Ahead of International Organisations Day (IOD) on Saturday 12 November, Nicolas Arsilades from EIB writes about what it’s like to work there. EIB will be presenting at IOD and also have a stand where you can learn more from representatives:
What I particularly enjoy about working at the European Investment Bank (EIB) is the culture. On a daily basis you work on challenging projects which have a direct global impact. Moreover, you cooperate with intellectual people from diverse backgrounds in a multicultural environment. By discussing and exchanging ideas with government officials, private sector consultants and academics about challenging social topics for the purposes of projects, the amount of exposure and knowledge you get is enormous. Moreover, the EIB encourages internal training seminars for its employees on several areas. For instance apart from job specific training seminars, I also have the opportunity to attend French Language classes.
For students who do not have a clear idea of what career path they would like to pursue, the EIB offers five and six-month traineeships to master’s and bachelor’s degree graduates as well as PhD researchers. Through such schemes students will gain valuable work experience and learn first-hand about the operations of the institution. Furthermore, these schemes provide an opportunity to network with professionals, in case students decide to apply for positions in the future.
LSE’s International Organisations Day is an opportunity for students to get a flavour of international organisations’ influential work and the opportunities they offer. Students will have the opportunity to meet representatives and gain insight into their personal experiences and recommendations; information which is not publically available. When I was an LSE student myself two years ago, I attended this particular event and gained valuable understanding about the roles and the operations of the EIB. This information proved to be very valuable during the application and interview process. Therefore, I would encourage students to attend the presentations and discuss with representatives about any potential questions they might have.
What I would advise students when applying is to emphasise the specific skills, experience and knowledge they have that a particular position requires. For instance, a thesis on a specific topic can make students stand out during the application process. During my interview process I was asked to deliver a presentation on a topic that interested me. Therefore, by presenting my MSc Economics thesis and relating the conclusions of my paper to the institution’s practices, I proved my quantitative and research abilities on banking and financial topics. This convinced the Economics department at the EIB that I could have a major contribution on several internal projects. Apart from professional work experience, international organisations also take into significant consideration volunteering experience. LSE offers several volunteering opportunities and would recommend students to take advantage of these resources.
