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"The work environment is supportive, friendly and competitive. There’s always the opportunity to ask questions and learn more. One of the special things about this firm, is the people and they make up the environment."
Jade Vincent
Why did you join Bank of America?As an undergrad there were many options and opportunities available. I began to attend careers fairs and Women in Leadership forums, where I came across them several times. The most defining point which made me want to apply is the people. The people at here are special, as they take a lot of time out to answer your questions and meet you.
What have you been doing since you joined?I joined on the graduate scheme, where I spent my first two months in New York training on various technical, business and soft skills. After returning to London I worked for Investment Banking Technology for just over a year. This was a very interesting area of the business to support as it is where the market is created and the fast pace is infectious. There have been additional opportunities to diversify and work on additional projects, like philanthropy.
I then had the opportunity to move to the Capital Markets Technology team where I work as a Business Analyst primarily focusing on the fixed income side.
What type of training have you received? (both technical and non-technical). Upon joining and throughout my time here, there’s always an opportunity to develop new skills. The graduate training is an intensive eight weeks of mainly technical with business and soft skills. Over my time here, I have however, received training on numerous technologies and skills which have helped me to develop within my roles.
How would you describe the work environment / working culture at Bank of America?The work environment is supportive, friendly and competitive. There’s always the opportunity to ask questions and learn more. One of the special things about this firm, is the people and they make up the environment.
How has Bank of America's stance on women impacted you personally?The stance on women has impacted me through numerous ways. It’s very enlightening to know that they take the recruitment of women very seriously and as a result there are a number of initiatives which support it. I also try to take an active part in helping, by attending many of the events which are run to encourage women to apply to the firm.
Over the past year I have the opportunity to represent the bank on the committee of an external women’s network, with other banks and help organise events and awareness in the City of London.
What have been the highlights of your career at Bank of America and what do you like best about working there?Highlights of my career has been supporting deal execution and enabling the business to function and seeing the results on the front page of the FT.
How would you describe Bank of America's approach to diversity in its work force, in particular women's initiatives?We take the diversity stance very seriously, and it’s reflected in many of the events and initiatives which take place.
What are your career aspirations at Bank of America?Over the next few years, I plan to continue to build on my business analysis and project management skills. In addition, I wish to develop further as a manager and team leader.
How important do think education or background was in influencing your career choices?I think my educational background was very important, as it gave me the exposure to a variety of employers, industries and opportunities. However, regardless of your background there are many events and resources like Women in Technology which enable anyone to have exposure to numerous career choices if they wish.
Do you think enough is currently being done to counterbalance what has become an obvious lack of women in technology?With the development of conversion master degrees, and the numerous events the effort is slowly encouraging more women into technology. However, the issue may need to be resolved at a younger age, to encourage women to study the subject and want to aim to have a career in the industry.
Are you aware of any preconceptions or stereotypes of women in IT, and if so what do you think of them?There are many preconceptions, and the main one is that I.T. is a man’s world and that women who work within it do not have the same ability, but my personal opinion is that people have different strengths and weaknesses for different types of roles and as a result I don’t think that it’s an issue.
What do you think could be done to actively encourage more women to join the technology market place in general?By advertising more and encouraging girls of school age to study technology, then the benefits may be reaped in years to come.
Tell us a little about your life outside of work.As my role can be demanding, I try to take the time to do things which are completely different. My main hobbies include going to the gym, playing golf and wake and knee boarding, along side all the normal weekend activities such as catching up with friends, going out, shopping and grabbing the odd coffee.
If you could give a recent IT graduate looking for a position in the IT market place a piece of advice, what would it be?Attend as many recruitment and seminar events available to you that you can. As it’s a good opportunity to network and to find what it is that you really want to do and the potential opportunities available. Once you’ve been to a few and know the industry in which you wish to work, you will become a specialist in targeting the stalls which are of interest to you and therefore use the events more productively.
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