AIB Graduate Interview

michieie

Hi All

I recently got past the AIB Silo aptitude test - crazy thing, but i have been given an interview, as i have never went through a process like this before with the aptitude test and then interview i'm looking for some advise on what i may need to know or more to the point what they want you to know.

If anyone gone through the AIB recruitment process and have any advice on them would be great

Cheers
M

MIN2511

1st Congrats! Not many people pass that bloody test! The interview would be based on what degree you have. For instance IT, they would ask what part of project life cycle you prefer... Analysis, Testing, Programming? And then ask you questions about it. They would also ask about your Thesis. Don't worry, they don't bite. Sometimes it's only HR interviewing you and they know little or nothing about your degree. Study your CV; make sure you can explain everything on it. How many people are going to interview you? I think and I might be wrong, with the Graduate Program you are moved to different departments every 6 months(total = 18months) and after that you would progress to an officer or so...Sometimes they have second interviews but I wont worry about that just yet

farva

Well done on passing that test! Me and a guy in my class both fcuked it up (and we're in a maths/stats 500+ point degree!!!).

The interview will depend on what department you applied for as MIN2511 said. I did a mock interview with someone from AIB Capital Markets through college before Christmas and it was fairly standard stuff. What department did you apply for?

Just out of interest how did they contact you? Was it by post? Because I never heard ANYTHING back from them, my mate got a PFO in the post just before Christmas.

MIN2511

farva wrote: »

Well done on passing that test! Me and a guy in my class both fcuked it up (and we're in a maths/stats 500+ point degree!!!).

The interview will depend on what department you applied for as MIN2511 said. I did a mock interview with someone from AIB Capital Markets through college before Christmas and it was fairly standard stuff. What department did you apply for?

Just out of interest how did they contact you? Was it by post? Because I never heard ANYTHING back from them, my mate got a PFO in the post just before Christmas.

Ah if they don't contact you it means that you definitely didn't get it! I got mine, but I have friends that did it as well and still no word after 4 months but they rang to confirm they failed

I wonder how they calculate the scores, I would consider myself to be pretty smart but then I failed it! I only know two people who passed it and they have been in the bank for years now...
I hate that Silos... grains +,-, 0 total BS if you ask me. The company that created the test has samples online and I practiced but it was VERY different

michieie

well i applied for an IT placement and i heard by post at the end of December just before christmas, it doesnt say anything about how i did on the test that'd be interesting (did finish it more or less but wasn't comfortable with it at all), just says that i was short listed.

farva

MIN2511 wrote: »

Ah if they don't contact you it means that you definitely didn't get it! I got mine, but I have friends that did it as well and still no word after 4 months but they rang to confirm they failed

I wonder how they calculate the scores, I would consider myself to be pretty smart but then I failed it! I only know two people who passed it and they have been in the bank for years now...
I hate that Silos... grains +,-, 0 total BS if you ask me. The company that created the test has samples online and I practiced but it was VERY different

Yeh, I kind of presumed that I didnt pass it as I never got a call back!! Its a bit odd alright having such a tough ambigious test "to determine your suitability on banking". It pisses me off that they didnt even have the decency to tell me that I failed as I gave up a few hours of my time to go and do that stupid test!

I aint to fussed that I didnt get it though as I got a job in BOI Capital Markets with more or less the same package, rotations (AIB CM dont do them) and probably better prospects.

farva

michieie wrote: »

well i applied for an IT placement and i heard by post at the end of December just before christmas, it doesnt say anything about how i did on the test that'd be interesting (did finish it more or less but wasn't comfortable with it at all), just says that i was short listed.

Would love to be able to give you you some advice, but IT aint my division. I remember that when I did do the mock interview with Capital Markets that it was very HR in opposed to technical which suprised me. Maybe IT would be something similar!

MIN2511

Yeah.. with all the bs information they send out to you and the way they make you feel IMPORTANT you would expect them to have the decency to write back
BOI are supposed to have a better package, not so sure about progression there... I suppose you would have to tell us when you start

MIN2511

michieie wrote: »

well i applied for an IT placement and i heard by post at the end of December just before christmas, it doesnt say anything about how i did on the test that'd be interesting (did finish it more or less but wasn't comfortable with it at all), just says that i was short listed.

Did you say IT? Didn't read that...IT is everywhere... they thing is they might place you in a non IT environment initially and work your way up.
Every department has IT

justfortherecor

So what exactly is this 'Silo' test you're all talking about.

Is it some kind of obscure numerical reasoning test or something?

