Barclays wants graduates to fully understand their chosen

business area and role

Graduates with a good understanding of their chosen business area and

role at Barclays have a higher chance of being offered one of the bank’s
trainee positions. This is because they’ll be equipped to convince
recruiters that they truly want the job and have the required
competencies to do it.

Carry out thorough research

The bank recruits graduates into six broad business areas subdivided into
business units:

 Banking (subdivided into global finance and risk solutions,

corporate finance mergers and acquisitions, and financial
institutions group)
 Markets and research (sales, trading, research, quantitative
analytics, trade capture team, and structuring)
 Technology
 Barclays UK (business banking, consumer banking, wealth
management, and Barclaycard)
 Corporate banking
 Group functions (compliance, finance, human resources,
marketing, risk, and treasury)

Research the business area

Job titles in Barclays’ job search are identified by title such as ‘2018
markets trade capture team summer internship London’ – so you’ll need
to research the ‘markets’ business area of the Barclays site and also how
the bank describes its trade capture work. But the search results also
note job functions – for instance, ‘investment banking’ is referenced
against ‘2018 banking off-cycle internship programme analyst London’.

There’s a description of the six divisions in the business areas section of

the bank’s website. Read the one for your chosen division, but, as some
descriptions are light on detail, it’s essential your research doesn’t stop
there.

Check out Barclays on YouTube

Barclays’ early careers and graduates channel on YouTube is a useful

source of information. It features short videos in which current hires at
Barclays discuss aspects of their chosen business area and role. The
videos naturally have an air of ‘Barclays is a wonderful place to work’ but
you should focus on the facts about the scheme that support your
application.

Making notes on the following would be useful at this stage:

 typical projects that people in the department work on

 the skills and competencies you need to succeed in the role
 the day-to-day requirements of the job
 who you’d be working with – colleagues, clients and otherwise
 the training and development opportunities

Apply your knowledge

The application process for full-time graduate schemes at Barclays

typically includes an online application form, an interview, online tests
(normally around 60 minutes) and an assessment centre comprising
interviews, a group exercise and a presentation. Throughout most of it,
you'll need to demonstrate that you fully understand your chosen
business area and role.

Student tip: answering Barclay’s questions

Having a good understanding of your chosen business area and graduate
scheme will help you to answer questions you might be asked such as:
‘Why have you chosen to apply to this particular role and why at
Barclays?’ and ‘Describe a recent development in the banking industry.
What implications might this development have for the division to which
you have applied?’ Think about the different aspects of the graduate
programme (see the five bullet points above) and explain why you think
you have got the right attitude, qualifications and skills to do the job.

With the first question, you could mention any of the five bullet points
above to explain why you have chosen the particular graduate scheme.
Perhaps you’re keen to work with colleagues across the business and
clients throughout the financial sector, so a sales role within the markets
and research division is ideal.

Bear in mind the first question is really asking two things: why the role
and why Barclays? To answer the latter part, you’ll have to also think
about and establish why you want to work for Barclays over other banks
that offer a similar opportunity. Our guidance on tackling the question
‘Why do you want to work for this investment bank?’ will help you with
this.

Student tip: navigating interviews

You will be asked questions similar to those above during your face-to-
face interview. If you’re applying for the risk scheme, for instance, you
could discuss Barclays’ five core values and explain that you possess the
skills and competencies to encourage and help employees work to
Barclays’ values, framework and goals. Underpin your response with a
unique example of when you’ve displayed the referenced qualities at
university, work or elsewhere. A past applicant to Barclays’ compliance
graduate scheme said he was asked: ‘Why would you suit this role more
than other candidates?’ He said he found this question difficult because
he didn’t know the other candidates’ strengths (the key is not to be
phased by the question – of course you’re not a mind reader – but to
focus on your own strengths).

Be prepared for the assessment centre

If you make it to the assessment day, you’ll take part in a group exercise
that typically resembles an on-the-job scenario. Assessors will judge you
against Barclays’ core skills requirements, which include an ability to
work under pressure, meet deadlines, solve problems and work within a
team, as well as the more specific requirements of the graduate scheme.

This is where you also have to demonstrate what you have learned about
your chosen role and business area. Being familiar with the required skills
set is great, as you’ll know which competencies to exhibit on the day.
Additionally, being aware of the typical projects that people in the
department work on may enable you to anticipate – and prepare for –
the type of exercise that you’ll be given.

If you have applied for Barclays’ wealth management programme, for

instance, you may be given a scenario in which you have a private client
who has £3.5m after selling their business and wants to increase the
value of their funds through investments. Investment options would
have to be considered, as would financial planning and the individual’s
circumstance.

Most people can identify with the situation: your prospective employers
are sitting across the table at a job interview. You have prepared for the
obvious questions: "what attracted you to the role?" for example, or
"describe a situation where you showed leadership potential".

But what about the question you didn't see coming?

Glassdoor, a jobs and career community that launched in the UK in

February this year, have released 25 interview questions based on
feedback from thousands of UK job candidates.
Scott Dobroski, Glassdoor community expert, said: "These interview
questions stood out as challenging.

"The job market continues to be very competitive and employers are

trying to identify the best candidates. They are not necessarily looking
for a right or wrong answer - they are looking at how candidates think on
the spot."

He said a question like one asked at UBS: “How do you fit a giraffe in a
fridge?” was a good example.

"The answer might not be squeezing it in, but asking questions like: how
big is the fridge? How big is the giraffe? Can I chop the giraffe up?

"They are testing the candidates' critical thinking skills, which means how
you think on the spot, how you make decisions in a short amount of time
and how you get the data you need to make the best decision possible,"
Dobroski said.

The questions:

1. “If you were to win £1m what would you do with the money?”
- Asked at PwC, Associate candidate (Birmingham, England)

2. “What do you think is the most useful function in Excel?”

- Asked at FirstGroup, Business Analyst candidate (London, England)

3. “What makes you happy about work on a Friday evening?”

- Asked at Tesco, International Deployment Manager candidate (London,
England)

4. “How do you fit a giraffe in a fridge?”

