Paul Allen:
Yes, I call/network always – regardless of rejections etc. I always ask how I can improve and so on. Last year they offered great advice – I followed it – this year they are clueless themselves what else to say.
(not saying I’m perfect in any way, just relaying what they said).
I agree that my university/experience does not mean I am entitled to a job or even an interview. Like I said, I’m not hear to moan, I’m here for advice. It is disappointing however, to see people from ’10-20 unis’ not even upload CVs, network etc and still get offers (trust me, I have seen those). Yes, there are also those people from all types of universities who genuinely want a position and they have every right to get one!
My CV is not loaded with only finance stuff. I have volunteered at a well-known charity (3 years), do several sports/outdoor activities and am captain of one of them, president/chairman of a non-finance society too, founder of something, own an online business, and several other non-finance things. Being well rounded is very important, and that was the positive feedback I actually got from my BB interview. Negatives were over technical questions – but that doesn’t explain the lack of interviews otherwise.
Funnily enough, I was told not to build a school in Uganda as its ‘so typical’ to show ‘all-roundedness’.
HeyyImRyan:
Yes I have asked for feedback. They either read my application and act genuinely surprised, or give me the usual lines ‘competition is tough, economy etc’.
I have done the tests, on time. Pretty sure I passed them as I called up HR and most banks said that if you get an automated rejection email within 5 working days then you failed the test. I’m assuming I did fine (the interview I did get I needed to complete a test for).