Discover early careers advice on breaking into J. P. Morgan.
Courtesy of Joseph Gilbey
What aspects of students’ experiences and achievements tend to stand out in applications?
It is very important that students showcase their passion and interest in the business area that they are applying for. This can be done in various ways through your CV by listing any Societies/Clubs that students are a member of, additional qualifications they have obtained, systems knowledge such as Stata (where relevant) and attendance at industry led events such as Insight Days. When it comes to relevant work experience, it does not need to be specifically within finance. I would encourage students to share any work experience they had which has transferable skills that they could bring to J.P. Morgan.
Your CV follows you through the entire recruitment process, so it is vital that students spend time reviewing and updating this ahead of applying for any roles. It is especially important that students review the core components of a CV such as correcting any spelling mistakes, including information regarding their educational background, ensuring that their CV is legible and also presented in a good format that is easy to read.
Outside of a CV and cover letter, is there anything students can do to improve their chances of securing an internship or graduate role?
As a business we strive to provide a fair and consistent recruitment process that aims to give students an equal opportunity to secure internship and graduate positions. For our application process, we do not require a cover letter for any of our campus opportunities. If students want to increase their chances of securing roles then I recommend they really take the time to learn about the role/business they are interested in. Having this inherent knowledge and passion will present itself during the interview process and ultimately help students to stand out.
We offer a number of insight and student events throughout the year that give students the opportunity to interact with the business and learn more about us as a firm. We strongly encourage applicants to sign up to our Talent Network through the student area of our careers website to be informed of news, upcoming events, opportunities and deadlines.
What are some of the key skills that line managers and/or recruiters pay attention to during assessment centres?
This can vary slightly for each line of business but as a whole, during assessment centres, key skills such as strong communication, commercial acumen and most importantly, motivation and drive go a long way in presenting yourself in the best light. We understand the process can be stressful for applicants so we recommend that students take their time to prepare for assessment centres and brush up on key knowledge!
Highlight, if possible, some of the core competencies shown by some of J.P. Morgan’s successful employees.
Throughout the business, all of our employees work towards the same performance dimensions. This creates a level of consistency and shared values in the workplace. Our successful employees aren’t necessarily those who work all day and night (although hard work is definitely needed!) but more so those who have a great structure to their work, take time to network and build relationships both throughout the firm and across the industry and, most importantly, enjoy and take pride in what they do! J.P. Morgan is an excellent firm for internal progression and successful employees are rewarded for their hard work.
What was the first thing you noticed about the social and/or working culture within J.P. Morgan?
There is definitely a culture of collaboration at the firm, the majority of our business areas work together on a daily basis and alongside bigger projects. It was one of the first things I noticed when I joined the firm, and this helps you to build strong working relationships across the business and different regions. There is also an emphasis on unity between senior leaders/managers and non-managerial employees. There are a lot of Vice Presidents and Managing Directors at the firm who sit alongside Analysts and Associates. Having this accessibility to senior leaders throughout the business only helps to further promote the inclusive and collaborative working culture.
On the social side, we have a number of Business Resource Groups that employees can engage with such as BOLD, AccessAbility and Pride networks. Each BRG runs targeted events, webinars, skills sessions and newsletters to engage employees of all backgrounds. It is a great way to take a break from the desk and listen in to a guest speaker or engage in a team activity!
How can students best learn about the culture of the firm?
Attending our events, although currently virtual, really helps students to gain more transparency about how our business operates and the culture our employees work in. We recommend that students try to attend our events where they can.
What aspects of J.P. Morgan’s culture are most important for applicants to grasp?
Back to the collaboration piece again, a lot of our work is done in teams whether that be working on projects or contributing to a team goal. As an employee of the firm you need to be able to hold your own and work independently but also appreciate the importance of collaborating with others to achieve shared goals.
Danni Nevers - EMEA Markets/Risk Campus Recruitment Coordinator
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