ASB Graduate Diaries: Tom McEwan

I’ve been at ASB for eight weeks now, as part of the Corporate, Commercial & Rural (CCR) stream of the Future Me graduate programme. My first rotation is in the CCR Compliance team and I have already had the opportunity to work on some great projects. So far I love ASB and can’t say enough about how welcoming everyone has been and how supportive the bank is of the Future Me programme.

As a graduate, we have the opportunity to be involved in various Future Me committees – one that I got involved with is the University Committee. With the 2016 recruitment process approaching, we are busy organising university presentations and developing strategies to find students from around the country that would be a good fit for ASB. It was this time last year that I went through the recruitment process myself and got my first glimpse of ASB as an employer.

As a student, I attended numerous employer presentations at my university and considered all of my options as I progressed through various stages of different recruitment processes. ASB really jumped out at me though. Everyone I met was really friendly and I was impressed with the positive and vibrant atmosphere of the company. Now that I’m working here it is encouraging to see that ASB is like that in “real life” too.

ASB’s recruitment process began online with a CV, cover letter and a series of online tests. Shortly after this I was contacted for a phone interview and then invited to attend the assessment centre with other applicants. The assessment centre was a pretty intense but rewarding experience. Nearly a year later and we still talk about it from time to time, showing what a lasting impression it left on us all. We were put through a series of individual and group tasks (including interviews) and watched every step of the way. We also had the chance to meet some of the current graduates and received a tour of the building – which was a definite selling point for me in working for ASB.

My tips for applying to the ASB Future Me graduate programme:

• Work out why you want to work in banking and at ASB in particular - you will be asked about this.
• Understand ASB’s vision and values - these are consistently emphasised at ASB so make sure they fit with your personal values.
• Make sure your CV and cover letter stand out - make it straight to the point and ensure it shows your personality and values.
• Take the online testing seriously - with nearly 1,000 applications, this forms a significant part of the rigorous process.
• Be ready for a screening interview - know who you are, what you’ve done, what you want to do and why. Be ready to give specific examples.

My tips for the assessment centre:

• Be yourself - I remember being told this and not thinking much of it, but after you’ve been through it you realise it is the best advice you can give someone.
• Keep going - Everyone is nervous (that’s normal), so if you make a mistake put it behind you and try and nail the next task.
• Be a team player - ASB is all about fostering an unbeatable team.
• Get a feel for ASB - What you see at the assessment centre is what it’s really like at ASB so make sure it’s the right fit for you.
• Enjoy it - Get to know people and make some new friends!

Succeed on!

Learn more about the Future Me graduate programme or apply now.