MIN2511

justfortherecor wrote: »

So what exactly is this 'Silo' test you're all talking about.

Is it some kind of obscure numerical reasoning test or something?

The one that goes wheat, grain or something... it's nearly two years since i wrote it
It's an aptitude test

farva

justfortherecor wrote: »

So what exactly is this 'Silo' test you're all talking about.

Is it some kind of obscure numerical reasoning test or something?

Yeh thats basically it. I did it back in October (I think) and they give you about 12 diagrams / information charts and ask you 30 multiple choice questions on it.

You have to pretend that your running a grain depot and based on the information given in each question, you have to deduce if the total quantity of grain in the depot increases, decreases or stays constant. Each question uses a few of the daigrams and you have to decide what information is relavent.

I found it very ambigious and spent more time trying to figure out what the question meant than actually answering the question... hence I didnt get through!! Granted I'm not a psycologist but I honestly dont see how this can "determine your suitability for a career in banking" as they say!

Doctorious

How did the interview go? I did one as well at the end of january-waiting to hear back-they said i'd hear by the 12th of feb but then called me on 11th to say there was a delay and i'd get a letter in the post week starting 25th of feb...wonder if this delay is a bad sign- could be a recruitment freeze on given the dodgy outlook for banks at the mo...

MIN2511

No recruitment freeze at all... Some people have received letters if you don't hear from them by Monday i suggest you ring them

Doctorious

thanks for that...are you working there?? hopefully hear good news next week

Cionád

Has anyone heard anything back yet?

Doctorious

yeah, got a letter today saying that i was successful at interview, but unfortunately aib are not in a position to make any job offers at this point in time.....application will be reviewed in the coming months and should a suitable position arise, we will be in contact with you....

....seems like there may be a recruitment freeze on, due to the uncertainty regarding future outlook....perhaps they just took on fewer people...i don't know....would be interested to hear if anyone else hears anything back.

MIN2511

With their market value falling they have to look after the staff there at the moment, i know the Card Acquiring has been acquired(joint venture) by first data and all the staff(at least 150)there would be moved to different locations in the bank so there might be a freeze alright.
But why did they waste your time??

Cionád

Doctorious wrote: »

yeah, got a letter today saying that i was successful at interview, but unfortunately aib are not in a position to make any job offers at this point in time.....application will be reviewed in the coming months and should a suitable position arise, we will be in contact with you....

....seems like there may be a recruitment freeze on, due to the uncertainty regarding future outlook....perhaps they just took on fewer people...i don't know....would be interested to hear if anyone else hears anything back.

Yea, I got the same letter myself.

I'd be interested to know if anyone got a job too...

Damomanye

Got the same letter guys. I see it in an optimistic light though. Anyone ring them for clarification? it's a very ambiguous letter.

It makes some sense though, im still in college and won't be even able to start any job there till around May or so when i finish and get me degree. So i guess thats why there offering me a job at this stage. too early

MIN2511

Guys, sorry to break the news but for them to offer ye position they would have to be short staffed. Read my previous thread, things are not as gravy as they were last year! They wouldn't want to lay off staff so they wont emply ye untill the market waters have settled

jackbhoy

MIN2511 wrote: »

With their market value falling they have to look after the staff there at the moment, i know the Card Acquiring has been acquired(joint venture) by first data and all the staff(at least 150)there would be moved to different locations in the bank so there might be a freeze alright.
But why did they waste your time??

I doubt very much they set out to waste anyone's time, not least their own. The grad selection process probably got underway last summer when they fully expected to take on usual full complement of grads, but things have changed since then.
Falling market value doesn't really affect income/profits so that's kind of unrelated. The card acquiring thing is a JV and not an acquisition, can't be both and this was also planned a long time ago is totally unrelated to any recruitment freeze.

This has happened before when dot com bubble burst alot of grads that had been offered jobs were then told they had no positions, many of them were taken on months after though, i know a few who still work there.

They have not cut any perm staff but have cut high number of consultants and contractors (as E Sheehy said in press follwing annual results). The only way they will reduce perm numbers is by cutting grads and allowing those leaving (through retirement etc) to outsrip those coming in.