- Asked at UBS, Sales Trading candidate (London, England)

5. “What is it about this job you would least look forward to?”
– Asked at BP, Category Manager candidate (London, England)
6. “If you were the Head of Barclays Corporate what would your
strategy be with the recent European Crisis?”
– Asked at Barclays, Risk candidate (London, England)

7. “If your friend was seriously injured and you had to get him to a
hospital, would you speed and go through a red light?”
– Asked at Barlow Lyde & Gilbert, Trainee Solicitor candidate (London,
England)

8. “Would you rather fight a horse-sized duck or 100 duck-sized

horses?”
– Asked at BHP Billiton, Dry Bulk Marketer candidate (London, England)

9. “Tell me about a time when you failed at something.”

– Asked at Lloyds Banking Group, Analyst candidate (London, England)

10. “What are the three words that your parents would describe you
with?”
– Asked at YO! Sushi, Team Member candidate (London, England)

11. “What have you done in the past to get out of a tricky situation?”
– Asked at Virgin Atlantic Airways, CSA candidate (Heathrow, England)

12. “Why is 99pc not good enough?”

– Asked at Parcelforce Worldwide, Delivery & Collection Manager
candidate (Milton Keynes, England)

13. “How many ways can you get a needle out of a haystack?”
– Asked at Macquarie Bank, Senior Java Developer candidate (London,
England)

14. “How would you explain Facebook to your Grandma?”

– Asked at Huddle, Sales Executive candidate (London, England)
15. “If you entered into a room full of people with different interests,
what would you do?”
– Asked at Ernst & Young, Actuarial Analyst candidate (London, England)

16. “What do you mean by ‘leadership’?”

– Asked at Moody’s, Marketing Strategist candidate (London, England)

17. “By what criteria do you judge your own performance?”

– Asked at Gatwick Airport, Project Manager candidate (Gatwick,
England)

18. “Which football team do you support?”

– Asked at Sky, Reporting Analyst candidate (London, England)

19. “What is the main thing that gets you out of bed each morning?”
– Asked at Everything Everywhere, Customer Advisor candidate (Royal
Leamington Spa, England)

20. “Describe the hardest decision you have faced in the past 12
months.”
– Asked at Accenture, Software Developer candidate (London, England)

21. “Who is your biggest hero?”

– Asked at De La Rue, Procurement candidate (Basingstoke, England)

22. “Give me an example of your extreme levels of tenacity.”

– Asked at ALDI, Store Manager candidate (Chelmsford, England)

23. “In a fight between a lion and a tiger, who would win & why?”
– Asked at Capco, Associate Consultant candidate (London, England)

24. “How would your delegates describe you?”

– Asked at Harvey Nichols, Learning & Development Manager candidate
(Edinburgh, Scotland)
25. “Do you think the quality of our menswear products are as high as
our home department products?”
– Asked at Marks & Spencer, Technologist candidate (London, England

https://www.telegraph.co.uk/finance/jobs/10104103/25-tough-
interview-questions.html

some questions are commonly known to be asked at interview.

Overall, what the interview questions are trying to do is a few things:

 See if you have the skills and experience to conduct the job on
offer
 Check your enthusiasm, motivation and interest for the job
 See whether you will blend in with the working environment,
style and teams

So, to help you prepare for your next interview here are the 10 most
frequently asked interview questions you need to know:

1. Tell Me About Yourself?

This is usually the first question asked in an interview as it lets the

interviewer know a little bit about you.

It is important that you deliver a confident answer to this, so it is advised

that you rehearse before the interview.

Make sure that you identify areas that reflect the job you are being
interviewed for and show your enthusiasm, this can display the
interviewer how you are well suited to the job. Also, try and include some
of the achievements you feel are important.

2. What Are Your Key Strengths/Skills?

When answering this question, it is important that you respond to
relevant skills and strengths that make you suited to the job.

Doing research beforehand can help prepare an answer to this question.

By studying the job advert and person specification, it can help you think
about the requirements that make you relevant and appropriate for the
job role.

3. What Are Your Weaknesses?

Try not to be too critical when answering this question. Instead, pick one
of your weaknesses and try to turn it into a positive.

For example, you could be a perfectionist, which means that you

sometimes take longer on tasks, but you make sure that they are
completed to a high quality. It is essential to make a negative into a
positive as it doesn’t make you appear overly critical and shows you can
reflect on your own performance.

4. Why Did You Leave Your Last Job?

Whatever the situation was from your previous job, you should always
answer this question with a positive and enthusiastic response. If the
reason for leaving your last job was redundancy, then you should talk
about how your company had to restructure, instead of focusing on your
own personal situation.

Under no circumstances should you criticise your previous employer, as

this will appear unprofessional.

5. Why Do You Want This Job?

Answer this question with a response that highlights why you would be
a good candidate for the job and how enthusiastic you are about it.
Ensure that you show an interest in the job sector and understand the
company and their ethos, and show how your skills match their
requirements.

6. Give Me An Example Of A Difficult Situation/Task At Work And

How You Dealt With It

This is often asked so that you can express situations in which you used
problem-solving and communication skills to help resolve the situation.
It is suggested that you identify a situation that you assisted in settling
through showing emotional intelligence.

7. Tell Me About An Achievement You Are Proud Of

This question gives you the opportunity to show how past achievements
will benefit the business. It is suggested that you only include personal
achievements if they are highly impressive or prestigious. Otherwise, try
and identify a time where you achieved a good sale or something
relevant to the job role.

For the more experienced candidates looking for higher level roles,
e.g. Sales Director Jobs the answer should focus on closely related areas
of sales achievements and executive decisions. For example, your
answer should mention the driving of an increase in sales or building a
successful sales team regionally and globally – what did you achieve and
how? Success stories are essential!

8. What Are Your Career Goals?

The reason for this question being asked is because the employer wants
to understand how long you intend to stay for. Reassure them by
explaining how the job role fits your career plan, as this will display your
long-term commitment to the company.

9. What Are Your Expectations Of The Salary?

The salary is typically discussed when the job is offered, so, if possible,
try and avoid bringing this up in the interview. However, if the
interviewer asks this question just give a real but wide salary range that
you are happy to negotiate and emphasise that you feel the salary will
not be an issue if you decide to work with each together.

You could also give examples of previous pay and benefits; by saying “in
my last role my salary was” “the benefits/bonuses included meant my
pay reached….” this helps the interviewer see the scale to which they can
negotiate on too.

