Best undergrad degree for IB?

It isn't. They state the requirements clearly for entry roles or graduate programmes. If you come in at a later stage, say from a sport, then you're either put through a specialist recruitment process for people from those backgrounds or the experienced hire route which have different requirements.

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Depends on what you want to do specifically. For a few prop shops you'd have your work cut out getting in without a maths degree.

Not from the ads I've seen.

The experienced hires all require specific relevant banking experience such as product knowledge and systems skills.

Obviously if you have held similar positions, determination and commitment is taken for granted but if you're from outside the business, you have no chance unless it's through contacts.

Check out efinancialcareers or wilmott's forum.

Yes, but many banks have special processes in place for returnships (older women returning to work), people from the armed forces, sports people etc.

After all, it's basically head-hunting, the bank can approach whoever they want and ask them to come and interview. It's a free country.

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Actually no, it's not totally free.

If they explicitly state they don't want a particular race or gender, that's illegal.

I'm starting a Computer Science and Artificial Intelligence course this autumn, would that be sufficient? Or is Maths an absolute requirement?

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It isn't so much that undergrad. maths is a requirement, it's more the way that interviews are structured in a way that gives maths undergrads a distinct advantage.

They don't, though? In fact, banks are some of the most inclusive employers in the world with specialist internships and programmes for ethnic minority, gay, transgender and the disabled to help them develop their skills and integrate into a career within financial services. They engage in a lot of positive discrimination, you only have to look on the websites.

They basically have specialist programmes for everyone so it's not discriminatory at all.

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I've never seen such programmes in the years I've been in the city.

Well, I've seen plenty of programmes/networks etc.

Here are just a handful:

Returnship: http://www.goldmansachs.com/careers/experienced-professionals/returnship/
Other Categories: http://www.goldmansachs.com/who-we-are/diversity-and-inclusion/recruiting/
SEO: http://www.seo-london.com/
Credit Suisse: https://www.credit-suisse.com/uk/en/careers/campus-recruiting/our-business/internship-programs-emea/diversity-programs.html
Military: http://careers.bankofamerica.com/us/working-here/military-veterans.aspx
Female Programmes: http://www.ratemyplacement.co.uk/placement-review/53723/nomura/womenand-039-s-immersion-program-intern
Nomura: http://www.nomuraholdings.com/csr/employee/di.html
HSBC: http://www.hsbc.com/news-and-insight/2014/focusing-on-ability
J.P. Morgan: http://careers.jpmorgan.com/student/jpmorgan/careers/europe/preintern#Interbank
http://www.insideandout-banking.co.uk/#&panel1-8
http://up-uncoveringprospects.com/
http://www.freshlookbanking.com/
http://www.opendoorsevent.com/
Morgan Stanley: http://www.morganstanley.com/people-opportunities/diversity.html

Well, I've seen plenty of programmes/networks etc.

Here are just a handful:

Returnship: http://www.goldmansachs.com/careers/experienced-professionals/returnship/
Other Categories: http://www.goldmansachs.com/who-we-are/diversity-and-inclusion/recruiting/
SEO: http://www.seo-london.com/
Credit Suisse: https://www.credit-suisse.com/uk/en/careers/campus-recruiting/our-business/internship-programs-emea/diversity-programs.html
Military: http://careers.bankofamerica.com/us/working-here/military-veterans.aspx
Female Programmes: http://www.ratemyplacement.co.uk/placement-review/53723/nomura/womenand-039-s-immersion-program-intern
Nomura: http://www.nomuraholdings.com/csr/employee/di.html
HSBC: http://www.hsbc.com/news-and-insight/2014/focusing-on-ability
J.P. Morgan: http://careers.jpmorgan.com/student/jpmorgan/careers/europe/preintern#Interbank
http://www.insideandout-banking.co.uk/#&panel1-8
http://up-uncoveringprospects.com/
http://www.freshlookbanking.com/
http://www.opendoorsevent.com/
Morgan Stanley: http://www.morganstanley.com/people-opportunities/diversity.html

Is this positive discrimination?

For example this one:

http://up-uncoveringprospects.com/

lists a whole list of requirements but are these requirements lower than the average?

Amazing that I've not met anyone in an IB who has admitted they got in on one of these schemes.

Are they too shamed to admit it or it is just PR talk, rather like trying to get more state school entrants into Oxbridge?

Well, I've seen plenty of programmes/networks etc.

