Graduate banking jobs & grad schemes

Summer tends to be the peak hiring season for immediate start graduate roles in banking due to the large volume of banking hopefuls graduating during this period of time. So, if you’re looking for banking jobs for graduates with immediate start, it’s useful to apply as you’re approaching graduation and to continue proactively applying post-graduation. Not only does this ensure you get first choice of the best banking graduate trainee jobs available, but it also means that you don’t miss an early close date. Competitive banking jobs like banking graduate schemes can close before the original deadline if there is a larger volume of applications than expected. As such, it’s important to keep your CV up to date and apply as soon as possible.

If you’re unsure about the quality of your CV, we can help. We have a hub of CV templates and a team of CV specialists who can advise you. They can give you personalised tips on putting together a CV that will best prepare you to pursue graduate programmes.

Graduate schemes in banking are usually cyclical, meaning that they open for applications at the same time every year – usually many months ahead of the start date. They usually involve a structured training programme that lasts around 2/3 years. A banking graduate programme is a way for larger corporations to upskill entry-level graduates to be future leaders in their organisations. If you’re looking to join one of the many graduate schemes in banking, you’ll need to be organised. Enquire about when applications open and keep track of when you need to submit your application so that you don’t miss the deadline of your dream global banking graduate programme.

For more tips on banking job applications, head over to our blog.

Different job vacancies for graduates in banks will have different application requirements. Here are some of the key skills banking jobs for graduate hopefuls require, so you can decide if banking jobs are the right fit for you.

If you are a driven graduate with a competitive edge, and you thrive in a fast-paced environment, banking graduate roles could be ideal for you. Working in banking, each day varies from the next, giving rise to unique situations that will require you to think on your feet. Targets and metrics are also key aspects when it comes to jobs for graduates in private banks, for example. As such, you’ll need to be able to cope effectively under high-pressure environments and have the motivation to meet targets.

Roles in banking, in particular investment analyst graduate jobs, ultimately centre around data. So, if you’re great with numbers, have top-notch analytical skills, and can get your head around statistics, jobs in finance and banking could be perfect for you.

Graduate investment banking jobs, however, aren’t just about numbers. Graduate roles in banking will also require you to partake in face-to-face meetings with clients from a wide range of backgrounds, so you’ll need to be a confident graduate with excellent communication skills. In this sense, client-facing roles in banking are inescapable.

So, if you’re an ambitious, analytical graduate with great people skills, you’ll definitely fit the criteria for graduate banking jobs.

The global balance of business, finance, and economics shifts every day, making the banking industry a continually changing, fast-paced, and exciting sector to work in.

Jobs in the banking industry have some undeniably great benefits. For example, graduate jobs in investment banking are some of the highest-paid positions in the world. Salaries for investment banking graduate jobs average at around £45,000 per annum (double the graduate average). Salary aside, a common perk of graduate jobs in banking is travel. Working in a global industry, careers in finance will often involve meeting with clients at various international offices, resulting in lots of opportunities to travel abroad, build a global network, and have the possibility to relocate in the long term.

Careers in the banking industry offer excellent career progression, with many firms offering finance graduate trainee jobs with recognised industry qualifications. Graduate schemes in banking, for instance, enable junior hires to have a structured and rewarding development path, making space for rapid progression. Typically, in an investment banking graduate scheme, you’ll start out as an analyst, looking at the company’s profits and strengths, the execution of transactions and assisting the senior manager. You’ll then progress to an associate, given more autonomy, and become more client-facing.