When it comes to applying for jobs at BNP Paribas, there’s no set recipe for success. However, we can give you some pointers that can improve your chances, both at the application stage and during the interview.
- Think about what skills and experience you have that will make you a good fit with our business. Make sure you're familiar with both BNP Paribas and the financial industry as a whole. Then decide which area of our business you want to work in and which of your skills will serve you best there.
- Book an appointment with your careers service – they can give you advice on completing application forms, practicing online tests and can help to prepare you for interviews.
- Review your CV so you can answer any competency-based questions. Think through examples of things you’ve achieved in your personal and professional life and structure your answers using the STAR technique outlined below. Don’t be afraid to provide negative examples – things can go wrong as well as right in business and you need to be able to demonstrate you can learn from both.
- If you’re applying for a front-office role, think about the technical questions you may be asked in an interview. For instance, if you have some technical experience on your CV, prepare to answer a technical question relating to that topic.
The STAR technique:
- Situation/Task: What was the situation or task? Remember, you need to set the scene for the interviewer.
- Action: What did you do? What role did you play? Don’t fall into describing what ‘we’ did. This is about exploring your behaviour.
- Result: What was the outcome? What did you learn?
You should think of each stage of the selection process as an opportunity for you to showcase yourself and tell us why you are the best person to be selected. Above all, think about what makes you different and exceptional.
