Area of work
Human Resources (HR)
Studied
School of Industrial and Labor Relations, Cornell University
Joined
2008
Working in
New York
I enjoyed the economics and organizational behaviour focus of my university course, but I also liked dealing with people and solving people related problems. I did an internship at another investment bank in HR, and although I enjoyed the challenge, I wasn't sure that the culture was a good fit. I did know, however, that I wanted to work in HR in the financial sector because it seemed to be the best way for me to be able to use both my people skills and my economic and financial knowledge.
I first heard about graduate opportunities at BNP Paribas through a friend of mine and it sounded interesting, so I thought I'd go straight to the source and ring up the company to see if I could find out about their culture and work environment. I called BNP Paribas in New York and, although the woman I talked to was in no way affiliated with recruiting or public relations, she completely sold me on the company. It really impressed me that the first person I talked to was so passionate and enthusiastic about working there.
I then started to do further research on the company and the more I found out about their global presence and reputation, the more I realised what a great opportunity it would be. As an investment bank, with a strong commercial operation, it's a very stable institution and continues to demonstrate consistent growth and an increasing profile, which is incredibly important in the current economic climate. The international presence and mind-set of BNP Paribas presents infinite opportunities for career development. When working here I'm often encouraged to learn and be open-minded and, because I love to travel and immerse myself in different cultures, it suits me really well.
I'm finding the graduate programme very exciting. I've already attended Capital Markets training in New York and now I'm attending Functions training in London. Overall it's going to be eight weeks of training, which seems like a lot, but I've really enjoyed it. I've learned so much and met so many people. I've got contacts now from 18 different countries and many different levels of experience within the business, which will be invaluable for me during my career.
The people I've met so far have been very welcoming and friendly; including new graduates who are just joining and senior people as well. There seems to be a real openness, and willingness, to train and share knowledge here which I think is rare. At BNP Paribas, they give you the tools that you need to succeed, but they don't spoon feed you - it's up to you to make the most of your experience.
