Nomura Insight Review

I found the insight days at Nomura to not only be enjoyable, but also very useful from a development perspective. I was able to gain a deeper insight into the world of investment banking and the various departments and desks that make up this global investment bank. From a networking perspective, there is a lot to gain from this insight.

I felt very valued during my short time spent at Nomura. The HR recruitment team, who organised and ran the event, were welcoming and made everyone feel at ease. All of our questions were answered clearly and we were all encouraged to make contributions to team discussions. All employees were friendly and willing to speak to us.

I felt well supported throughout the process, from the beginning stages of the application right through to the actual insight days. When at Nomura, the representatives guided us through the materials as well as the networking sessions. We were guided through the application stages for placement/graduate opportunities, which I found to be very beneficial.

During the insight days, I developed a number of transferable skills such as communication, presentation and data analysis. Such skills will be vital in any career going forward. I also greatly improved my confidence over the insight, thanks to the help of the Nomura representatives, who were very encouraging and uplifting.

The insight was very well structured and organised. There were hour long sessions during the entire day, each were intended to improve our understanding or skills in some way. The industry professionals were very interesting to talk to as this offered us a true insight into the industry we hope to enter in the future.

Everyone on the programme was friendly and open, and this created a great atmosphere among the interns. In terms of the workplace atmosphere, I was expecting this to be intimidating and very serious, however this wasn’t the case at all. All employees were friendly and I found there to be a great general atmosphere in the office.

Nomura invested a great deal of time in all of us and it was clear that careful planning had gone into organising the event. Over the course of the three days, we had numerous workshops aimed at developing critical skills, such as presentation skills and interview technique. We also had a number of industry professionals speak to us, which provided a good general insight into the bank.

This programme was insight as we had the chance to speak to many employees and graduates about what it would be like to work at Nomura.

Nomura was keen to stress the importance of their inclusive working culture, which is something they pride themselves on. Due to their Japanese background, Nomura are keen to embed their culture and heritage into the business and it was refreshing to see an investment bank with such a unique trait.

My time at Nomura reinforced to me that I do want to pursue a career in the financial sector. It was useful to understand the different areas of the bank and determine where my skills would be best suited. The content of the insight days was tailored at helping us realise our potential and where we would best be suited to pursue a career path, which I found to be very useful.

I was reimbursed my travel costs quickly and effectively.

There were endless opportunities to meet and network with Nomura employees. We had a number of organised, formal networking sessions as well as informal networking over lunch etc. This provided us with a greater insight to what it would ‘really’ be like to work for this investment bank and how it runs on a day-to-day basis.

Networking was one of the main focuses of the insight. Nomura actively encouraged us to network, almost from the minute we entered their building. There were numerous opportunities to do so, as well as dedicated sessions. I think that it is important that Nomura did this, as this allowed us to improve our skills in networking, something that will be important for a long time to come.

Employees opportunities outside of work are plentiful. Such opportunities include charity events and helping local school students, in particular deprived ones, to prosper. it seemed as though the employees really enjoy this side of their work; being able to give back to the community as well as getting to know each other on a more informal basis.

I would really recommend this experience to a friend. It further enhanced my interest in the banking sector and gave me the opportunity to develop key employability skills. I learnt a lot over the few days I spent at Nomura and met so many interesting people. I also enjoyed the opportunity being based in their amazing London offices.