10. What Do You Know About The Organisation?

It is critical that you show you have done some prior research on the
company before the interview. Looking into areas such as the company
structure, finances, customers, products and services, competitors and
market trends as these are the key areas.

You need to show you have a thorough understanding of what the

company is about and how they work. If not, it will look like you have no
interest in working for the company.

Managing Director of Personal Career Management, Corinne Mills, is the

author of the UK’s number one best-selling CV book “You’re Hired! How
to write a brilliant CV”. To find out more about how working with a
career coach can help you to perform well at an interview you can
contact them on 01753 888 995 or fill in their online contact form to find
out more.

How graduates can demonstrate Barclays’ five core values

Throughout the application process, Barclays recruiters will expect you

to possess and demonstrate, the bank’s five core values: respect,
integrity, service, excellence and stewardship. You will not win over
recruiters if you simply claim you possess the values and regurgitate
what you have read online.

Find out what the bank’s values mean

Visit the ‘About us’ section of the bank’s website and find out what the
values mean. Each has bullet points that detail its features. Then view
the short videos in the ‘Purpose and values’ section which spotlights
projects that reflect Barclay’s values. You might also want to take the
banks ‘Cultural fit quiz’ to see whether you might align with its working
environment and values.

Even though it happened it 2013, it’s still worth reading one or two news
stories about the dramatic introduction of Barclay’s code of conduct. It
was big news then and is still very important now.

Establish the attributes of the values

Barclays doesn’t give a dictionary definition of each value – the bank lists
the actions, behaviours or attitudes its workforce will have to uphold to
deliver it. For example, two elements of the ‘respect’ value are: ‘build
trust with the colleagues and partners we work with’ and ‘collaborate
proactively with colleagues across all of Barclays to get the best results’.
So relationship-building and teamwork are essential skills.

Implicit within these Barclays-specific definitions are skills you’ll need to

possess to deliver on the main value. Interpersonal skills,
broadmindedness, loyalty and a good level of diplomacy would support
the respect value, for example.

Go through each value and note down the ‘hidden competencies’. Doing
this will enhance your understanding of the values and will help you find
examples to back up your responses to any value-related questions
during the selection process such as the following: ‘What do you
understand about our company values?’ or ‘Give an example of how you
have demonstrated one or more of our values.’

Display Barclays’ values at interview and during the assessment day

Interview

At least one competency question – such as ‘tell me about a time when

you contributed to the success of a team’ or ‘how have you developed
relationships within a team?’ – will come up during your interview.

Although the competency questions may not explicitly mention any of

Barclays’ five values, they will all circle back in some way to teamwork,
relationship-building and interpersonal skills – competencies we
identified earlier as aspects of respect.

By developing a good understanding of the values, it should be easier for

you to find instances from your university, work or extracurricular
experiences where you demonstrated them. Sticking with the example
interview questions above, think about a time when you demonstrated
respect for others by doing any of the following:

1. actively listening to alternative views

2. understanding the points of view of your customers, clients or
colleagues
3. building and maintaining positive working relationships
4. sharing information with others
5. supporting others
6. keeping verbal and written communication clear, concise and –
crucially – confidential
7. tailoring your communication to meet the needs of the audience

Assessment day
At assessment day you’ll find opportunities to prove that you have
demonstrated the values that Barclays is looking for. But – particularly
the group exercise and presentation – you will be expected to exhibit
them through your actions.

For instance, in a group exercise – where past candidates have been

asked to work with other candidates to scrutinise information and make
a decision – listening to colleagues and working with their best ideas are
among the qualities that assessors will be looking for. Again, these relate
to Barclays’ respect value.

Demonstrate the skills that make you employable and show you can
work to Barclays’ five core values. However, bear in mind that the
examples used in this article relate to only one value: respect. You’ll have
to break down the other values in the same way to understand what they
mean and ensure that you demonstrate them.

Interview Question

Credit Risk Analyst Interview Glasgow, Scotland (UK)

Mostly competency based questions based on Barclays values

and how I have demonstrated those values through my previous

experiences.

I linked each of my previous experience with the values of Barclays.

The interviewer was very friendly and most of the time making notes
while I spoke. It lasted almost 30 minutes and towards the end I was
given the opportunity to ask questions regarding the position. Over all a
good learning experience.
Here's what people have said about working and interviewing at
Barclays.

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The best questions are directly relevant to Barclays.

 What is the work environment and culture like?

 How are the working hours?
 What are some tips for doing well in the interview?

20 questions

What is the interview process like at Barclays?

Asked 20 March 2017

For the underwriting executive role - it started with a 30 min phone call
centered around the barclays values and ethic's. You had to give work
example's showing those values 'respect', 'ethical', 'flexible etc. You
would obtain the barclays values template from the barclays recruitment
department anyway before the phone interview take place. It's just the
case, structuring you work experiences around it.
Once pass, you will be invited for a face to face interview. The recruiter
will speak to you of the date and venue it will take place and
documentation to bring. Most importantly, they will attach about 4 key
points where the interview will test you on. Again, you will have to give
work of life examples on how you conducted this. It very much involve
the STAR technique so would advise people to learn that and apply it for
interviews. The interview will take place for an hour and you would have
one person asking the questions and another taking notes. Around about
2 working day, they will give you a call whether you have passed or not.

This was my experience of those two interviews, could be different to

you lot as you may have applied completely different jobs.

Barclays relay heavily on S.T.A.R technique.

The STAR (Situation, Task, Action, Result) format is a job interview
technique used by interviewers to gather all the relevant information
about a specific capability that the job requires.
Quick turnaround and a simple process. There is the potential of
being hired immediately, being put into a talent pool, or put on hold until
a later date. 30 min phone interview and then an hour face to face
interview.

Once passed then have to wait for screening. Hireright did my screening
and they have asked for proof of previous employment. Could be bank
statement's showing money coming in, payslips and p60s.
 Well, there are 5 values in total. I've given an overview underneath.
If you have any specific question than you can find someone on Zito -

1) Respect: This is mainly to show collaboration b/w the

employees. Work in synergy, help / respect and motivate each other to
perform better.

2) Integrity: Mainly to stop the unethical behavior of employees,

like LIBOR and energy price manipulation frauds. Show integrity when
encountered with any specious activity within the bank and have
courage to speak about it.

3) Service: It is self evident. Well, worried it came on third number.

