Standard Chartered

Created by the merger of the Standard Bank of British South Africa and the Chartered Bank of India, Australia and China, Standard Chartered PLC now employs over 87,000 staff in 70 different countries. Since being listed on the London Stock Exchange in 1969, the London-based group has continued to expand by making a number of high profile acquisitions, including the American Express Bank in 2008, and has thus firmly established itself as one of the top-20 companies in the FTSE 100 by market capitalisation.

Standard Chartered has a presence in 13 European markets and is now one of the UK’s largest banks, employing 2,000 people here. The bank is also likely to be a familiar name to football fans as Standard Chartered has been the main sponsor of Liverpool Football Club since July 2010. Despite a global presence, Standard Chartered has a strong focus on emerging markets in Asia, Africa and the Middle East with 90% of its operating profits coming from these regions.

Standard Chartered is committed to sustainable business development, and dedicated to a number of altruistic ventures. From supporting women in business to running an HIV and AIDS awareness programme, and promising to cut its carbon emissions by 2020, Standard Chartered is proof that a company with a strong moral compass can still be a successful business. In fact, back in 2010 the bank was named Global Bank of the Year in the Bank of the Year awards run by financial affairs magazine, The Banker.

Practice numerical tests and verbal tests used by actual employers.

The Standard Chartered International Graduate Programme is made up of three main sectors: Consumer Banking, Wholesale Banking and Specialist Functions. Within these streams there are a number of sub categories to which graduates can apply.

All graduates on the Consumer Banking scheme will complete the same programme which lasts for 18 months and includes four rotations. This begins with the mandatory International Induction Programme (IIP), present in all schemes, and is followed by academic programmes in Kuala Lumpur and Singapore.

Those wishing to apply for the Wholesale Banking programme must choose one of four areas to concentrate on: Coverage & Corporate Finance, Financial Markets, Principal Finance or Transaction Banking. During all of the 12-month programmes, candidates will learn on the job as well as having the opportunity to earn their Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA) qualification.

Within the Specialist Functions programme, graduates can select from one of three areas: Corporate Real Estate Services (CRES), Group Internal Audit (GIA) or Human Resources. For the 18 month duration of these programmes you will be supported by a Graduate Development Manager and receive frequent feedback on your progress.

Application Process

As with most grad scheme applications, the process starts with an online form where you’ll outline your personal information, academic background and previous employment history. After the application has been filled in, an online assessment testing your numerical and reasoning abilities awaits you. Next up is either a telephone or face-to-face interview lasting around an hour. Expect to be asked about your strengths, achievements and why you would be well suited to the specific scheme you’ve applied to.

If your initial interview goes well you’ll be asked to attend an assessment day. Expect the interview which kicks off this final part of the recruitment process to be a step up from the previous one. As well as fielding competency-based questions, you will be expected to showcase your communication skills and prove to assessors that you have the skills necessary to adapt to work within Standard Chartered.

Interviewers also need to get a sense of how well individuals work in a team and their ability to handle pressure, so you should expect a group exercise. The day will conclude with a presentation on a topic given to you earlier that day.

Stats

No. of employees worldwide: 87,000
No. of employees in the UK: 2,000

Salary

Graduate starting salary: Competitive

Departments

Consumer Banking
Wholesale Banking