Business & Finance

We held our annual Business and Finance Week from the 2 to 6 October 2023, with lots of employers on campus meeting with students. 

The events included:

• A Green Finance Alumni Panel - watch the recording
• Employer CV Checks & Networking with Employers
• KPMG Assessment Centre Workshop
• Speed Interview Practice & Networking with Employers

Whether you were able to attend or not, you can still access lots of useful resources to help you research careers in this sector. If you are not sure how to access them, you can drop into the Careers Service to speak to us and we can help. 

Top Tips from the Green Finance Panel

Megan Sheehan 

Head of ESG & Sustainability @ Kekst CNC

• Look for skills first, sector later, to ensure you’ve developed some experience in a key area of business, whether that’s finance, communication, risk analysis, etc.
• Have as many conversations with people as you can to learn about their backgrounds and broaden your network.
• Put a green lens on any job you’re in. The field is evolving, and every aspect of finance has a green element – it’s up to you to give voice to that.

 

Emma Harvey-Smith

Programme Director @ Green Finance Institute

• Pursue a career/vocation that you are passionate about – ensure the underlying sector and role interests you, as you can bring a ‘green’ or ESG lens to any position.
• Immerse yourself into the green finance landscape by subscribing the ESG-focused podcasts and daily briefings, for example BusinessGreen’s daily briefing and Moral Money.
• Attend industry events and build your network – there are lots of free sustainability events and conferences that you can attend in person, which will help you practice and refine your networking skills. 

 

Isaac Chapman-Drake

Sustainability Consultant @ EVORA Global and Royal Holloway BSc Geology/Earth Science 2022

• Begin applying early to graduate positions and internships as slots are numbered and employers may take a significant amount of time coming back to you, making it hard to plan your next steps after university.
• Attend external talks, conferences and events where possible, liaising with tutors for student fees where available. This is a great opportunity to network with individuals across the sector.
• Once you have your first position be present and in-person as much as possible. This will both increase your exposure to people within your own business and your opportunities to be part of projects and deliverables which may not be directly within your remit, which aids your immediate progression and attractiveness to future employers.

Top takeaways from all the week's events

 

Georgina Lindsay, Careers Consultant for the School of Business and Management 

• Network after Business & Finance week – reach out to any employers or contacts you made during the week via LinkedIn or email to see if you can have a ‘careers conversation’ with them.
• The sector has made radical progress with diversity, equity and inclusion  – many areas within the industry are much more accessible to females and those identifying as female as well as those who are neurodivergent or are from a diverse ethnic backgrounds. Royal Holloway Careers Service has built great relationships with two organisations who pride themselves on promoting EDI within the B&F sector – Investment 2020 and 10,000 Interns Foundation. They will be attending the Careers & Placements Fair on 25 October, so be sure to visit their stands.
• Get some experience – whether that’s a virtual insight day, summer internship or year in business; these experiences will help you identify which role and business area might suit you. Have a read of our sector guides below for information on which companies offer work experience and how to apply. 

Sector Careers Guides

Careers Guide to Banking

• eFinancialCareers have launched a new comprehensive guide which covers information on how to pursue a career in banking and fintech, along with specific advice for 1^st, 2^nd, and 3^rd year students. It also includes a directory of 150+ banks careers sites that candidates should explore for graduate programs. Read it here.

The Government Economic Service

• Discover more about working for the Civil Service as an Economist, including opportunities to apply for a placement year, the summer vacation scheme and the Fast Stream graduate programme. Read the presentation here.

Discover more on Moodle

• Read our Sector Guides for lots more information on careers in Banking & Finance and Management Consultancy
• We have many fantastic resources to help you with your applications for graduate jobs and placements, including practice tests for situational judgement, critical thinking, numerical reasoning, verbal reasoning, plus lots of advice and practice for interviews and how to succeed at an assessment centre!

Which role is right for you?

• The Prospects website outlines the main job profiles in Accountancy, Banking and Finance and Business, Consulting and Management. Which might be the right fit for you?

Webinars to watch

 

Find a job, get recruited

• Royal Holloway Careers Portal - a great place to search for graduate jobs and schemes, part-time jobs, summer internships, and insight days. Go to the 'Jobs' tab and filter by job type, sector and location.
• Jobs Websites by Sector - we have compiled a list of job websites for you. This list is not exhaustive and was correct at the time of publishing.
• eFinancial careers also outlines entry-level jobs in the sector which may appeal to students from outside the traditional business disciplines.
• Investment 2020 have year-round opportunities in investment management and offer a great alternative to a traditional graduate scheme.