Application process for Summer Internships and Graduate Programmes
"Preparing well for interviews is important, but not giving scripted answers or those that you think the interviewer wanted to hear was pivotal to help portray a true reflection of who you are in a short period of time!"
Kerr Stoddart
Investments Graduate
"Show that you are a team player. I found this to be a big focus in the recruitment process as it lends itself to the inclusive culture at the business."
Sophie Ainslie
Investments Graduate
CV & online application
If you’re serious about a role with us, it’s worth taking the time at this stage to get your CV and application right.
- Make sure you tailor your CV to the role you have applied for.
- Highlight the unique qualities you can bring to our organisation.
- Ensure your application explains what has motivated you to apply to the role and company.
- When providing examples, remember to explain the “how you did something” as well as the “what you did”, so we can see the skills you utilised.
- Re-read your application to ensure your answers have expressed everything you wanted to.
Online tests
With online tests, the key thing is to practise them first. This will help you to feel comfortable with the format of the questions so that you have the best chance of doing well. There are several practice sites available, such as those offered by Cut-e (Aon) Assessments, and you can ask your careers service for help or search online for some extra practice examples.
When doing the test for real, it is always best to choose a quiet location where you won’t be disturbed.
Video interview
When it comes to the video interview, this is your chance to have a conversation with us and to re-affirm your motivation for applying.
Remind yourself what it is that attracts you to abrdn and how you hope to contribute towards our ambition of being a world class investments company.
Try to vary or give a little more detail around the answers given on your application.
Assessment Centre
If you're selected for our assessment centre, then be ready to step up a gear again.
This is the final stage in the process, where we get to meet you face to face and you have the chance to really make an impression. Our centres are designed to set you up for success and allow you to demonstrate what you can bring to our organisation.
An assessment centre will typically consist of an Interview, business-related case study and/or group exercise.
Interview tips
- Remember we will have read your application and your telephone interview notes, so it’s important not just to repeat the same things. It’s ok to use some of the same examples just remember to give more depth to your answer.
- Try to vary your examples so that you are not pulling from the same scenario throughout.
- Examples can be from any situation, University, Part time work, voluntary work , clubs society’s’ personal experiences, whatever you feel most relevantly answers the questions and demonstrates your strengths, skills and attributes for the role.
- When answering each question, remember to explain the “how you did something” as well as the “what you did”, so we can see the steps you took to achieve it and skills you utilised.
- Remember to focus on what you did; the interviewer will be looking for “I”, even in team-working examples.
- Listen to the whole question, and answer the question that the interviewer asks, not the question that you wanted them to ask.
- If you can't think of an example for a particular question, ask to come back to the question at the end. If you don’t understand a question ask the interviewer to repeat or re-phrase it.
i2020
Our partners at i2020 have kindly collated some hints and tips for candidates who are preparing for an interview. If you’re interested in utilising this support, please visit their website.
Simon Bird
“The advice I would give to applicants would be to really carry out your research on the firm and find the area that interests you the most. This will allow you to come across confident and perform your best, whether it be at phone interview or assessment centre, and ensure that you make the right decision as to where you would like to be."
Simon Bird
Find out more
View our summer internship and graduate opportunities.
Learn more about how we work to attract, develop and retain talented people.
Learn more about our range of employee benefits.
Learn more about traineeship opportunities at abrdn.
Find the answers to some of our frequently asked early careers questions.
Find out how you can apply for a summer internship or graduate programme at abrdn.