience in any industry that you go into but in my position experience in the financial industry will look very attractive to others, therefore gaining a year's experience during my degree will be extremely beneficial. </div>
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I previously mentioned that I was going to do a blog post about some advice on telephone interviews. That post will hopefully be out by the end of the month. I've decided to wait until I find out if I am successful or not.</div>
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Thanks for reading & if you have any question just comment and I'll answer :)</div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02285010012029104537noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6178038212652487542.post-29865680687651901372013-02-25T20:41:00.002+00:002013-02-25T20:46:50.146+00:00Goldman Sachs- A Level Girls Inspire Programme- Friday 22nd February 2013<div style="text-align: center;">
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On Friday the 22nd of February, I attended what I would describe as an insight day at Goldman Sachs. This event gave girls who are currently doing their A levels an opportunity to find out what Goldman Sachs is all about. The event was held on two separate days with the first one on the 15th of February. I would say there was possibly more than 50 girls that attended the one I went to and we were all placed in one huge room on tables so we got to interact with each other. I was immediately impressed when I got there because it was the first time in ages where I have been somewhere and my name has been spelled right :)</div>
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This was our agenda for the day:</div>
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It was very well organised and as you can see we had a lot to do throughout the day. The day consisted of numerous presentations, a networking lunch and my favourite part, the trading game. Firstly, we had to take part in an ice breaker activity where we each given a sheet with a number of facts on them and we had to go around the room and find people who related to those facts. It was a great way to get everyone relaxed for the day ahead. After the ice breaker we sat through a number of presentations and I guess it'd be beneficial if I share some of the things I learnt :)</div>
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<li>An investment bank acts as an intermediary between potential investors and those who seek capital</li>
<li>Look after large companies and governments</li>
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<span style="color: red;"><b>Key skills:</b></span></div>
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<li><span style="color: red;"><b>Enthusiasm and interest in the industry</b></span></li>
<li><span style="color: red;"><b>High academic achievement</b></span></li>
<li><span style="color: red;"><b>Good communication and interpersonal skills</b></span></li>
<li><span style="color: red;"><b>Thinking and problem solving skills</b></span></li>
<li><span style="color: red;"><b>Demonstrated leadership and teamwork capabilities</b></span></li>
<li><span style="color: red;"><b>Evidence of hard work and commitment</b></span></li>
<li><span style="color: red;"><b>Determination to succeed</b></span></li>
<li><span style="color: red;"><b>Strong understanding of your own interests and work style</b></span></li>
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I could go on and on about all the things I learnt and found out about but I advise young people to take up these opportunities and go to loads and loads of insight days because I have definitely learnt a lot from attending this event.<br />
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We were all given a number of other things such as a booklet about internship/ experienced hires opportunities, a pen, a notebook and a wallet. If anyone is interested visit the Goldman Sachs careers page <a href="http://www.goldmansachs.com/careers/">http://www.goldmansachs.com/careers/</a> and there are numerous opportunities for undergraduates, graduates and experience hires not only in the UK but across the world.<br />
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Apart from this event that I applied to I also applied to Bank of America for a two-day programme and HSBC's one week work experience programme.<br />
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I will also be applying for:<br />
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<li> Morgan Stanley's three-day programme and open day</li>
<li>JP Morgan's insight day</li>
<li>Deutsche Bank/ Windsor fellowship internship</li>
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and anything else I come across.<br />
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Following on from HSBC's work experience programme I got through to the interview stage and I will be having my telephone interview this week which I might do a blog post on it to give advice and to share how I dealt with it if it will be of any importance to others.<br />
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There will definitely be more blog posts to come!!!<br />
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02285010012029104537noreply@blogger.com1120 Fleet Street, City of London, London, Greater London EC4A 2QQ, UK51.5142625 -0.1058442999999442725.992228 -41.414438299999944 77.036297 41.202749700000055tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6178038212652487542.post-41454630895542051752013-01-26T10:42:00.000+00:002013-03-25T19:47:30.776+00:00Brightside E-mentoring Awards: Thursday 17th January 2013Happy new year everyone! I know I'm 26 days late but this is my first post of 2013. I mentioned in my previous post that I got nominated for an award by Realising Opportunities for 'Most Active Mentee'. Unfortunately I didn't win but it's an honour to be acknowledged by my e-mentor and Realising Opportunities for my participation.<br />
