Hints & tips

You’re probably an application form expert by now, but we’ve put together a few pointers to help you make the best first impression you can. If you’re right for Smith & Williamson we don’t want to miss out, so make sure you:

• Research the role and Smith & Williamson before applying
• Consider each question carefully - clear and concise answers are best
• Present your answers simply and include evidence of all your skills
• Think about your suitability. If you don’t quite meet our academic requirements, but have extenuating circumstances we’d be happy to hear from you just the same
• Proof-read your form before sending it back - written communication is an important part of our work here, so we’ll be looking out for spelling and punctuation
• Print or save a copy of your form - it’ll help you prepare for later stages of the recruitment process

You can prepare for the first interview stage by taking care to:

• Research your position and understand what a competency interview consists of
• Speak concisely, listen to questions carefully and answer clearly
• Give as much evidence as you can to back up your skills
• Review your original application - we’ll refer to this throughout the interview

You can ready yourself for the assessment day by considering a few basic points and making sure you:

• Read up on the business area you’ve applied for and take the chance to demonstrate your general commercial awareness. Check who we look for and get some pointers
• Research further into Smith & Williamson and the role you’ve applied for
• Be yourself and learn from the experience - it’s a great chance for us to get to know each other

The final interview stage is your last chance to impress your future colleagues, so prepare all you can and:

• Have clear and fresh company and role knowledge to hand
• Make sure your answers are relevant to the question and thorough
• Consider which questions you may like to ask and use the opportunity to find out anything you’d like to know
• Be yourself and relax. We want to see the real you, your personality and skills

If you’d like feedback on your application or application status, please feel free to contact us on graduates@smith.williamson.co.uk