Are you all business grads? In any case I wouldn't give up yet. They still have work there but will wait to see clearer signs of where economy is heading before taking on a swath of new recruits.

justfortherecor

MIN2511 wrote: »

Guys, sorry to break the news but for them to offer ye position they would have to be short staffed. Read my previous thread, things are not as gravy as they were last year! They wouldn't want to lay off staff so they wont emply ye untill the market waters have settled

Spotting and employing talent for the future should still be important for banks though. Its worth noting that most London IBs actually increased graduate intake this year (although I imagine a fair number of Associates and VPs got the boot). Grads are inexpensive and to suggest a recruitment freeze for grads is unlikely.

Also, didnt AIB just pay €220m cash for the Bulgarian American Credit Bank? Doesn't sound like they've completely stopped spending!

MIN2511

Citi group did susupend recruitment and some grads were affected, if any of the posters are IT they stand a chance of getting in more than other occupations....

AIB paid cash yes, but don't forget they are the bank! This new purchase can nearly pay for itself!

Guys, i am not saying you cant/wont get in i am saying look else where as the chances are not that great

Cionád

MIN2511 wrote: »

Citi group did susupend recruitment and some grads were affected, if any of the posters are IT they stand a chance of getting in more than other occupations....

I'm an IT graduate. Why do you say so?

Damomanye

Cionád wrote: »

I'm an IT graduate. Why do you say so?

Me too.

Doctorious

what i'd like to know is if anybody actually got hired and if anyone got a letter saying that they were not successful at interview etc etc.....

jackbhoy

justfortherecor wrote: »

Grads are inexpensive and to suggest a recruitment freeze for grads is unlikely.

Quite the opposite actually. Grad programmes are expensive to run and you are hiring permanent, pensionable staff, who are very expensive to make redundant if things change in future.

spaniel

I got a letter from AIB on Monday offering me a place on the Graduate Programme, i'm really surprised as i thought the interview went really badly! They must be recruiting some people though!

Damomanye

what area or department were you going for or have gotten?

MIN2511

spaniel wrote: »

I got a letter from AIB on Monday offering me a place on the Graduate Programme, i'm really surprised as i thought the interview went really badly! They must be recruiting some people though!

Congrats! Are you in IT?

Doctorious

congratulations!! glad to hear somebody got an offer....are you an undergrad or finished???

spaniel

Thanks! i'm in my final year of financial maths and economics, finishing up in May but think programme starts in Sept, they haven't given me any dates yet! Nope I'm not in IT though!

MIN2511

Financial Maths and Economics that sounds like Capital Markets but i could be wrong, at least one out of the bunch is successful.

Keep us posted on developments

irishguy

AIB have reduced the amount of grads they hired ( C.25 it grads were only interviewed) not sure how many got offered jobs. 2006 they interviewed 100's and took on 30+ it grads (130 or so in total). Also the IT grad program is VERY expensive to run. Loads of IT jobs out there anyway so its not the end of the world.

Doctorious

would love to know the numbers - how many got hired/interviewed etc....also, have not heard of anyone getting a letter saying "unfortunately you were not successful at interview this time"....

ghostdancer

i couldn't make it to my interview in January, still waiting on them to re-schedule it. the person in HR I was talking to said that it would be a few weeks at least before they re-scheduled them for people who couldn't make it, so they might be waiting until everyone is interviewed until they make definite job offers to some people...

Doctorious

was talking to a guy i know who works in Davy stockbrokers last nigth- apparently Anglo Irish Bank have also issued a recruitment freeze last week...

imalwayshappy

Well ive been offered a position on the Anglo Graduate programme got a letter last week from them inviting me and the other graduates to a business lunch in April so if theres a freze on I havnt heard anything about it.

Doctorious

from today's irish times...

"Irish banks curtail recruitment of new staff"

ARTHUR BEESLEY, Senior Business Correspondent

AIB AND Bank of Ireland, the largest financial institutions in the State, have curtailed the recruitment of new staff in light of cuts in their profit forecasts due to the economic downturn and the sustained decline of the property market.

Neither bank has introduced an outright ban on recruitment, but both have sought means of reducing any requirement to hire new workers or make external appointments to replace outgoing staff. This effort to control staff costs comes after sharp cuts in the share price of both banks and an increase in the cost of funds on the international money markets

"There's no recruitment freeze. However, we review our recruitment requirements regularly and where we require employees for job roles within the group we continue to recruit as we have a need for additional staff," said an AIB spokesman.

Last month AIB reported a 4 per cent drop in pretax profits to €2.5 billion for 2007. The bank predicted "low single-digit growth" in adjusted basic earnings per share for 2008, down from a 13 per cent rise last year.

In that context, AIB is redeploying staff if vacancies arise and if there is scope to reduce staffing levels in another area of its operations. This represents an effort to maximise use of internal resources instead of going outside the bank for appointees.

