Aneesah’s journey, from application to impact

“I remember there being quite a few different stages of the application process, and what stood out for me throughout the whole process was how much Barclays wanted to get to know me as a person.”

During the process, Barclays aimed to find out about the real me - learning about my values, my mindset and my thoughts and opinions on various topics.

I found this really refreshing, because it said a lot about Barclays - the company I was looking to join. It showed that I would be well respected and valued as a real person. When I got the offer I was so happy and I remember being so excited; I felt this huge relief that I'd found something that I was quite confident I'd enjoy - and I’ve had no regrets since.

If I go back to when I was younger, it was daunting to think about my career, but over time I discovered that I was passionate about making an impact. That realisation has brought me to where I am now, which is very exciting for my future.

Aneesah’s advice for pivoting your career

For anyone considering a career change, I would advise them to be brave. I think we should always keep in mind that we can never know for sure if we will enjoy something until we actually try it ourselves. It is important to make an informed decision, by weighing up the pros and cons of the career change, but it also takes bravery to just take that first step and take that risk.

“I found it really useful talking to people in areas that I might be interested in, really understanding the field better and learning about the roles available, as well as the skills that I'd be using.”

When making a big change, I always spend some time by myself, thinking about how well it aligns to my values, my interests, and my career aspirations.

Aneesah’s thoughts on joining Barclays

“Working at such a large organisation with so many different departments and roles available was really important to me because I knew it would allow me to move into different areas of the bank.”

I was really drawn to Barclays after seeing the huge breadth of opportunities available. I remember speaking to so many people at various career fairs at university, and also whilst I was on the internship. If you find something that matches up to what you might be interested in and what you want out of your career, then imagine yourself working in that business line.