Presentation given at University of Sussex, October 2010

1. SEO London
‘One application, infinite opportunities…’
www.seo-london.com

2. What is SEO London?
 Sponsors for Educational Opportunity (SEO) London is an alumni driven
not-for-profit organisation
 SEO provides students from under-represented ethnic minority backgrounds
the opportunity to gain internships at ALL of the top investment banks,
management consultancies, professional service and corporate law firms in
London
More than 320 summer internships with 26 of the City‟s leading financial
service firms in 2010 (plus 150 mini internships for first year students)
More than 400 summer/longer internships available in 2011 with
30+ City firms (plus 170+ mini internships for first year students)
SEO was originally founded in 1963 as one of New York City‟s first mentoring
programmes for BME (Black & Minority Ethnic) high school students, London
programme founded in 2000 by alumni of US programme
Since 2000, 80% of 1300+ alumni of the SEO London
programme have gone on to secure full-time graduate
positions with partner firms at the end of their placementwww.seo-london.com

3. SEO London programmes
There are currently five different programmes
supporting university students:
 Investment Banking
 Technology
 Professional Services
 Corporate Law
 First Year Fast Track
www.seo-london.com

4. SEO London partner firms
www.seo-london.com

5. We help you go from …
www.seo-london.com

6. …to…
www.seo-london.com

7. Why SEO London?
www.seo-london.com

8. What do YOU get from SEO London?
 Access All Areas, All Firms – one application to SEO can provide you with
access to 30+ partner firm internship schemes and 16 different internship divisions.
 Application Support – SEO will help improve your CV and provide coaching
before interviews.
 Comprehensive Training – receive up to 100 hours of tailored technical and
soft skills training before your internship starts.
 Mentoring From Industry Experts – access to multiple industry mentors who
will guide you through your summer internship experience.
 Network with CEOs – meet leaders from every firm and division in the
industry through both SEO‟s exclusive Seminar Series and extensive alumni network.
 Highly paid internship – or vacation placement with one or more of the
world‟s leading City firms.
 Fast Track To Graduate – be the first to be considered for graduate interviews
at all of our partner firms at the end of your internship.
 Lifetime Access – to SEO‟s alumni support network at your firm and globally
(more than 6,500 members worldwide).
www.seo-london.com

9. Investment
Banking
www.seo-london.com

10. Which division is best for YOU?
External facing
 Investment Banking Division (IBD)
 Capital Market Origination
 Sales
 Trading
 Research
 Structuring
 Asset Management
 Private Wealth Management
200+ internships available across these areas!!!
Internal facing
 Technology
 Risk Management
 Finance
 Operations
 Audit
 Compliance
 Services
www.seo-london.com

11. A career in an industry with many benefits…
www.seo-london.com
 Fast-paced, dynamic work environment
 Work with the brightest and best
 World class training and development
 Responsibility from day one
 Global reach
 Career mobility (internally and externally)
 Creative work
 Client exposure
 Access to resources for social change

12. www.seo-london.com
…including compensation!
Source: HESA stats, efinancial careers, SEO data
2010 average graduate staring salaries
0
50,000
£48,000
£23,220
£19,677
All FTSE 100 companies I-banks
Intern summer salary – any guesses?

13. www.seo-london.comSource: HESA stats, efinancial careers, SEO data
Compensation after 5yrs
Average salaries after 5yrs
0
150,000
£142,000
£39,850
£25,620
All FTSE 100 companies I-banks
2.5 times pay gap as graduates widens to 5.5 times after 5 yrs!

14. Technology
www.seo-london.com

15.  In 2011 SEO will provide up to 50 internships / industrial
placements at top tier banks and consultancy firms with
leading technology platforms
 Students can either apply for a summer internship or a six
month / one year sandwich placement/graduate placement
 Technology consulting opportunities also available with
Accenture
www.seo-london.com
SEO London Technology Programme

16. Is Technology for YOU?
 Do you genuinely have an interest and passion for technology?
 Do you keep yourself abreast with everyday technological
advances?
 Why banking technology?
 Which areas within technology are YOU most suited for?
 Programmer / Developer
 Infrastructure
 Consulting
 Business Analyst
 Are you proficient in one or more programming languages?
 Does your CV and application show your enthusiasm for
technology?
www.seo-london.com

