Name: Glebs Kiselovs

Course: BA (Hons) Business Studies with Finance & Marketing

Placement: JP Morgan Bank (Bournemouth)

Where are you from? 

Latvia

Where was your placement and what was your role?

I worked as an Analyst in the Liquidity Solutions Client Experience team. My role was to answer any questions that colleagues from sales, client service, product and other teams might have had.

What was your strategy for finding a placement? How did you get the job?

I had three key techniques in my strategy: To start applying as early as possible, to consult with the Placements/Careers Advisor before submitting an application and to connect with people who were working or used to work in the companies that I applied to, such as HR managers who might be interviewing or hiring me. I attended a few events at JPMorgan before submitting the application and I connected with 2 key HR people who hired me.

What did you find most difficult when you were looking for a job? How did you overcome these difficulties?

The CV and Application Form stage was the most difficult for me as I found it hard to make my candidacy “stand out from the crowd” on a piece of A4 paper. To ensure my CV was good enough to be invited to the next stage I consulted with the Placements/Careers Advisor before submitting an application – and it worked.

What do you think helped you get the placement? (e.g. Extra-curricular activities at BU, volunteering, study/work abroad, etc.)

I think a bit of everything. Diversity is something that almost every company is currently looking for. Therefore, having done all those diverse activities in the past definitely helped to get the placement.

How do you think the Placement helped you professionally?

To be honest, it is impossible to describe how important this experience was for me. Before starting the placement, I thought I had a clear vision of what I want to do in the future and where I want to be in 5-10 years time. After finishing the placement, I can definitely say – my vision was wrong. The placement experience allowed me to test my future career expectations and understand what job is actually good for me and what is not.

What tips would you give to other International students considering placement now?

Don’t be scared or worried about the fact that you are an international student. The fact that English might not be your first language is not a disadvantage. There are many things that you have already experienced in this life, which other people have not. Therefore, use those experiences to show “the beauty of your candidacy”: you know multiple languages – tell them about it; you have lived or worked abroad – let them know… All those interesting facts about you will make you a perfect candidate for almost any company and you will definitely get the job you want!