GUEST COMMENT: The best bankers have studied at the LSE
Every year a wave of HR personnel from the world's investment banks descend onto the campus of a small university in central London. Handing out badges, mouse mats and t-shirts, these HR folk are doing their utmost to attract and recruit members of the student body for their internship and graduate schemes. The campus is based in Houghton Street and the university goes by the name of the London School of Economics, otherwise known as the LSE.
What then is it that makes the LSE such a great place for students interested in a career in banking? Well, the reasons are manifold.
First and foremost, the LSE has a superb academic reputation, particularly so in the fields of international relations and economics, which automatically makes it a target university for every investment banking recruiter. With one of the highest applicant to places ratios of any British university, banks can be fairly certain that LSE students will be academically capable.
It's fair to say that with so many fantastic European universities to also visit, and with recruitment budgets under pressure, graduate recruitment teams can not always make it out to every Russell Group university in the UK.
Another often touted strength is the LSE's close proximity to the City of London, both figuratively and geographically. You'll find former LSE students occupying the very highest positions in the field of banking, meaning that effective use of alumni networking events can give a student a crucial advantage at the interview stage. I remember a Director in one of my first round interviews being genuinely interested in how LSE had changed since he had left in the mid 90s. Furthermore, the very fact that the LSE is based in London makes it far easier for students to carry out any ad hoc internships that might be offered during term time.
Finally, the LSE has a superb careers centre. Working with HR teams at all the large banks staff at the LSE careers centre often organise interview skills sessions and CV workshops. Walking along Houghton Street in early November it is impossible to miss the myriad of posters advertising some investment banking careers event that the LSE careers centre has organised. I know, because I once walked those hallowed streets and went into banking myself.