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The event was held at Deloitte in Central London and the building was quite nice. When my mum and I arrived we were each given a booklet and a name badge. The booklet contained the programme for the evening and images and extracts from a phone interview each of the nominees had about the programme they were on and e-mentoring. As you can see what I said is on the image above and I even got quoted in bold on the page :) </div>
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The nominations were:</div>
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<li><span style="color: red;"><b>Industry Mentor of the Year</b></span></li>
<li><span style="color: red;"><b>Mentoring Pair of the Year</b></span></li>
<li><span style="color: red;"><b>Student Mentor of the Year</b></span></li>
<li><span style="color: red;"><b>Most Inspiring Mentee Journey</b></span></li>
<li><span style="color: red;"><b>Most Active Mentee</b></span></li>
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If you would like to read the stories about the nominees visit this link: <a href="http://www.thebrightsidetrust.org/what_we_do/ementoring/ementoring-awards">http://www.thebrightsidetrust.org/what_we_do/ementoring/ementoring-awards</a></div>
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This link shows you the photos from the event and I'm in one of them :) : <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/76647289@N04/sets/72157632597441675/with/8410520009/">http://www.flickr.com/photos/76647289@N04/sets/72157632597441675/with/8410520009/</a></div>
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Overall, it was an inspiring night. It was nice to hear what other young people have achieved. I admire Brightside for their work and what they have achieved over the last couple of years. On the night Brightside launched their Start-Up loans scheme for young people aged 18-24 who want to start up their own business. If you are interested or know anybody that will be visit this link: <a href="https://www.brightsidestartuploans.org/">https://www.brightsidestartuploans.org/ </a> and get involved. This could be the foundation your small business needs to expand and become successful. I was glad that I attended. Hopefully, there will be other events to come this year.</div>
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02285010012029104537noreply@blogger.com02 New Street Square, City of London, London, Greater London EC4A, UK51.5158611 -0.1074049000000059125.993826600000002 -41.415998900000005 77.0378956 41.201189099999993tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6178038212652487542.post-34834735444962724922012-12-24T17:51:00.000+00:002013-03-25T19:45:51.785+00:00Update: Realising opportunities and what to look forward to in 2013!Hello everybody, I have a really quick update about the Realising Opportunities programme I am part of :) Firstly, a few months ago I mentioned in one of my posts that I am writing an academic assignment. I recently received a letter through the post informing me that I have passed the assignment.<br />
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I'm really glad I passed especially because I did spend quite some time on it as well as completing my personal statement for UCAS. This really helps especially if I still decide to apply to Essex University because my entry requirements will be lowered to BBC but that decision is yet to be made. My other bit of news is that I have been nominated as a Most Active Mentee Award by Realising Opportunities. One part of the programme is that each member is assigned an e-mentor who we communicate with on a regular basis. Brightside, the online platform that we use for e-mentoring, decided to create an award for Most Active Mentee and Best Mentor and I found out recently that I have been shortlisted after being out forward by my mentor for the award. In January I will be attending the award ceremony in Central London and I'll make sure I do a blog post about it.</div>
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I guess this is all for this year. I would just like to say thank you to those who have read my blog. I hope you do enjoy reading my posts and I can promise you there is a lot more to come in 2013!! All of you can look forward to posts about potential work experience (fingers crossed) and my nerve-wracking journey to university and my time there later on in the year. I can't wait to update you on these opportunities and unexpected ones. Have a nice Christmas and enjoy the holiday season. See you in 2013!!!!!!</div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02285010012029104537noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6178038212652487542.post-77670450179026870702012-12-12T20:33:00.001+00:002013-03-25T19:43:59.193+00:00Exams...exams...examsAny A- level student will know that January exams are quickly approaching. I wanted to do a blog post on a personal issue because I know I'm probably not the only person feeling this way right now. Lately, although all these positive things have been going on in my life there is still one downside... the fear of exams and the lack of motivation. It's funny how for so many years I have been sitting exams but each and every time the exam period approaches I always get this sense of fear and unfortunately because of this I've been feeling extremely down. I decided that I was tired of feeling this way as it was affecting my performance in college and I found some advice on what I could do to battle this and I've found it really useful.<br />
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Here are some tips that I have:<br />
