Top Five Tips for an Insight Day

So you’ve been invited along to an Insight Day. Good stuff! An Insight Day can be an ideal way to work out if a particular industry or firm will be right for you. Here are our five top tips to make the most of the day…

Do research into the services the firm provides…

What are they? Want do they involve? Don’t worry – they won’t expect you know absolutely everything there is to know about the company at this stage! But if you take the time before the day to try and learn something about what kinds of things they deal with (for example mergers and acquisitions) it may help you to stand out in business games and group exercises that form part of the schedule.

Wear something smart…

You’ll be entering corporate territory on an Insight Day, so wear something smart that fits the bill! You don’t to set yourself off on the wrong foot by being the only one to turn up in standard weekend gear.

The guidelines from a company hosting an Insight Day usually state something along the lines of ‘business wear’. So leave the trainers at home for the day: fetching suits for the guys; smart blouse and skirt (not too short!) or trousers or suit for the girls.

Make an effort with your fellow Insight Day visitors…

It’ll make the whole day a much more pleasant affair if you can build up some rapport with the other people attending the day. It won’t go unnoticed either; teamwork skills are a very important quality for people working in business and finance. Contribute your own ideas, but also make sure to encourage your teammates in group exercises. If you show you can get on well with people you’ve only just met in a professional environment you will tick a box for the kind of candidate they look for.

Get networking…

Don’t be shy about talking to senior representatives of the company on the day. They’ve invited you along because they are interested you meet you! Use the time available on the day to get talking to anyone you can and start to build up you first contacts in the industry. If you feel you have a bit of rapport going with someone, ask them if you can add them on LinkedIn. A bit of input from someone who is working in the kind of role you’re aiming for can be invaluable!

Ask questions and, above all, be yourself!

An Insight Day is just as much about you getting a feel for a firm as it is about them meeting people who have caught their eye at an early stage and beginning to source future candidates. Use the lunch breaks as a chance to speak with employees of the firm and ask questions about what their area of work is like and see if they have any tips about the application process.

Be yourself, and you’ll be able to tell if the company culture is the right one for you.