Monika Seppi is as motivated as they come. The dedicated multilingual studied finance in both Milan and Saint Gallen, eventually relocating to the cultural hub of London to complete an internship. So what drew her to Zurich? “London is a great city, but it is very hectic and can get too fast-paced. So I decided to move to Zurich, which is still a financial centre, very international, and full of young people.”

Young people like Monika, who is presently enrolled in the Julius Baer Graduate Programme. “I am currently at the fixed income and advisory and execution desk in markets”, she says. “We basically advise clients on anything related to bonds and execute the respective trades.”

An experience like no other

So what exactly distinguishes the Julius Baer Graduate Programme from the others? Sandra Nagpal, Graduate Programme Manager, explains: “The programme is unique in three different ways: you get to know the value chain of the bank, you have flexibility to tailor the programme to your needs, and the great opportunity to work in a foreign office and do an international rotation.”

With a rigorous selection process, multiple factors are taken into consideration. In addition to good marks, international experience is also an asset. More important, however, is how the individual fits within a given team. The programme hones in on the needs of both the applicant and the bank to ensure a mutual fit, which only improves the chances of a future position at Julius Baer.

A customisable programme

The 18-month programme is tailored to the graduate’s individual needs. “There is no predetermined path that you need to follow, but you can actually build it and discover it along the way,” says Monika. Given this flexible environment and the variety of opportunities for graduates to interact among themselves at work, events, and get-togethers, it is no wonder that they quickly establish a network that is maintained throughout their international rotations and beyond.

Cancelled flight. Missed opportunity?

Now happily situated in Switzerland’s largest city, Monika’s journey from London to Zurich wasn’t necessarily smooth sailing. In fact, she missed her very first interview. As Sandra recalls, “She had scheduled an interview and for that she had to fly in from London. But all of a sudden the flight got cancelled.” 

Despite the stressful scenario, Monika maintained her composure and rescheduled the flights and interviews. “It was pretty impressive,” says Sandra, “even more as she was applying for a markets position – to stay calm in such a stressful situation is the best preparation for this job”.

Further information

Are you interested in learning more about the Julius Baer Graduate Programme? Our dedicated Graduate Programme manager, Tamara Vecchio, would be delighted to provide you with additional information on ­+41 (0)58 887 6995 or at tamara.vecchio@juliusbaer.com.

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