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<li><span style="color: red;"><strong>Talk to someone about it: </strong></span><span style="color: black;">It's always better to share how you feel with a friend or even a subject teacher if you don't feel very confident about a particular subject. It's always better to share how you feel because keeping it to yourself just makes matters worse.</span></li>
<li><span style="color: red;"><strong>Boost your confidence: </strong></span><span style="color: black;">A lack of confidence can definitely cause anxiety. Instead of focusing on all the negative things going on focus on the positive aspects of your life and your strengths. Dwelling on negative things only makes you feel worse about yourself so pick out the things you're good at and ask yourself what makes you good at them and this should help boost your confidence.</span></li>
<li><span style="color: red;"><strong>Create personal goals: </strong></span><span style="color: black;">Sometimes when we lose motivation it's because we forget what all this hard work and studying is for. If ever you find yourself going off track set some goals and remind yourself of what you aspire to become and what the hard work is for. By setting short term and long term goals this can help you focus again. Remember your goals must be realistic and attainable.</span></li>
<li><span style="color: red;"><strong>Time management: </strong></span><span style="color: black;">If you're the type of person that doesn't set aside enough time to complete work, STOP! Leaving everything till last minute puts extra pressure on yourself especially if you don't understand the work. This can leave you feeling as if you don't know much about a particulat topic but perhaps you do but you didn't set yourself enough time to go over it. Time management is extremely important not only at college/sixth form but at university and work. In my situation, I also have a weekend job so I have to arrange my time around that as well.</span></li>
<li><span style="color: red;"><strong>Revision: </strong></span><span style="color: black;">Part of this leads into time management also. Leave yourself enough time to revise for exams. Exams are getting closer and I'm definitely starting to think of how I'm going to divide my time up in terms on revision. Another important thing is finding the right revision technique for you. Not everyone has the same technique for revising but it's REALLY important to find the right one for you. This immediately helps reduce stress and fear because eventually you should feel that you're ready for your exams.</span></li>
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These are my tips for dealing with exams stress and I hope it helps anyone out there that feels the same way I do :)<br />
<img height="320" src="https://encrypted-tbn1.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcTeLwx9mK9y1d75qadrPPNoGrVRs-pg0tjLZq5F1QaeAEBToauWPQ" width="283" />Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02285010012029104537noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6178038212652487542.post-56131910602342927762012-12-04T20:56:00.001+00:002013-03-25T19:41:34.691+00:00Credit Suisse: Steps to Success Open Day- An Opportunity to See and Learn About the BankToday (4th December 2012) I attended an open day at Credit Suisse that I was invited to through my college. It was more or less a networking event but I got to learn more about Credit Suisse and their Steps to Success programme. The event took place at Credit Suisse in Canary Wharf and ran through from the afternoon into the evening. There were other students there from other colleges and I even happened to meet a friend from my secondary school which was nice.<br />
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There were talks from people who worked at the bank which were very informative. It was nice to hear about the different divisions in the investment bank and what type of jobs they do. The main aim of the event was to inform us about the Steps to Success programme. The programme basically gives the opportunity for students who are in their final year of college to participate in work experience/an internship in the summer before we go off to university for 4 weeks and the summer after our first year for 6 weeks. I actually happened to have already applied for this programme before I found out I was invited to this open day so there was not much I could change about my application with the information I was told. However, it was good to find out what the application process was like and what the students who took part this summer did. </div>
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The final part of the event was networking where we all got to talk a few employees who work at the bank and ask them questions. It was interesting to hear how they ended up at Credit Suisse and what types of degrees they did because it was actually varied. It seems as if the only way to get into banking or finance is by doing a degree related to that field such as Economics or Accounting and Finance but that definitely isn't the case. I got a lot of good advice from it and they did serve some good food :).</div>
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The Steps to Success programme does seem quite competitive but I don't regret applying for it. If I don't happen to get through I still think I've learnt a couple of things from the open day and there are many other opportunities out there in different banks. I do recommend people to apply for it because it will look great on your CV and you can gain a lot of experience from it which will be beneficial in the future. Overall, it was a well organised and informative event :).</div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02285010012029104537noreply@blogger.com0Credit Suisse Private Banking, Canary Wharf, London51.5073346 -0.1276831000000129351.1912186 -0.77313010000001292 51.8234506 0.51776389999998707tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6178038212652487542.post-1308639495686960452012-11-16T15:13:00.001+00:002013-03-25T19:39:34.341+00:00Update on UCAS!I've officially received all five offers for university. I'm really happy right now and grateful that this has happened. Now all I have to do is choose my firm (1st choice) and insurance (2nd choice) out of the five but I have until May to make my decision which is quite a lot of time.<br />
