Graduate Analyst in Digital Technology and Engineering Services

Anastasia Bugaenko

Information Technology, Engineering

Degree Apprenticeship

NatWest Group

What was the interview process like?

As you would expect the interview and the assessment day in general included the individual and group tasks. The atmosphere was really friendly and the interviewers and organisers made sure you feel comfortable and confident in order to really show your full potential. I have really enjoyed my interview process as it has also been an opportunity to meet someone who already works at the Bank and find out more about technology, people and the atmosphere within the Bank. I have also made a few good friends on my very first interview day and we have gone together through the internship and now the graduate programme – I am grateful the Bank was so supporting throughout the whole process.

How much responsibility were you given?

From the first days you join the team the responsibility given to you is impressively high, even though you might not realise it initially. The everyday tasks that seem relatively straightforward sometimes involve exposure to the Banks’ most sensitive data and you need to take extreme care when dealing with it. The responsibility you are given is also evident through the tasks you are being assigned, because whilst dealing with any of the Banks’ internal or external applications even a smallest change can have great consequences. The secure development environment facilitates your safe work, but it is actually seeing your change live in the production environment that brings the thrilling feeling of achievement and the inside pride for taking up such a responsibility.

What advice would you give to someone applying for your role?

What has always worked for me and I would recommend it to anyone preparing for an important interview – be yourself. The confidence and calmness you show during the interview speak better than any of the achievements listed on your resume. Your awareness of the business that the Bank is conducting and the role of technology in finance are also crucial pre-requisites for a successful interview. The variety of your interests and the keenness to learn new things would be much favoured – so make sure to mention your out-of-the classroom activities whether it is mobile app development or marathon running.

Describe a situation where you surpassed expectations.

Only a few months into my first placement within the bank one of the applications my team supports had undergone a major bank-wide release and due to the novelty of the used technology we have experienced a large number of user support queries. At the time the team did not have enough resources and it was mostly the three of us trying to resolve the queries coming in with an astonishing speed – up to a hundred emails per hour. It was a difficult time trying to help out everyone and at the same time dealing with the root cause of the problem at the back end, but just in a few days we have cleared out the issue whilst continuously supporting our users.

How promising are the graduate prospects?

The graduate scheme is structured in such a way that apart from the key team placement within the bank graduates are also supported in their professional and personal development through various trainings, seminars, committees and networking events. As a graduate you get the exposure to many aspects of the bank getting to know how different parts of such a great system glue together and do their best to deliver the excellent service to our clients. The various initiatives within the bank are also there for you to get involved and improve on your general knowledge, professional qualifications, social impact and other aspect of everyday life. There are plenty of opportunities of different kind available to the graduates – you just need to go out there and explore them!