17. Professional
Services
www.seo-london.com

18. Professional services programme
 Over 100 places available in 2011
 6-8 week summer internships at all of the Big 4 professional services
firms as well as summer/industrial/graduate placements with
Accenture
 SEO offer summer internships in the following divisions
 Audit/Assurance
 Tax
 Consulting
 Advisory
 Most placements will be London based but there will be provision to
work in other UK cities as well if you wish (including Birmingham,
Manchester, Leeds, Reading, etc.)
 In 2010, 96% of the SEO professional service class received full time
offers at the end of their internships
www.seo-london.com

19. Corporate Law
www.seo-london.com

20. SEO corporate law vacation scheme
 SEO law interns will be placed on one / multiple summer vacation
schemes with our 15+ partner firms
 Magic Circle / Top 20 UK / Top 10 US firms
 Summer internships with i-bank law and compliance teams
 Vacation placement duration (two / three / four weeks) will vary by
partner firm
 SEO law interns will also have access to all partner firms through
exclusive open days and SEO hosted training contract networking
receptions
www.seo-london.com

21. SEO First Year
Fast Track
www.seo-london.com

22. Investment banking „fast track‟ for first years
 More than 150 students will be invited to attend exclusive training from and
networking with SEO alumni and partner i-bank representatives
 Learn about all of the different i-bank businesses and products from
managing directors to better understand how banks make money and where
you might be best suited
 Network with analysts, associates, vice presidents, directors and recruiters
 Participate in interactive trading games, case studies and panel discussions
with senior bankers
 Get the inside track on what banks are looking for in both internship and
full time applications through CV workshops and interview skills sessions
with heads of graduate recruitment
 Be fast tracked for spring 2011 and summer 2012 internships with SEO
partner investment banks
 This year‟s event will also include sessions on Corporate Law and Professional
Services
 The event will be held on 13th-14th December 2010 at Nomura and Goldman
Sachs www.seo-london.com

23. Eligibility Criteria
www.seo-london.com

24. PROGRAMME ELIGIBILITY ASSESSMENT STAGES
INVESTMENT
BANKING
 On track for 2.1
 300 UCAS points
 Penultimate year or final yr if planning to do a
Masters
 Operations and Finance year long placements
available
 Any degree background
 Application form
 Numerical Test
 Phone Interview
DEADLINE – 14TH NOV
TECHNOLOGY  On track for 2.1
 240 UCAS points (340 points for Consulting)
 Penultimate year or final yr if planning to do a
Masters
 Summer or one year long placements available
 C++/JAVA/C# beneficial
 Any degree background
 Application form
 Numerical &
Programming Aptitude
Test
 Phone Interview
DEADLINE – 14TH NOV
PROFESSIONAL
SERVICES
 On track for 2.1
 300 UCAS points (Audit/Tax)
320 UCAS points (Consulting/Corporate Finance)
 Penultimate year or final yr if planning to do a
Masters
 Some consulting opportunities for first and final
year students available
 Any degree background
 Application form
 Numerical & Verbal
Reasoning Test
 Phone Interview
DEADLINE – 31ST OCT
www.seo-london.com
Are you eligible – Banking/Tech/PS?

25. PROGRAMME ELIGIBILITY ASSESSMENT STAGES
COPORATE
LAW
 On track for 2.1
 300 UCAS points
 2nd year of a Law degree or final year of a non Law
degree
(Should be completing LPC in 2012 or 2013)
 Any degree background
 Application form
 Verbal Reasoning Test
 Phone Interview
 Written exercise
DEADLINE – 14TH NOV
FIRST YEAR
FAST TRACK
On track for 2.1
 300 UCAS points
 First year (or second year of a 4 year degree)
 Should be graduating in 2013
 Screened on application
form alone
 NO INTERVIEWS OR
TESTS
DEADLINE – 7TH NOV
Apply online now at www.seo-london.com
www.seo-london.com
Are you eligible – Corp Law/FYFT?

