UBS Cadetship (1 Viewer)

iMAN2

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I'd say a lot of the questions are less about what your answer is but how you deliver it.
I wouldn't say the content of your answer is less important at all. But you're right, delivery is very important as well.
 

seremify007

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I wouldn't say the content of your answer is less important at all. But you're right, delivery is very important as well.
If it's a curve ball question and not on the standard interview questions list, they're really just trying to catch you off guard to see if you can answer honestly, giving confidence, and basically not flip out.
 

iMAN2

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If it's a curve ball question and not on the standard interview questions list, they're really just trying to catch you off guard to see if you can answer honestly, giving confidence, and basically not flip out.
+1


That's true. Curve ball questions can also be given as way to test if you can think 'out of the square' and provide some creative solutions.
 
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BiancaC

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They also ask if you are applying to accounting cadetships. They do it to see your likelihood of going to accept another offer or changing your mind after getting the UBS offer. For example, it is annoying if they give you an offer, you accept but later pull out because you got something like Med or even Co-op offer becuase they want commitment.

And those questions (are you doing UMAT or applying to Co-op, BAcc and accounting cadetships) are actually included in their standard questions from Professional Cadetships Australia so everyone gets asked.
 

seremify007

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And those questions (are you doing UMAT or applying to Co-op, BAcc and accounting cadetships) are actually included in their standard questions from Professional Cadetships Australia so everyone gets asked.
Fair point and I guess it makes sense they ask these questions then. AFAIK I haven't seen that question on a standard list before but I've only seen accounting.
 

BiancaC

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There is still two more rounds to go, not up to finals yet. UBS do two rounds.
 

23011

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me too :)
and btw for those who dont know and declined invitation, UBS is offering investment banking positions, so actually this cadetship is probably one of the best ways to enter a front office role
 

powlmao

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me too :)
and btw for those who dont know and declined invitation, UBS is offering investment banking positions, so actually this cadetship is probably one of the best ways to enter a front office role
Still wouldn't of changed my mind
 

seremify007

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me too :)
and btw for those who dont know and declined invitation, UBS is offering investment banking positions, so actually this cadetship is probably one of the best ways to enter a front office role
I'd be most interested to hear how that goes and what the IB cadets actually end up doing, and whether they progress to (real) graduate IB positions later on. I think the biggest problem (or challenge) with these cadetships is they haven't been offered long enough with a strong history to show a clear path of progression or development which makes them hard to recommend.
 

23011

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I'd be most interested to hear how that goes and what the IB cadets actually end up doing, and whether they progress to (real) graduate IB positions later on. I think the biggest problem (or challenge) with these cadetships is they haven't been offered long enough with a strong history to show a clear path of progression or development which makes them hard to recommend.
Yip i agree with you seremify, i think this year is a trial run to see how cadets cope with front office positions, luckily for us we are afforded the opportunity to trial it. (the cadetship program is 5 yrs old so they have some understanding)
However, since this thread was first posted ive been doing some research into future employment opportunities with UBS through the cadetship and one of my contacts is a head trader at UBS and he told me something along the lines of this " over the past 3-4 years, primarily the graduate positions i offer have gone to cadets with only one position being offered to a a straight uni student." he said " we are more inclined to chose cadets as they have shown loyalty and dedication as well as motivation to the field of finance and the work experience gained in the first 3-5 yrs of the program means that they already understand the workings of the business, the routine and can handle the pressured environement."
Anyway back to the problem of what cadets will actually be doing. Within the workings of the business (and ive spoken to 3 past UBS cadets) they get rotated around and exposed to many areas. they are tasked with important projects and if they show a strong ability to achieve they can be pulled out of the program and offered a proper job. cadets can be working as desk assistants to traders, where they are able to make authorised trades for clients and oversea client holdings. ill be interested to see what is allowed in the investment banking division, i think the first 2 years will be rather slow, but as trust and confidence builds up, im sure the cadets will be offered more high risk opportunities under the guidance of a supervisor. ( thats not to say that they will be allowed to start trading their own prop trades haha but you know what i mean)

Edit: one more thing sorry, there is no harm in giving it a try, you are only locked into a 1 yr contract at a time. i think its important to try the opportunity if afforded it and not listen to everyone elses opinions on the internet, rather speak to qualified professionals and get their advice ( and yes that means you can ignore everything im saying right now haha :) )
 
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Newbie

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i think this cadetship is a double edge sword

Scenario 1 - cadetship in back office, zero chance of getting front office roles after graduation
Scenario 2 - cadetship in front office, 2-3 years of pain and rape, realize you hate it, loose faith in humanity, switch degrees, wasted years of your life
Scenario 3 - cadetship in front office, 2-3 years of pain and rape, realize you still like it (for the prestige,ego,etc), burn out quicker than usual, switch out to another job
Scenario 4 - cadetship in front office, 2-3 years of pain and rape, realize you LOVE IT, continue on.


only 1 of 4 scenarios end up where you win, and if you love it anyway, then you would likely have ended in banking after graduating and enjoying 4-5 years of carefree uni life
 

23011

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reply to:
scenario 1: who says that back office gives u zero chance of front office position? what evidence/proof/knowledge do you have of that
scenario 2: very much true if u dont enjoy the work, but then again isnt that the same for every job in the world?
scenario 3: burning out is a load of shit, u can either handle the work from the start or u cant, those that "burn out" cant handle the workload from the beginning and are obviously in the wrong field of work
scenario 4: no problem with this one haha

true for ur final point but if ur applying for a grad position and u have 3-5 yrs work experience in an investment bank, who do u think they will choose, the guy with no exp or the guy with 5 yrs exp, tough decision
 

mangomagic

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hey guys,
did anyone also get accepted into the accounting ones as well? Does anybody know if you can put off accepting an accounting cadetship until you go to the ubs interview and find out if you get that one?

does that make sense or is studying driving your mind crazy too?

Also: On that note, is anyone going to reject the accounting one and take their chances on UBS?
 
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reply to:
scenario 1: who says that back office gives u zero chance of front office position? what evidence/proof/knowledge do you have of that
scenario 2: very much true if u dont enjoy the work, but then again isnt that the same for every job in the world?
scenario 3: burning out is a load of shit, u can either handle the work from the start or u cant, those that "burn out" cant handle the workload from the beginning and are obviously in the wrong field of work
scenario 4: no problem with this one haha

true for ur final point but if ur applying for a grad position and u have 3-5 yrs work experience in an investment bank, who do u think they will choose, the guy with no exp or the guy with 5 yrs exp, tough decision
Its not 3-5 years in an investment bank, its cadetship experience in the back office. Which is a direct culture clash with front office and actually works against you when you go up against a comm/law guy who has done internships at big4, law firms, corporate development, other front office internships.

Its not a tough decision, back office cadet guy doesnt make it very far in the recruitment process. I would never personally recruit a mobo over a solid keen-for-rape graduate.

scenario 1 - I am the proof. Call it ego but front office people do not accept MOBOs. It just doesnt happen and there is enough supply of eager graduates with comm/law or finance honors to meet demand.

scenario 2 - You lose the best 4-5 years of your life, ie university. just cant get that shit back.

scenario 3 - Burnout is real. You can sound tough but on your third allnighter, reality checks in very quickly. No amount of interviews, internet forum reading, talking to people, etc can accurately give you the feeling. Just have to experience it for yourself. Burning out is the single most common driver for front office turnover. When someone quits because they feel burnt out - no one in the office thinks less of them because everyone feels it
 

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