University student Sandra applied for the KBC Enter program and found her first job in a team dedicated to one of her greatest hobby – Capital Markets

How does the program work and what can you learn through it? We interviewed Sandra and you are the first to know it all.

Sandra, how did you come up with the idea to apply for the KBC Enter program?

I learned about the program from a former roommate and a friend of mine who’s been working at KBC for a year in the Settlement Department. When I was looking for a job, he immediately told me about the program and recommended me to apply.

My goal was to start putting the theory into practice as soon as possible. I'm not entirely a believer that you should wait with your first job until you finish the University. The idea of finishing my studies at 26 with no relevant work experience is pretty scary to me.

What happened after you applied?

I was contacted by the recruiter Katka, (note: Kate?ina Baslerová) we had a short 15-minute conversation on the phone. We talked about my expectations, KBC expectations, she also briefly tested my English. The second round was online with Bar?a (Barbora Svetlánská, Team Leader of the KBC Enter project). We mainly discussed my experience. It worked out and I got an offer. At the same time, another one came along, from a Leasing and Loans company. I chose Enter. I was tempted to look into the operations of the company, to see how different domains work and I hoped to discover a team that would fit me and that I might not know about yet.

How did the first days of the program go?

We were a group of 20 people. CEO of KBC Global Services had a welcoming speech for us, which was nice. Then we had an introductory IT training and they’ve handed us a computer with other equipment for work. I remember we also went for a walk around the office.

In the following days, we already got access to Learning Platforms and started going through the mandatory trainings.

What Learning Platforms have you been using?

For example LinkedIn Learning, I enjoyed that one a lot. There is a large number of courses on how the financial market works, how to build up your management skills or strengthen your time management. Everyone chose an area that interested them. We also did various analytical and psychological tests.

What happened next?

Bára gradually arranged interviews for us, with Team Leaders from teams which fit our profiles the most. I had interviews at MDS and BO Capital Markets. I made the decision very quickly. I knew right away Capital Markets was my dream team. I also learned through Bar?a that the feedback from the Team Leader was good.

What do you consider to be the biggest advantage of the program?

The advantage of Enter is that we got an insight into how each team works and what kind of Team Leader they have. At the same time, Team Leaders saw how we worked, plus what skills and personality profiles we had. If there was a mutual "match", the person transitioned smoothly from the program to a team.

So you made a deal?

As soon as I told Bar?a that I had decided, she sat down with me and discussed the feedback from the Team Leader. She also told me the pros and cons of this team. For me this was a great approach, I could have asked anything. Afterwards we made a deal.

Congratulations. How would you summarize what you’ve learned in the program?

I only ended up spending one week in KBC Enter, then I went straight into the team. Overall, I really liked the learning platforms. They showed me where I had gaps and what I could work on. The program showed me that it pays off to be proactive, to seek information and come up with ideas.

I've heard that a lot of companies just give you instructions on what to do, but no one explains why. Here it's the opposite. You learn that you can come up with ideas on your own and build on your knowledge.

What are you responsibilities in the Capital Markets team now?

Our team is responsible for 5 different tasks, I am currently in training for the second one. The training process for us takes a year and we learn one of the tasks every month. I also have a colleague who joined just a month before me, so we share impressions and help each other a lot.

The tasks involve processing the transactions on Capital market, communication with customers and with other teams. We have deadlines to meet, to keep the market running smoothly and trading on schedule. It suits me to learn effectively on the job.

How will you combine University studies and your job?

I will be on a distant form of studies. Which means spending two Fridays and two Saturdays a month at school. I'll probably take half days off on Fridays. Half day work, half day school. My team and I are confident that we can work it out. Our collaboration is at a very high level. We work things out together and we help each other.

Who would you recommend KBC Enter to?

Definitely to people who are looking for a practical work experience. We also have a person from a completely different industry. I would recommend it to people who are open to learning new things and looking for a great work environment. I think there's something for everyone. For some people the financial compensation is important, for others the work environment and the job description. I think KBC Enter has the opportunity to show that you can find a job that fulfills everything.

What’s your vision of your ideal future?

I've always been drawn to management, but we'll see. For now, I'm very humble and I know I have a lot to learn to even go in this direction.

Are you interested in joining the program? ?? Apply to KBC Enter.