Barclays is the one British bank that properly competes with the American bulge brackets in investment banking. If you're at a UK university it's probably the bank with the biggest campus presence after J.P. Morgan, and that cuts both ways: lots of events, lots of access, and lots of applicants.
Why Barclays is worth a separate application
Some students treat Barclays as the "UK fallback" for the US banks. I think that's a mistake for two reasons. First, the London investment bank is large and does serious deals, so the analyst experience holds up. Second, Barclays tends to care that you know why you want Barclays specifically. "Because it's a bulge bracket" is the answer everyone gives.
Better answers come from talking to people there. Go to one of their campus events, ask an analyst what their last deal was, and use that.
The route in
| Programme | Who | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Spring insight | First-years (second years on four-year courses) | Opens in autumn |
| Summer internship | Penultimate-years | Main source of graduate hires |
| Off-cycle / placement | Students on a year in industry | Some divisions |
| Graduate programme | Final-years | Fewer places after the summer class |
Barclays recruits for its investment bank, its markets business and a number of other divisions through separate programmes. Pick the one your CV fits.
What Barclays looks at on a CV
- A predicted grade and your A-levels (or equivalent). UK banks still look at school grades for undergraduate roles. Put them on one line under your school.
- Commitment to finance. An investment society role, a spring week somewhere else, a trading competition. If your degree is unrelated, this line carries the CV.
- Work you did, with numbers. Part-time jobs count. "Managed weekend shifts for a team of 6 at a 200-cover restaurant" says more than you'd think about how you'll handle analyst hours.
Applying from abroad
Barclays hires into London from all over the world and has a large presence in India, mostly in operations and technology. If you're an international student in the UK, the visa question is worth checking on the application before you invest the time.