Overall Rating
3.8 /5
The Overall Rating is the average of all the ratings given in each category. We take those individual ratings and combine them into one final score!
3.4/5
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Overview of the Experience
4/5
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Skills Development
3.5/5
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Company Culture
Overview of the Experience
Please give an overview of what your work experience involved:
3/5
Online work experience where we listened to different people whether it be apprentices or HSBC employees talk about their experiences at the company. There were a range of sectors shown including procurement, personal banking, and IT. Certain tasks were given to complete in groups e.g. advertisement presentations which had to be presented.
To what extent did you enjoy your work experience?
2/5
It was a good work experience but wasn't without its flaws. There was a lot of sectors that were described which was good as it told us about a range of different jobs. However, this often meant that explanations were brief and a lot of time was spent just listening to people.
How well organised was your work experience?
4/5
It was pretty well organised as it should have been. We were given a clear timetable well in advance of the actual work experience. The meetings were always punctual and there weren't many massive hiccups when it came to the plan being unable to be followed except for break-out rooms.
How much did your work experience help you in deciding on your future career path?
3/5
It was definitely useful in helping me become more aware of the different pathways within finance. It isn't all just about banking but there are other aspects such as procurement, data and public relations. The apprentices that spoke gave valid points about the benefits of taking one and that has interested me.
Were you paid or reimbursed for this experience?
5/5
No. This was a free work experience so there were no costs as this was done online. Therefore everything was free. The only costs that I can see is the fact that some people had their experience week on a school week therefore most likely had to miss the entire week.
Skills Development
What training and skills development did you learn from your work experience?
4/5
I was given a relatively simple but broad overview into the world of HSBC and also banking. I gained skills such as interacting with groups of strangers and presenting a presentation to a group of 100 people. There was also a mock interview where we were able to practise giving answers.
Company Culture
How much did you learn about the company culture and what it would be like to work there?
4/5
HSBC's culture definitely surprised me as I expected them to be a big, corporate, distant firm. However, many of the seminars were about diversity and giving people fair rights and opportunities. As well as this, all the people presenting and talking about HSBC seemed nice and had that same values on diversity.
Were there opportunities for networking and meeting other employees?
3/5
In a way yes. They was a really big emphasis on meeting actual workers from HSBC and hearing about their experiences. This allowed us to ask questions and and in cases we were given ways to contact them in order to follow up with any questions outside of the seminars.
Recommendations and Advice
Would you recommend HSBC to a friend?
Yes
Why?
It does seem like a good company to work in. They make an active effort to be diverse, sustainable and supportive. As well as this the whole culture and environment seems to be one that anyone or any body could jump into regardless of someone's race, gender or beliefs.
What tips or advice would you give to others applying to HSBC?
The biggest thing is to have a good CV as that is the first round so the first thing you want to make a good impression on. However, it is equally important to know the values of HSBC as it is a common theme in the follow up questions asked online and on the phone.
