I did a spring week at Citi and later had an offer there, so I'll start with what the spring week was like, because it tells you a lot about how to apply.
What the Citi spring week was like
Mine was virtual. Each of the major divisions gave a presentation on what they do, which sounds dry but was actually the most useful part. By the end I understood the difference between banking, markets, research and the rest better than I had from a year of reading about it.
That's worth knowing for your application. Citi's spring programme is designed for people who are still working out which division suits them. So you don't need to pretend you've known you wanted to be an M&A banker since you were twelve. You do need to show you've thought about it and are curious.
The route in
| Stage | Who | What to know |
|---|---|---|
| Spring week | First-years | General insight across divisions |
| Summer analyst | Penultimate-years | Divisional; most graduate hires come from here |
| Graduate analyst | Final-years | Limited places once the summer class has been offered |
Citi has a particularly global footprint, more than most banks. If you're from Nigeria, India or elsewhere, Citi's offices in Lagos, Mumbai and across Asia can be a realistic way in, alongside London and New York.
What the CV screen wants
- Interest in finance, made visible. A spring week at another bank, an investment society role, a trading competition. If your degree isn't in economics, this is where the CV has to work hardest.
- Grades the reader understands. Citi hires internationally, but the first screener in London still has to read your grades in a second. Give a UK equivalent or percentile if you studied elsewhere.
- Bullets that show what happened. "Supported the team with research" could be anything. "Researched 30 potential buyers for a £45m packaging business; 6 made the final pitch" is something.
One thing I'd do before applying
Talk to two people who did the Citi spring week the year before. It's easy to find them on LinkedIn, and most are happy to give fifteen minutes. You'll get a better answer to "Why Citi?", and you'll know which division to pick.