Here are just a handful:

Returnship: http://www.goldmansachs.com/careers/experienced-professionals/returnship/
Other Categories: http://www.goldmansachs.com/who-we-are/diversity-and-inclusion/recruiting/
SEO: http://www.seo-london.com/
Credit Suisse: https://www.credit-suisse.com/uk/en/careers/campus-recruiting/our-business/internship-programs-emea/diversity-programs.html
Military: http://careers.bankofamerica.com/us/working-here/military-veterans.aspx
Female Programmes: http://www.ratemyplacement.co.uk/placement-review/53723/nomura/womenand-039-s-immersion-program-intern
Nomura: http://www.nomuraholdings.com/csr/employee/di.html
HSBC: http://www.hsbc.com/news-and-insight/2014/focusing-on-ability
J.P. Morgan: http://careers.jpmorgan.com/student/jpmorgan/careers/europe/preintern#Interbank
http://www.insideandout-banking.co.uk/#&panel1-8
http://up-uncoveringprospects.com/
http://www.freshlookbanking.com/
http://www.opendoorsevent.com/
Morgan Stanley: http://www.morganstanley.com/people-opportunities/diversity.html

Well, I've seen plenty of programmes/networks etc.

Here are just a handful:

Returnship: http://www.goldmansachs.com/careers/experienced-professionals/returnship/
Other Categories: http://www.goldmansachs.com/who-we-are/diversity-and-inclusion/recruiting/
SEO: http://www.seo-london.com/
Credit Suisse: https://www.credit-suisse.com/uk/en/careers/campus-recruiting/our-business/internship-programs-emea/diversity-programs.html
Military: http://careers.bankofamerica.com/us/working-here/military-veterans.aspx
Female Programmes: http://www.ratemyplacement.co.uk/placement-review/53723/nomura/womenand-039-s-immersion-program-intern
Nomura: http://www.nomuraholdings.com/csr/employee/di.html
HSBC: http://www.hsbc.com/news-and-insight/2014/focusing-on-ability
J.P. Morgan: http://careers.jpmorgan.com/student/jpmorgan/careers/europe/preintern#Interbank
http://www.insideandout-banking.co.uk/#&panel1-8
http://up-uncoveringprospects.com/
http://www.freshlookbanking.com/
http://www.opendoorsevent.com/
Morgan Stanley: http://www.morganstanley.com/people-opportunities/diversity.html

Amazing that I've not met anyone in an IB who has admitted they got in on one of these schemes.

Are they too shamed to admit it or it is just PR talk, rather like trying to get more state school entrants into Oxbridge?

Looking on Linkedin or anything similar, you can always tell who the SEO/diversity people are.

I know some fairly poor candidates who've made it to the final interviewing stage through this avenue.

I reckon if you're an ethnic minority//LGBT/Woman with decent academics, it's the best time to pursue a career in banking. If you make it onto schemes such as SEO/Rare/Brokerage, you get a solid footing with networking events and they guide you through the etiquettes of the corporate industry, assist with polishing your CV and interview skills etc.. Banks are so open to diversity nowadays, it's worthwhile capitalising on. It is positive discrimination but I think without these schemes I wouldn't have ever been looking into banking as a potential career option.

I certainly wouldn't have been able to handle the recruitment process by myself. I don't have any family/friends in the corporate industry to guide me on what to do and how to impress. However, being provided with these services has given me the chance to network and explore options for myself. I certainly think these are good outreach programmes for people like me who would've otherwise been clueless.

Being a candidate on these programmes doesn't gaurantee you anything. However, the support in terms of interviews/presenting yourself is second to none which gives candidates all the relevant knowledge, that if they put time into it, they can do as well as the rest of the competition. The thing is, candidates have similar grades and uni names, however went to sub-par state schools and don't know much about careers etc.. and it's daunting knowing that you're against the best of the best. So that extra hand up is vital to the success of many.

SEO is a god send. Can confirm.

Looking on Linkedin or anything similar, you can always tell who the SEO/diversity people are.

I know some fairly poor candidates who've made it to the final interviewing stage through this avenue.

I have nothing against SEO - This isn't really a recent phenomenon though, banks have been big on diversity for the past 10-15 years. Not going to lie though, most SEO people that I've met don't really match the description of sub-par state school, poor family etc.

I think the issue extends far deeper than purely breaking into the industry. Most people in the upper echelons of banking still mainly hail from the generic background and as a junior, it won't always be easy to connect/network with the 'right' people as your background.

I think it will be interesting to see how ethnic minorities fare with regards to promotions to senior roles whilst in the industry - easiest way to satisfy the calls for diversity is to increase the amount of ethnic minorities in the roles where it matters the least for the banks.(i.e analysts)

Yes, not sure about requirements. Have never checked them out in any depth.

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