Customer and his requirements are your priority !

4) Excellence: Be the best in whatever you do, try to be the master

of that field.

5) Stewardship: Innovate and improve things. Leave a project /

process better off that how you got it.
 RISES…Respect, Integrity, Service, Excellence, Stewardship. These
are values that we mainly follow in Barclays.

There is a common saying in Barclays…if we can’t explain what we

are doing, we won’t do it. We always tend to leave things better always.

I will give you one single example of Service towards society: In

Africa were crime rates are pretty high and mugging in daylight is very
common, Barclays introduced FATAFAT payment, which means that you
don’t need to carry cash with you. Your phone will do the payment for
you all the time at every single store. This made the work easy for the
civilians there and Barclays demonstrated one of its key values.

The 325 years of history is full of these examples and we as an

employee always thrive to perform better keeping these values in mind.

Every role is different, and we tend to base interviews on whether

your competencies mean you’d be a good match for it. Of course, you
get to ask questions too, as this should always be a two-way process. It’ll
depend on the interview and the role itself whether these would all be
the right things for you to ask, but one or two of the questions below
could get the ball rolling for you and help you think of some of your own.

Ask what you’re genuinely interested in

Sometimes people ask interviewers what they think the

interviewers want to hear. We find it’s best to be genuine. One thing you
can think about is what other candidates will have asked. If you can ask
something different, that’s great.

Ask about the most enjoyable and the least enjoyable aspects of
the role

Questions about the job itself are always good as it shows

motivation, and this would tell an interviewer that you’re up for a
challenge too. They’ll expect you to have read up about the role and the
competencies, but this is a way to find out what the interviewer thinks.
They might turn out to be your line manager in the future, so you’ll have
their opinion up front.

Ask about a typical day in this role

 This is a way to find out how much time you’ll be spending, say,
with customers, and how much is spent on meetings, admin and other
tasks. Not many roles have a typical day as such but the interviewer will
be able to let you know more about the kinds of things you’ll be involved
in.

Ask about the training and support

This shows that you want to learn – for the role you’re interviewing
for and further along the line. We place a lot of emphasis on training and
developing people so this is always a good one to ask.

Ask where the role fits into the organisation or the wider team

The answer to this question will help you understand more about
the role and what the team or part of the organisation does. It shows the
interviewer you want to know how your contribution is going to affect
the wider business area.

Ask why the interviewer likes working there

 Everyone likes talking about themselves, interviewers included!
This will be their chance to tell you what they enjoy about their role. If
they’re going to be your line manager in future, their answers will give
you insight into their management style too.

Ask about the culture

This shows that you want to know what to expect from the working
environment and how best to fit into the team. It also tells us that you’re
keen for your behaviours to match up to those expected within your
business area.

Ask about our values

Our values are really important to us – we live and breathe them.

You’ll need to know more about them so you can decide if they’re
aligned with your own personal values.

Interviews are designed to be conversations so that you can get to

know us better and vice versa. And to get that interview, start by looking
for a job at Barclays.
Barclays reveals the 10 most common job interview mistakes
 06/01/2016

Category: Career Experts

Image of the word impossible

Study by LifeSkills created by Barclays reveals the most common

interview blunders that may come between you and your dream job

New research reveals the top ten most common interview faux pas,
which include showing off, not asking questions, dressing
inappropriately and moaning about a current employer.

The age old saying ‘fail to prepare then prepare to fail’ rings true,
with 51 per cent of employers citing that lack of research is the biggest
blunder candidates make
64 per cent of unemployed young people say they would benefit
from job interview training

LifeSkills offers advice and guidance to help people succeed in

interviews by addressing the pressure points where interviewees often
fall short
 As the country braces itself for the gruelling interview episode of
The Apprentice, new research from LifeSkills created by Barclays reveals
that when it comes to being in the hot seat in real life, many Brits rely on
their charm instead of research, and it could cost them their dream job.

The survey of 500 interviewers reveals the top ten most common
interview mistakes, highlighting that UK candidates are often
underprepared and may be overcompensating in other areas to impress.
The most common errors are failure to do research prior to the job
interview (51 per cent), showing off (31 per cent), not acting interested
or engaging with the interviewer (30 per cent), and asking no questions
at all (30 per cent).

Top 10 Most Common Interview Mistakes:

Failing to do their research

Showing off
Asking no questions
Not acting interested or engaged with the interviewer
Making up answers
Lying about achievements
Not dressing appropriately
 Rambling on
Failing to explain what they will bring to the role
Moaning about their current employer

When it comes to the mistakes most likely to cost a candidate their

dream career, 12 per cent of employers said they found forgetting your
manners to be the most off-putting behaviour. Meanwhile, candidates
who acted interested and engaged during interviews were deemed to be
the best (48 per cent), whilst those who appeared genuine about
themselves were favoured more highly (37 per cent).

In the head-to-head group interview scenario, dominating the

conversation and not listening to others ranked among the top errors,
coming in at 44 and 48 per cent respectively. Being too quiet or not
contributing enough was also prevalent with 45 per cent of employers
often witnessing this in group interviews. In contrast, in the typical one-
on-one interview setting only a small number (6 per cent) said that being
too modest would dampen a prospective candidate’s chances.

Research from LifeSkills highlights that a quarter (25 per cent) of

unemployed young people feel that they perform badly in interviews,
and almost two-thirds (64 per cent) think that they would benefit from
job interview training.

Solomon Akhtar, the youngest ever contestant on The Apprentice,

who had a particularly gruelling interview on last year’s show, said: “I
learnt the hard way in my Apprentice interview that it’s so important to
be prepared in order to succeed. It was clear that I hadn’t put enough
thought into my business plan and wrongly believed that my confidence
and charm would win Claude over. Even though it didn’t go to plan, I am
really grateful for the experience; I learnt a lot from it and will definitely
never turn up under prepared for an interview again.”

Kirstie Mackey, Head of LifeSkills, created by Barclays, added: “No

matter how old or experienced you are, it’s invaluable to know how to
properly prepare for and behave in interviews. As the research reflects,
over half of employers (51 per cent) say that failure to prepare is the
most common mistake candidates make. At LifeSkills, we understand
that interview techniques don’t come naturally to everyone, which is
why we offer a range of tips and advice to help young people know what
to expect in interviews, and to be as prepared as possible.”
Most difficult question
 Why would you suit this role rather than the other candidates? This
was difficult as I did not know the other condidates strenghts.