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<span style="color: red;"><b>My conditional offers:</b></span><br />
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Essex: ABB but if I achieve a pass in Realising opportunities BBC<br />
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Kent: ABB<br />
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Surrey: AAB<br />
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Queen Mary's, University of London: AAB<br />
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Royal Holloway, University of London: AAB<br />
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I've been invited to visit all the universities to specifically view their Economics department which is good and my first one will be at Surrey on the 5th of December. I have a bit of a dilemma unfortunately. I definitely want to pick Surrey as my firm and Kent as my insurance but the offer from Essex providing that I pass Realising Opportunities is really tempting so it's really between Kent and Essex for my insurance. The only downfall is that Essex doesn't offer a year in industry but Kent does but I still have time to decide. I will only visit Surrey, Kent and Essex because those are the universities that I'm choosing from to be honest.<br />
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The most important thing now is to focus on my exams. Getting AAB seems realistic but it's much harder than it looks. I guess I'll just have to wait and see :)Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02285010012029104537noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6178038212652487542.post-18355210928238716212012-11-06T18:29:00.000+00:002013-03-25T19:38:02.693+00:00Offers!!!!!I was going to wait till I got all five replies but I don't know how long that will take. So luckily for me I received three offers last week from Kent, Surrey and Queen Mary's.<br />
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I'm extremely happy at the moment that I have three offers and the best thing is that the two I want to pick as my firm and insurance (Surrey and Kent) have given me offers. Unfortunately this now makes everything seem so real now that I actually have to meet the entry requirements. I'm not going to lie I'm struggling a bit and I feel quite behind with my college work. I think because it's so important now to do well the pressure is starting to get to me. Apart from that life is good! I just need to figure out how to divide my time appropriately.<br />
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I don't know what my next post will be on but hopefully more offers and general stuff :)Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02285010012029104537noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6178038212652487542.post-11273901034257428002012-11-01T08:56:00.000+00:002013-03-25T19:35:14.195+00:00Catch up: UCAS, Realising opportunities and PrimarkI haven't blogged in absolutely ages and I have been quite busy since college started so here's an update on my life so far.<br />
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Let me start with UCAS. My university application got sent off on the 25th of October after waiting a whole week for my college to approve it. My official five choices to study Economics Bsc are:<br />
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<span style="color: red;"><b>University of Surrey</b></span><br />
<span style="color: red;"><b>Queen Mary's, University of London</b></span><br />
<span style="color: red;"><b>University of Kent</b></span><br />
<span style="color: red;"><b>University of Essex</b></span><br />
<span style="color: red;"><b>Royal Holloway, University of London</b></span><br />
<span style="color: red;"><b><br /></b></span>As you can see I've picked universities that are really close to home. I just don't want to be that far away in case I get home sick and if I want to come back for a while it's cheaper and easier. All I can do is wait patiently for all the universities to review my application and give me their decisions in hopefully the next couple of weeks. For some reason I always feel the urge to log into track just in case a university has replied to me but it's very very early for that.<br />
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Secondly, I have finally finished my Realising opportunities academic assignment. It was a long process but it's finally done now which I'm extremely happy about. A couple of weeks ago I had to give a talk to some Year 12 students about this programme and it's nice to know that some of them have actually taken it upon themselves to get involved because it does help with preparation for uni and can help your application if you apply to the universities involved. Unfortunately, the only university I applied to on that programme is Essex but I guess it's better than nothing. The most important thing to do now is just to wait until February to find out if I have passed.<br />
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Another thing that has happened to me recently is that I have got a job!!!! I am now a retail operative at Primark and have been working there for two weekends so far. It is only a Christmas temp job but it's nice to know that from trying so hard throughout summer to get a job I finally managed to get one. The people there are really nice and I actually like working there. Hopefully it lasts beyond Christmas :)<br />