26. Applications
www.seo-london.com

27. What makes YOU a strong SEO intern?
 Preparation!
 Academic excellence
 Excellent quantitative, analytic and creative skills
 Leadership in extra curricular activities and a demonstrated
commitment to community service
 Very good attention to detail
 Strong interpersonal and networking skills
 Career commitment
 Commercial awareness
 Strong academic reference
www.seo-london.com

28. Commercial Awareness
 Genuine, demonstrable interest in how the city works
 All you need to know about the City 2009/10: Chris Stoakes
 All you need to know about being a Trainee Solicitor: Elizabeth
Cruickshank & Penny Cooper
 Be aware of latest business, economic and government
developments and have an opinion
 FT / The Economist
• FT (First Page / Lex column / Companies & Markets headlines - last 4 pages
in particular / M&A news)
• The Economist – great for helping you form your own views
 Times/Guardian/Telegraph business sections
• Read business news and market stories to understand facts and issues
• Develop an opinion by reading comments/analysis sections
 Bloomberg / Reuters (especially for i-banking candidates)
www.seo-london.com

29. Why should SEO choose YOU?
 Do I like you? Do you have a personality, opinions?
 Do you show an interest in the business world and current affairs?
 Do you pay careful attention to detail? Can I trust you with clients and big deals
someday?
 Are you prepared? Can you explain why you are (a) interested in working in a
particular business and (b) why you think you will be successful in that business?
 Are you bright? Do you have sound analytic and quantitative skills? Do you
demonstrate good decision making skills?
 Are you creative? Are you adaptable?
 Are you someone who is action orientated? Do you have drive? Are you willing to
go that extra yard?
 Are you a team player? Can you listen and can you persuade? Will you network?
 Will you give back?
To help prepare yourself please visit http://www.seo-london.com/
www.seo-london.com

30. Curriculum Vitae (CV)
 Prepare before you put your CV together:
 Do your research / target your CV
 Check CVs of friends/family who have done internships
 Be yourself and pitch yourself appropriately – be consistent with your cover-
letter
 Follow instructions provided by SEO or by banks (ESPECIALLY with online
applications)
 Keep it to one page (!!!) and have a simple structure (no paragraphs please!)
 Use consistent tense
 Look it over with a “fresh pair of eyes”. Have someone else proofread and
give feedback/check errors
 Keep a copy (so you know WHY you applied and WHAT you wrote)
 Use spell check!!!
www.seo-london.com

32. Preparing your cover letter
 Think of it as a way to frame and position your CV to be attractive to SEO or a
specific firm.
 You should not have a summary or objectives on the top of a CV for investment
banking, so use the cover-letter as a guide to the most important features of
your CV.
 Each cover letter should be different, so always keep a copy and check over who
you wrote it to!
 Be specific and concrete – your cover letter is your opportunity to paint a very
visual picture of who you are, what motivates you, what your successes are, etc.
Let us see you in action!
 Make sure that cover letter has a structure as you would any essay
 Paragraph one: Why you are interested in the industry
 Paragraph two: Why you are interested in the division to which you are
applying
 Paragraph three: Why would you be great candidate for the SEO
programme
www.seo-london.com

34. www.seo-london.com
 FORMATTING ERRORS:
 Multiple page CVs
 Dynamic summaries or objectives on the top of your CV
 Fancy fonts (Arial/Times New Roman ok.)
 Anything swirly or multi-coloured not ok!)
 CONTENT ERRORS:
 Poor spelling, punctuation, and grammar errors
 Inaccurate or untrue information
 Forgetting to change the company name on a previously used cover letter!
 Incorrect dates on your CV (there is a background check, so make sure it‟s right!)
 Misspelling contact person‟s name
 Inconsistent tenses
 Negative comments about past work experience/colleagues
 Procrastination – if you leave CVs and cover-letters to the last minute, you WILL
make mistakes!
 Silly/inappropriate e-mail address (i.e cutie_pie@gmail.com).
 Wrong or outdated phone number
 Writing in TEXT speak, U NO WAT I MEAN?
 If you do not receive a favourable response, do not send a rude e-mail or
leave a rude phone message. Recruiters have good memories!!
CV & cover letter bin-proofing

35. What next?
 Make an (online) application asap – all admissions are on
a rolling basis!
 Please visit the website www.seo-london.org for more details
 SEO interviews will be held in December 2010 and January
2011 for summer programmes
 Start your preparation
 Ensure you are commercially aware
 Practice numerical and verbal reasoning tests
 Practice interview questions
www.seo-london.com

36. Join the SEO Family
For more information, including access to the online application,
please visit www.seo-london.com
We look forward to hearing from you!
www.seo-london.com