Interview tips

Research the company very well, as well as try to really heighten

your commercial awareness. It may be difficult due to nerves, but as it is
a long day, with intense scrutiny placed upon you, it is very advisible to
try and eat either beforehand, or some of the refreshments that were
provided. When you do the online tests, make sure you are in a quiet
room with no distractions as any lapse in concentration will affect your
scores considerably.

Experiences at the assessment centre

It was very well run, and owing to the company who it was for, was
very professional. The other candidates had similar qualifications so it
meant we had a lot to talk about as we had plenty in common. The first
task was very daunting when I first started to prepqre for it, but once I
had calmed my nerves, it was enjoyable.
https://jobs.barclays.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/Candidate-
Competency-Guide-AVP-VP.pdf
The 60 second interview: Lara Oyesanya

May 9, 2018/in News /by Lawyer Firm News

Earlier this year Lara Oyesanya joined Swedish bank Klarna from
Barclays, where she served as senior legal counsel since 2010.

Ahead of her session at the In-house Financial Services Conference, Lara

talks to The Lawyer about the legal challenges of digital innovation and
the way in which technology is transforming the in-house lawyer’s
relationship with external counsel.

What legal challenges are brought forward by digitalisation?

Lara Oyesanya

Algorithms and Applied Programming Interfaces (APIs) are at the heart

of digitalisation. With the continued development of artificial
intelligence (i.e. algorithms with learning capabilities), there will be more
legal challenges to address.

Will AI function within current legal frameworks, do we actually know

how it will function to properly assess legal risks, is monitoring required
to ensure due legal process? There are then ongoing discussions around
data, information and cyber security. Another pressing issue is the
appropriate deployment of digital legal tools exploiting big data
analytics, which adhere to evolving legal frameworks and safeguard both
citizens’ rights and national security.

This needs to be balanced against the need to create a regulatory

environment that does not stifle digital innovation. Fair competition
needs to be maintained in the digital economy as new technologies and
platforms are developed. Doing so will reduce the likelihood that digital
monopolies form, which could slow innovation down. It is important that
all the participants of this economy get the same opportunity to create
value and to earn profits from doing so.

How do you think technology will transform the in-house lawyer’s

relationship with external counsel?

Hugely transformational! Most in-house lawyers will have seen the

improvements their businesses have undertaken to achieve best-in-class
delivery of products and services, thereby enhancing customer
experience and engagement. These improvements have been driven by
technology and, will have had an impact on costs making the business
more efficient and productive. Naturally, there will be high expectations
on in-house lawyers to achieve similar improvements in one of the areas
of greatest cost – the engagement of external counsel.

Such improvements can range from the methods of instructing to the

delivery of advice for administrative work or indeed for some work that
trainee solicitors undertake. External counsel is expected to deploy
technology when billing, undertaking research, drafting, execution and
reporting.

Where such deployment does not occur, external counsel is at a risk of

being noncompetitive both in terms of the acquisition of new clients and
retention of existing ones. This would, no doubt, threaten the
sustainability of such external counsel. Flexible / dynamic working is
gaining ground with external counsel because of fast reliable technology
which would enable them to reduce their infrastructure costs; the
benefits of which they can then pass on to their clients in order to remain
competitive.

If you could have dinner with one person who would it be?

Barack Obama, the former president of the United States of America. I

follow American politics because the majority of my family are American
citizens. It was quite notable for me that Barack was the only candidate
in my memory (pre – and post elections as well as during his term in
office) that did not have any reported personal scandals. I would want to
know how he managed to be so squeaky clean!

Barack also appeared to be quite measured in his communications even

in the face of provocation; he was always so disciplined. I would want to
know his secrets as they are worthy of emulation. Communication is a
very important part of being a good leader which, I aspire to be.

Lara Oyesenya is one of the 30+ speakers making up this year’s speaker
line-up at The Lawyer’s In-house Financial Services Conference on 4 July
2018. For more information on the conference, a copy of the agenda, or
to inquire about attending, please contact Kenan Balli on +44(0) 20 7970
4017.

The post The 60 second interview: Lara Oyesanya appeared first on The
Lawyer | Legal insight, benchmarking data and jobs.

These are the unwritten dress codes for the major London City banks

London is one of the fashion capitals of the world, yet dress codes in its
banking sector remain steeped in tradition.

Business Insider spoke to bankers at Citi, Credit Suisse, HSBC, ING and a
Spanish institution to find out what people are really wearing to work in
the City.

The most important thing to remember if you're joining a big London

bank is not to stray too far from the norm.

In fact, blending in is the unwritten rule at most institutions, according

to insiders, particularly if you are joining the middle or lower ranks of a
bank.
Most banks give guidelines on dress when hiring new recruits. "It's not
very specific, along the lines of no flip flops, etc.," said a banker at Citi.
"But there's also a general rule of thumb that if you're unsure it's
probably inappropriate."

Here's what you need to know about dress codes if you're joining one of
London's big banks, according to their employees.

1. Stick to the palette.

Alex Yakimovski
Colour schemes for men and women are pretty dark and conservative.
"Your suit is navy or grey and your shirt is white or blue," says a Citi
banker.

Suits are usually slim-fitting and have no pattern. Pinstripes are a "no-
no."

If you see a guy walking around in a pinstripe suit then they're either
from New York or work in equities on the trading floor, according to
bankers we spoke to.

Equity trading has historically been viewed "lower market" than fixed
income by some, leading them to suggest the dress code here is "less
sophisticated".

A female analyst or associate will usually go for a classic white top with
black pants, and only really start mixing colours and styles at the
VP/director level. "Women are advised to wear suits so that they are
promoted as much as their male counterparts" an analyst says.

2. Facial hair is OK, but only if you can grow a full-on beard.
Getty/ Gareth Cattermole

Despite the rise of the hipster beard, clean shaven is still preferred at
most London banks. And facial hair is more often something
experimented with by seniors.

One banker said: "Either you can grow one or not — no one wants to see
a load of 'bum fluff'. I think over the last 10 years in the city beards have
become commonplace and there is generally no issue unless perhaps
you are a client facing M&A banker."

