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Recruitment hints & tips

There is no guaranteed way to succeed in interviews or job applications however, we have outlined some advice / hints and tips from our recruiters to help give you the best possible chance. 

Application form hints and tips
Interview hints and tips

• Think about what skills and experience you have that will make you a good fit with our business. Make sure you've read through our website and are familiar with both BNP Paribas CIB and the financial industry as a whole, and then decide which area of our business you want to work in and which of your skills are complementary with this area.
• Book an appointment with your Careers Service - they can give you advice on completing application forms, practice online tests and can help to prepare you for interviews.
• Attend one of our events. We'll be on campus throughout the year and would be more than happy to provide you with guidance on interview techniques - check our events calendar to get the dates.
• Review your resumé so you can answer any competency-based questions. Think through examples of things you've achieved in your personal and professional life and structure your answers using the STAR technique outlined below. Don't be afraid to provide negative examples - things can go wrong as well as right in business and you need to be able to demonstrate you can learn from both.

1. Situation/Task: What was the situation or task? Remember, you need to set the scene for the interviewer.
2. Action: What did you do? What role did you play? Don't fall into describing what ‘we' did. This is about exploring your behaviour.
3. Result: What was the outcome? What did you learn?

You should think of each stage of the selection process as an opportunity for you to showcase yourself and tell us why you are the best person to be selected. Above all, think about what makes you different and exceptional.

Application form hints and tips

• Apply early – we screen and recruit on a rolling basis so you will lessen your chances of being successful if you leave it until near to the deadline.
• Tailor your application to the role you're applying to. While lots of banks ask similar questions they are rarely exactly the same – never copy and paste from another application form.
• Spend time on the competency-based questions – this is your opportunity to demonstrate your interest and personal investment in your application.
• Pay attention to English grammar and punctuation, and maintain a formal and professional writing style at all times. Attention to detail is a fundamental part of what we do – a poorly completed form will suggest you lack this quality, or think it unimportant.
• Be honest, particularly when outlining your language ability and technical skills. If not, you are likely to be caught out at interview.
• We look for candidates who demonstrate teamwork, leadership and a sense of community. If you are involved in student organisations on your campus and in your local community, include these activities in your application.

Interview hints and tips

• Be positive throughout – show us why you want this role and how passionate you are. The right attitude isn't something we can teach you so it’s something we look for during interview.
• Be prepared to elaborate on your statements and support them with examples.
• Do your research – know what's happening both in our business and the sector generally and be prepared for a conversation on this.
• Be honest – if your interview takes you to an unfamiliar topic don’t try and bluff your way through.
• Have some questions prepared about the business and role for your interviewer, but save any HR-related questions for the Campus Recruitment team.
• Your interviews should be a two-way process – this is about finding a good fit for you and what you're looking for, as well as us finding out about you.

We would like to take this opportunity to wish you good luck with your career and, if you choose BNP Paribas CIB, with your application. We look forward to meeting you.