In addition, AIB wrote within the past fortnight to every "successful" candidate for its graduate recruitment programme this year saying that it was "not in a position to make any job offers at this point in time".

AIB told the candidates in question that the bank appreciated the time and effort they put into the selection process and wished them every success in the future. "Your application will be reviewed over the coming months and should a suitable position arise we will be in contact with you."

AIB's spokesman said it was not the case that it had suspended entries to the programme or suspended the programme at large, which is considered to be a prime source of new blood for the bank.

He declined to quantify the number of programme entrants each year but acknowledged that each successful candidate this year has been told there is no vacancy.

The purpose of letters sent to these candidates was to inform them that a review was underway. AIB wants to avoid a situation in which they rejected any other job offer because they were waiting to hear back from it, he said.

Similarly, Bank of Ireland is understood to be reviewing the need to recruit any external candidates for jobs on a case-by-case basis. "We are not operating a total ban on recruitment as we invest appropriately to grow our business. In the current environment we are reviewing all vacancies to ensure we only incur costs that benefit the customer and are business critical," said a Bank of Ireland spokesman.

The bank is currently forecasting 3-5 per cent growth in earnings per share for the fiscal year ending this month. It forecast "high single digit" growth as recently as November.

Cionád

Looks like it's just bad timing for us (and them ) then.

vangough

just got an email off aib basically saying that i was successful in getting past the cap mkts aptitude test and that i am through to the next stage....they will contact me before the end of april to let me know the situation......so i reckon there could be a recruitment freeze.....the whole aib process started in nov 2007...then in jan 2008 we did the apt test for cap mkts and by the end of april they hope to decide when interviews will happen (which i dont think they will 2 be honest!) there playing the safe card...still mulling over whether or not to take on grads in cap mkts! great hah had to happen the year i bloody graduate!!! what are the chances...a recruitment freeze in banking?!!

europerson

Bank of Ireland has actually increased the number of Capital Markets graduates it's taking on this year.

vangough

really? what do you think the story is with aib? has anyone heard anything for aib capital markets???

Damomanye

I take solace in this line (hey im trying)...

"AIB's spokesman said it was not the case that it had suspended entries to the programme or suspended the programme at large, which is considered to be a prime source of new blood for the bank"

does that mean that when they are looking for grads(whenever), we're first in line? i.e. on a waiting list so to speak?

vangough

havent a bloody clue....theres lots of rumours and myths going around the place...im just a little suspicious the fact that although they have said i have passed the aptitude test and got to the next satge ..... then why do they have to wait until the end of april to decide whether or not im worthy of an interview??

I mean to start interviews at the end of april is pretty late to say the least....certainly when you compare with boi who started recruiting during december and anglo during january!! what cxan take them from january to april...to look at the aptitude results ang going with interviews??

i could be wrong, but aib are holding something back....have they always been this slow or late in recruiting for cap.mkts??

Bit of clarification would be nice...........

anyone else heard anything...........??

MIN2511

If you read my previous replies i have said and still saying that there is a bit of a recruitment freeze. Card Acquiring was bought(Joint Venture) by first data and they now have to find positions for all the staff. I think 150 or more... So the chances of them employing staff with the current market and other factors are slim in my opinion.

Doctorious

MIN2511 wrote: »

No recruitment freeze at all... Some people have received letters if you don't hear from them by Monday i suggest you ring them

....you've changed your tune so...

MIN2511

MIN2511 wrote: »

With their market value falling they have to look after the staff there at the moment, i know the Card Acquiring has been acquired(joint venture) by first data and all the staff(at least 150)there would be moved to different locations in the bank so there might be a freeze alright.
But why did they waste your time??

I did say that but then i added this after that reply.

vangough

so whats the story here? why is just aib on a recruitment freeze? boi and anglo have continued if not increased their grad recruitment as have bank of scot.....then why are aib the only bank on a recruitment freeze.....the biggest bank in ireland....doesnt make a lot of sense??

farva

I just got a call from Capital Markets looking for a soft copy if my CV and that they will be back to me in April with details about their aptitute test. I did the silo test back in October and assumed that I failed it because I heard nothing back from them, but apparently I passed it. This is all very strange and VERY late, as apparently Capital Markets recruit all year round.

I have a contract signed with BOI Capital Markets, but I'll go along to the AIB Capital Markets aptitude test / interview to see what they say. Doubt I'd screw over BOI for them after all this messing about though.