"Even then I know a few with a beard."

3. Make sure your suit fits.

Getty Images/Michael Loccisano

No one really cares what make of suit you have as long as it fits you right.

The suits being worn at most UK banks in the City are not considered very
fancy.

"Most guys buy off the rack, there are only one or two on my floor who
get custom suits," says a trader at HSBC.
That is, unless, you're working at a French bank, such as BNP Paribas,
Société Générale or Crédit Agricole, where tailored suits are far more
commonplace, and you may even catch people wearing a three-piece.

According to an employee of Dutch bank ING: "The French banks are

much more 'dapper' in general."

An employee of a Spanish bank recommends buying tailor made suits in

South-East Asia. "If you spend £300 on a tailor-made suit out there you
know it will be a worthwhile investment!"

4. Ties are important ...

Shutterstock/ CHAjAMP

Ties are not compulsory at London banks, but they are for client
meetings. At places like HSBC and Credit Suisse, men typically only wear
ties while with clients, but UK-focused teams and investment bankers
will often wear a suit and tie every single day. Most just follow their line
manager's lead.

Garish and outlandish patterned styles are frowned upon: "Ties are also
pretty vanilla, usually blue, but every once in a while you'll get a rogue
purple or red tie," according to a banker at Citi.
In markets, though, no one wears a tie and you will usually see
employees with at least two shirt buttons undone, as traders are less
likely to meet clients in person.

5. ... But absolutely no braces.

20th Century
Fox

If you want to be taken seriously, leave your braces at home, insiders say,
and the tie clip and vest for that matter. The Wall Street circa 1980 look
is not considered sophisticated in the City.

"You won't really see braces or a tie clip at all, anyone wearing them is
obviously having a little fun and purposely trying to differentiate
themselves — just being outlaws!"

6. Feel free to accessorise.

Unsplash / Olu Eletu

Lots of bankers see accessorising with cufflinks, watches, and pocket

squares as an opportunity to show off their personal sense of style.

If you're adding accessories like a pocket square, keep it toned down.

"Don't go for a crazy colour or make it into a puff, it should be pretty
straight-edged."

7. Don't scrimp on your footwear.

Shutterstock/uzhursky

An old one but an important one, you still "don't wear brown in town,"
unless on a Friday, or if you're American, according to an employee at a
Spanish bank in London.

Shoes tend to be black and polished. If you wear brown shoes, your
colleagues might assume you're "back office" or "unsuccessful" adds an
HSBC employee.

Quality is important as well. "At Citi you don't buy cheap leather shoes
as they will show wrinkles more".
On lower salaries, analysts can be hesitant to spend a lot on shoes,
explains an associate "but if you go to Church's and pay a couple of
hundred, the leather will be much stronger from a wear and tear
perspective."

Women can wear flats or heels but wearing stilettos is not

recommended. They will make you stand out and you don't want to look
like you're going to a "disco", said a female analyst.

8. Dress-down Friday 'is not really a thing'.

Shutterstock/bogdanhoda
Dress-down Friday is a potential minefield for bankers as it appears each
institution has varying degrees of the concept, so make sure you check
before rolling in with denim cut offs.

Bankers at Citi confess to feeling "a bit shy" about actually taking
advantage of dress-down Friday. "Certainly people change their styles,
some people wear trainers or chinos instead of suit trousers, and the girls
still look professional."

It's affectionately been termed "Fintech Friday" referring to those at the

bank who tend to join in the more relaxed attire.

At ING, dress-down Friday means wearing a pink or checked shirt, but

jeans are strictly off limits unless for a charity event.

A banker at a London-based Spanish institution says "There is always a

suit that you can wear on a Friday that can double up as a wedding suit.
Think a little more out there navy colour."

There are a few exceptions. Credit Suisse, for example, is known for its
slightly more informal dress code. "Every Friday I'd wear skinny trousers
and Converse" said a former employee.

Most concur that ripped jeans are not acceptable in a bank.

https://www.home.barclays/content/dam/barclayspublic/docs/Ci
tizenship/Reports-Publications/entire2_barclays_cr12.pdf
There has been negative press about Barclays (about cutting fixed
income & IB in Asia etc), but obviously you can't say that in an interview.
How would you approach this question? Thanks for the help!
Why Do You Want to Work At Barclays?
 In any interview or informational phone call - you will likely be
asked an equivalent of this question - so it is critical that you have a
thought out and practiced answer. To help your answer stand out, you
should do extensive research on the firm's website to determine what
they consider to be their core values and competitive advantages. In
addition to this background research - you should try and speak with
members of the firm in the division you're interested in so that you can
get a better understanding of the culture of the firm. All of these things
should be considered into your answer.

Example Why Barclays? Answer

I first became interested in Barclays when attending an

informational session at XYZ school. There I spoke with several alumni
from the Barclays Investment Banking group. After connecting with
members of the firm at that event, I was connected to speak to more
alumni from the firm who spoke extensively about the global nature of
the bank and their experience working in lean deal teams. Then recently,
I had the chance to come visit the banking floor and speak with a number
of bankers throughout the day all of which showed a genuine interest in
me and shared a great deal of advice about the profession and interview
process. After that experience, I knew that I wanted to work with
Barclays due to the very collegial nature of the firm.

User @Redacted, a private equity associate, shared that you should

speak about the "people":

Redacted - Private Equity Associate:

Talking about how well you've gotten along with the people
you've spoken with is an important aspect of this answer. Something
along the lines of, "I've had the opportunity to connect with x bankers at
Barclays and I've honestly really enjoyed my interactions with them. I'm
fully aware of the time commitment involved with this industry and so
working in an environment where I genuinely enjoy the people is very
important to me."

Use this to showcase the fact that you've done your due diligence
and spoken with people. If they ask who, be prepared with a few specific
people, especially if they're from the same group as the interviewer.
Showing that you connect with the people is a very good way to show
why you'd want to spend your countless working hours at that bank.
 What Makes Barclays Unique?

You should also have ideas about why Barclays is differentiated

aside from the cultural and people elements that you will be mentioning.

