As a year 12 student, how can I start to prepare myself for applications?

Hi,I recommend researching the company, their operation, and their values/beliefs. Companies are not expecting you to have specific technical knowledge as they are aware you are a school leaver and the whole point is to learn on the job. Therefore, focus on the general knowledge of the company/sector you are applying to and prepare an answer for why the company is a good fit for you/why you are a good fit for the company.

Hi Arissa,I would apply to jobs as you will gain valuable work experience and you will be more comfortable in job interviews. Applying to numerous jobs in my gap year made me more confident when going into my apprenticeship interviews. Undertaking work experience in the financial sector would be fantastic useful because it shows the company that you are serious about Finance, and have made an effort by gaining some work experience in [link removed] sure to do a lot of research about the company, especially company values, and try to align them with your own personal [link removed] sure to keep up with what’s happening in the market, because you may be asked about current Market news/trends - you can do this by getting a Financial Times or The Economist subscription. I prepared for my interviews by listening to the FT News Briefing podcast every morning which gives you a 10 minute briefing on the most important stories for the day!I think improving your interpersonal skills is really important in preparing for the interview process, because throughout the process you will be communicating with lots of different people, whether that is with peers in the assessment centre, hiring managers in interviews or networking with current employees. So practice practice practice! Best of luck in your application :)