<br />Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02285010012029104537noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6178038212652487542.post-70036660125770107322012-09-08T17:17:00.002+01:002013-03-25T19:31:09.137+00:00Surrey university open day! 08/09/2012Let me just say I have fallen in love with this university. Today I went with my dad to go and visit the university and I am impressed. Firstly at registration I was given a badge and a bag full of booklets about accommodation, student life and more. We decided to go and look at the accommodation on campus first. We didn't manage to visit all 5 buildings on campus but we went to two of them, Twyford court and Cathedral court. My favourite out of the two was Catherdral court because the bedroom was more spacious and you share with less people.<br />
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After looking at the accommodation we went to a talk on Economics. Economics students at Surrey have a great employability rate and I was impressed by how much in depth detail we were given about the subject. Today has taught me that it is really important that if you have a chance to go and visit the universities you want to apply to because it influences your decision a lot. After today I'm really fond about the idea of not going to a uni in London. I just love the atmosphere. The only thing that bothers me is the fact that after 2nd year we have to move out but apart from that I love Surrey :)<br />
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Here are a few pictures I took:<br />
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Twyford court</div>
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View of Twyford court</div>
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I think the fact the weather was nice helped also. I know if the weather is nice it will be great to go to and just sit in the park area because there is loads of space. The university is near two shopping centres and Guildford train station where it takes only 30 minutes to get to London Waterloo which is incredibly convenient. Now I guess I have a lot of thinking to do. </div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02285010012029104537noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6178038212652487542.post-16180162762196916972012-09-07T21:05:00.001+01:002013-03-25T19:29:33.742+00:00Quick update.I just wanted to do a quick post on my first proper day at volunteering and college. I started two of my lessons today, Economics and Politics and I guess it went well. I've already been hit with homework so I guess it's time to start working hard. I also started my first volunteering session today. I had to sort out the clothing on the shop floor to match a certain colour scheme. It might sound boring but it was nice to receive positive feedback from the shop manager commending me for how quickly I've picked up things and how well I've done on my first day.<br />
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Tomorrow I am attending an open day at Surrey University so I will do a post on that.Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02285010012029104537noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6178038212652487542.post-11468640124245049872012-08-25T16:45:00.002+01:002013-03-25T19:28:46.272+00:00Realising opportunities/ VolunteeringA couple of months ago I posted about a programme I joined called Realising opportunities. Well one of the tasks I have to do in order to pass the programme is an academic assignment.<br />
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I have to write a 1500-2000 word essay on any topic of my choosing. On Tuesday (21st August 2012) I met up with my tutor who will help me with my assignment. Together we decided to come up with the question "Who has the Olympics benefited the most?" as my essay question. I have to take into consideration my essay structure and other things just as if I've been set an essay in college or university. This is great preparation of what I will be expected to do in university so it's good to get a taster on what it'll be like.<br />
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During the summer holidays I was really frustrated that I wasn't finding a job and I really wanted something to keep me busy. My friend suggested that I started volunteering. I thought about it and realised that it's not such a bad idea so I went on the internet and looked at different charities and came across British Red Cross. I was mainly interested in volunteering in a charity shop close to college so I could work there for a couple of hours a week during my free period. What attracted me to British Red Cross the most was that they are the only charity shop that offer a certificate for young shop volunteers.<br />
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Firstly, at the Standard Level I have to complete 40 hours of volunteering on the shop floor and discovering what goes on behind the scenes. If I want to progress to the Advanced level this takes 100 hours to complete where I get an introduction into management, organise my own project and explore what goes on within the Red Cross. My aim is to complete the Advanced level because it'll be great to learn new skills and actually take control of something that I can take credit for if it's successful. This will also help improve my confidence in leading a team which is really important when applying for a job and can help me stand out.<br />
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I'm so glad I came across this and if anyone is interested in volunteering they should really get involved. It's great that whilst helping out a charity that changes peoples lives at the same time it's benefits you in terms on future success. I just started yesterday (24th August 2012) but I'm excited to get involved with in the coming year.<br />
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I will definitely keep posting what I take part in.Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02285010012029104537noreply@blogger.com0