A few ideas to mention:

Barclays is a balance sheet bank able to help their clients undergo

any type of transaction
Barclays has US and European exposure making it more of a
globally focused bank
Barclays has M&A in house within its coverage groups - allows
bankers to get exposure to technical skills and industry knowledge

lison Gaskins’ remit on joining Barclays’ legal department was

formidable. Group general counsel Bob Hoyt told her in no uncertain
terms, ‘I want to be able to have a conversation with my CEO which
clearly states what the legal department is doing for its internal
customers, including what it costs and why it costs what it does.’ A
former management consultant with over ten years’ experience in COO
and change management roles at Barclays, even Gaskins was initially
daunted by the scope of this request. But it became clear to her that by
understanding the underlying economics of the Barclays legal
department and how they can be influenced, it would be possible to
revolutionise how legal services were delivered to the business. The
process has to date covered five interlinked aspects: matter
management, e-billing, the law firm panel, lawyer time recording and
management information (MI).

Figuring out the menu

Going back to the genesis of the idea, Gaskins explains that Hoyt
analogised the issues in legal by comparing them to an all-you-can-eat
buffet. ‘It is really like people coming up to a buffet and picking what they
want, but having very little sense of what things cost or how much they
are consuming,’ she says. ‘When the bill for what you eat comes in, it
goes to someone else. In the same way with legal services, when the bill
comes in for services rendered, it’s often sent to someone other than the
person who received the work. In the context of that, we have spent the
last 18 months trying to figure out how to price what’s on the menu, how
to help the diner understand the pricing, then ensuring the final bill is
fair, accurate and sent to the right person.’

The second challenge for the team looking at this was a lack of control
regarding demand for legal services. The business as a whole might set a
budget for legal spend. But what if a new litigation case rears its head, or
a new location or business is required, perhaps even closing one down.
For legal, this can translate to a raft of new costs which can emerge and
blow that budget out of the water. ‘We can be missing each other in
terms of expectation,’ says Gaskins.

‘What it came down to ultimately was figuring out how to codify work in
relation to the costs of each matter – essentially a service catalogue for
internal legal services. That’s often anathema to lawyers but is a concept
the business can understand. This can be uncomfortable for lawyers
because the idea that all work can be unitised and priced can’t easily be
applied to work which is essentially “advisory” in nature. But in fact, it
can be applied more widely than you think, where you can show that
work has a beginning, a middle and an end.’
What we need to know

Gaskins explains that her team spent the past year figuring out ‘what we
need to know’.

Initially, that entailed establishing a taxonomy of legal services against

which lawyers can record their time – even though many in-house
lawyers will throw up their hands in horror and tell you a major factor in
leaving private practice was to get away from time recording. But Gaskins
clarifies what they are focusing on is very different. ‘We are not
concerned with productivity or how much time is taken on something,
what matters is being able to ensure the work is accurately aligned to
the business area receiving it and paying for it.’

At the same time, the team focused on introducing a new matter

management system for the largest and most complex matters, as well
as an e-billing system to standardise and codify billing rules. These
internal processes were developed hand-in-hand with a fresh law firm
panel, coupled with a new approach to law firm relationship
management. These developments are underpinned by new reporting
metrics and a new management tool to ensure the teams can measure
and demonstrate value for the business.

The business as a whole was not heavily involved in the design of the
new processes outside of an overarching mandate steering the project,
which was a clear expectation for how legal costs are managed. ‘We have
got to be sufficiently compelling and convincing enough in the solutions
that we give them to this problem. So the involvement of the business is
really around the ultimate outcome,’ says Gaskins, explaining the line of
thinking her team has used to approach the project.

At present, Barclays has lawyers embedded across different business

units, and there will inevitably be legal services which are shared
functions across units, such as litigation or employment law. ‘The
business units want to be very clear that they are only paying for the
amount of shared legal service they actually use, hence greater
transparency around the whole delivery, management and billing
process,’ says Gaskins.

Time is ticking

The dreaded time recording portion of the project was introduced in the
second half of 2015 to a mixed reception. For the lawyers within the
investment bank, it was more of the same, as their previous general
counsel had asked them to time record and the new system represented
a marked improvement. Other areas, however, were less keen. But it
came at a time when there was a greater drive from the business for
increased transparency, which in turn put pressure on individual general
counsel across the bank. This caused a strong sense of leadership from
the top as to the practical and strategic imperatives for time
management as part of a greater need for project management. This
tone from the top helped smooth the wider implementation.

The time management tool was built with a series of reporting functions
within it, which general counsel can look through with their business
managers to see where their teams are spending their time and help
ensure the data is accurate as a basis for cost allocations.

While this was built in-house, the matter management and e-billing
function were sourced from an external vendor. The time management,
matter management and e-billing systems all sit together as part of a
custom built management information system. This aspect is really
where the big picture functionality comes from – it allows general
counsel to get a birds eye view of work allocation, costs and a direct
insight into how their department is running. Gaskins explains that it
provides a much more informed view for legal decision makers, while
ensuring a lot less time is wasted in meetings getting updates, as the
individual general counsels have the ability to enter a meeting with the
data already prepared.

External Focus

Both the matter management and e-billing systems have an obvious

application to how external work is handled. Symbiotic with
revolutionising this use of external counsel was the revamped Barclays
panel. Gaskins explains that a key question in designing this was:

‘How can we help lawyers think differently when instructing law firms?’
Gaskins emphasised that they always want the decision to sit with the
lawyers, but to embed the new ideas around project management and
transparency within this process.

The business as a whole was not heavily involved in the design of the
new processes.

The process was launched at the beginning of 2016 and the new panel
went live in July. ‘An initial aim,’ Gaskins says, was ‘ensuring work is
allocated to the right firm at the right price.’

Under the new panel arrangements, the selected firms are categorised
into three groups:

 Panel firms – these are multi-service firms used across the function,
in multiple areas and multiple jurisdictions.

 Core specialist firms – these are of equal status and standing with
panel firms and can be used in more than one place but are more
specialist in their remit.
  Specialist firms – are firms that have a particular technical
specialism or geographical focus.

In regards to the panel, the defining rationale was that of partnership

with Barclays. That was defined very clearly in terms of innovation,
creativity and alternative pricing.

Computer says no…

A big change for Barclays legal function was the universal adoption of the
new e-billing system. Gaskins explains that this system works via a built-
in rules engine which ensures that engagements are set up correctly for
invoicing at the start, with the resulting invoices either meeting the rules
or being rejected and returned to the law firm for correction. She
explains that prior to this, ‘law firms would often send in woefully high
level invoices with too little itemisation and it can take our lawyers ages
to get to the bottom of what it’s for. Either that, or it’s 50 pages long with
too much detail.’

