Barclays Application Process

Barclays recruit graduates to join programmes in Commercial Bank, Retail Banking, Barclaycard, Finance, Treasury, Technology, Tax, HR and UKRB Marketing & Products. Each business area runs its own structured training programme lasting between one and three years.

Barclays Graduate Application procedure

The application process for Barclays varies depending upon which scheme you apply for, but everyone has to fill out an Online Application (provided by third-party recruitment consultants GTI OS). This includes a one page CV upload and answering three generic questions:

• Please tell us what attracts you to Barclays and excites you about working in the Financial Services sector (200 words max)
• Please tell us what you think the key issues facing Barclays are at present and what the organisation could do to address these issues (200 words max)
• Please tell us why you are interested in this particular graduate programme and why you think you would be a strong candidate for a place on the programme (200 words max)

Your online application is then reviewed, and, if successful, you are invited to sit a Numerical Reasoning test. This is a standard SHL Test, which is around the same level as the online tests for other graduate schemes.

If you are successful at the Numerical Reasoning test, you will be immediately invited to sit the Verbal Reasoning test (SHL again).

If you are successful at the Verbal Reasoning test, depending on the scheme you will either be invited to select a First Round interview date or go through a final CV screen for some of the smaller programmes

The First Round Interview varies, depending on which scheme you select but is likely to include testing (SHL again) competency based interviews, group exercises and presentations. There is also an opportunity to have a lunch or coffee with the current Graduates to meet a few of them and ask them questions

The First Round Interview varies, depending on which scheme you select:

Retail Banking and Marketing and Products

• 45 minute telephone interview
• Assessment Centre

Commercial Banking

• Half day Assessment Centre: 30 mins paper-based Numerical Reasoning Test (SHL again, but slightly easier than the online tests); 1hr Competency-Based Interview; 1hr Biographical Interview.
• The Competency-Based interview carries more weight that the Biographical interview - however, it's worth noting that they are both very similar to each other. Barclays does not go in for the scripted competency interviews, like the ones you might have over the phone with other banks, and it is much more of a general, genuine discussion of what you've done. For instance, they might pick something out of your CV, and then ask what skills you used.
• Very informal lunch/tea (couple of trays of sandwiches, jug of OJ), you get the chance to speak to a couple of current Grads.
• Whole thing lasts about 4 and a half hours.

Finance

• Half day Assessment Centre: Group Exercise and Competency-Based Interview.
• Last approx. 2hr30.