‘As in any organisation there are clear sets of rules for invoicing; all law
firms will have had terms of engagement agreed. When an invoice is set
up by our system it has those terms of engagement expectations built in.
The system will flip it back if what comes in from the law firms does not
meet these expectations.’

It’s literally a case of ‘computer says no’. In September the first set of
invoices for August came in under the new system. Forty invoices came
in and forty were rejected! Although that number seems shocking,
Gaskins explains that once fully embedded and routine, the system will
remove a lot of administration and remediation work, as well as mitigate
some of the personal angst out of quibbling over costs: ‘Since the start
of the change, the law firms have been very engaged and supportive –
many of them already use e-billing with other clients and know the
benefits it can have. So, despite the high initial rejection rate from the
system the panel firms are on board with it.’

Delivering the changes

The delivery of the new management process overall is the responsibility

of Gaskins and her team, which includes a head of change management
who is responsible for the programme delivery and a head of commercial
management, who is responsible for the law firm piece. ‘We came up
with the idea of a new commercial management role last year, and we
specifically wanted to hire someone from a law firm with client
relationship experience to bring in that insight and have the credibility
with our own teams and the law firms,’ explains Gaskins. But, perhaps
most interestingly, nobody on Gaskins’ team driving this project is a
lawyer.

The head of change management has performed that sort of role

somewhere else in the bank and therefore is used to having a portfolio
of change under him.

The head of change management and head of commercial management

are joined by a COO responsible for strategy and the financial
performance of the function, plus a head of risk control whose remit is
to ensure the function meets the bank’s policies and controls.

‘We have made a lot of new hires into this world and changed roles as
we realised what we need,’ says Gaskins. She holds a view that it is often
more effective to use experienced change management resources on
these initiatives while involving lawyers as subject matter, as a way of
ensuring everyone can play to their strengths. Management and process
are fundamental areas for legal teams, whatever their size. Increasingly
project management is becoming a significant aspect of all legal work
and most major law firms will now have non-lawyer project managers on
big matters that are likely to run for an extended period – generally a
number of years.

That means that Gaskins’ role is not unique – particularly in large

financial institutions. ‘All bank legal teams have teams like mine.’ She
feels that the use of people like her and her team allows lawyers to focus
more on their legal work, although ‘It’s often a struggle’ she adds wryly.
‘While bankers are much happier to defer problems back to the centre
and out of their remit, lawyers are very proactive and super bright so
they often want to move in and start doing something themselves.’

Barclays’ expectations of law firms

Gaskins comments that panel firms are now expected to engage at a

different level than before:

‘These are the performance metrics that firms will be judged by. A very
clear visual tool is the scattergram charts where firms are plotted
according to these metrics in relation to competitors.’ The different
value metrics can be seen by internal lawyers at Barclays to inform their
judgement and choice of external counsel. A different version of this is
available to the law firms themselves so they can plot their value offering
in regards to the team’s expectations and how competitors are matching
these.Gaskins shares some of Barclays’ expectations below:

LEGAL ADVICE

 Excellent technical expertise in relevant legal areas, including from

other firms as appropriate.
 Provide lawyers who are commercial, and understand our position
as a regulated institution.
 Ensure effective quality control across all matters.
  Advice incorporates the firm’s collective experience in the industry
or area of law.
 Bring a strategic approach to all legal matters.

THOUGHT LEADERSHIP

 Always deliver the collective experience of the firm.

 Look beyond the particular matter to consider policy consequences
and long-term trends.
 Provide advice and guidance on innovation in the profession.

COLLABORATION AND TEAMWORK

 Operate as an extension of our own in-house team.

 Work collaboratively with other Barclays firms.
 Develop understanding of Barclays’ businesses and objectives.
 Harness the value of lawyers working across multiple areas by
sharing insight from their experiences with Barclays.

VALUE FOR MONEY

 Understand the commercial drivers of legal costs.

 Offer ideas for increasing cost-effectiveness of legal services.
 Provide accurate cost estimates and timely notice if changes are to
be considered.
 Avoid a ‘win at all costs’ mentality by talking to us about cost-value
trade offs.
 Provide professionals who are trained in industry standards.

Adding value?

One of the central motivations for this project was demonstrating the
value which the in-house legal department provides to the wider
business. It’s fundamental to how the in-house function operates, but
Gaskins avoids getting too philosophical about it. ‘What’s different about
what we’re doing is essentially about helping demonstrate how we do
what we do. We spend a lot of money on behalf of the business, so it’s
about transparency and accountability. One of the problems about the
value debate is you can only really get to the crux of that by taking the
function away to see what happens without them and no one is going to
do that!’

‘I think [group general counsel] Bob Hoyt and I are thinking quite
differently from the norm in terms of articulating it, by not bringing in
this notion of value of legal work. But the starting point was very much,
“how can he have the right conversation with the CEO and provide the
transparency he needs”. We’ve just been focused on how we can help
make that happen.’

The road ahead

The change process will take roughly two years to complete, all going to
plan, with current progress sitting at about the halfway mark. In fact, the
new systems have been tested and the rollout has taken place with some
teams already. Now the challenge is to get everything in place across the
whole function globally. It’s a gradual process, says Gaskins, explaining
‘litigation have everything up and running globally now; we started with
them as they are the most complicated in terms of their need. But by the
end of the year the rest of the legal function will have all the systems as
well.’

As a whole, the Barclays legal function feels they are really grappling with
some of the same fundamental challenges facing all legal teams –
regardless of their location, size or sector. ‘It’s really a case of starting
and making central to the process what you are trying to achieve – for
us, that’s transparency and accountability with the chief executive. That
same question applies no matter how big or small the company and no
matter what the industry.’
If you would like to hear more about the Barclays Commercial
Optimisation Programme, Gaskins and members of the Barclays legal
team will be sharing their thoughts and experiences about the design and
implementation of the programme at the next Enterprise GC conference
on 13-14 March 2017 at Syon Park, London.

https://www.legal500.com/assets/pages/gc/winter-2016/change-
is-imminent#sthash.vN6LhJ28.dpbs