Careers at BNP Paribas
BNP Paribas is a French international bank that is the largest in Europe and the 7th largest in the world. There are job roles available in Europe, America, Africa and Asia for students, interns and graduates as well as experienced professionals.
For students and graduates, working for BNP Paribas offers dedicated, personalised, and increasingly digital support for professional development as well as an open-minded, collaborative and diverse workplace.
Recruiters for BNP Paribas are looking for creative, agile and innovative employees who want to work for a sustainable and responsible global leader in finance, and offer roles throughout many financial divisions with great pay and benefits - making them a popular place to work, and available roles are highly sought after.
BNP Paribas Application Process
It is worth noting that the following application process is only relevant for student, intern and graduate applicants - for experienced professionals it is likely that you will complete an application form and move straight on to interviews.
The application process is designed to ensure that all applicants have the desired competencies alongside the required education and experience to be successful in the role. At each stage, the candidates who meet the minimum requirements will be taken forward.
Most applications for BNP Paribas are assessed on a rolling basis so it is beneficial to apply as early as possible to ensure that you get the best opportunities.
BNP Paribas Online Application
Once you have chosen a role that interests you, the first stage is an online application. This is where you will have your first opportunity to demonstrate that you are the right choice for the role, and you need to use all the tools at your disposal to do this.
You will need to upload a CV, and this is a great time to make sure that you have created a bespoke document based on the job you have applied for. BNP Paribas provides lots of detailed information on each job description, so you can demonstrate how you match up to what they are looking for here. Remember to take that personalised approach with your cover letter, too.
As part of the online application, you might be asked to answer some motivational questions - such as "Why do you want to work at BNP Paribas?". There will only be about 200 words for your answer, so conciseness is important.
BNP Paribas Aptitude Tests
If you meet the education and qualification criteria for the role, then you will be invited to the next stage of the recruitment process which is a series of aptitude tests. Throughout these tests, your performance will be judged on both speed and accuracy alongside the competencies that the role requires.
BNP Paribas Situational Judgement Test
The situational judgement assessment might be part of the initial online application, or it might be part of the other aptitude tests.
A situational judgement test is a set of scenario-based questions with multiple choice answers. Candidates need to look at the scenario, and decide on the best course of action to take to deal with the problem or issue presented.
In the BNP Paribas situational judgement test, you will be presented with 12 questions that will take about 20-30 minutes to complete. The questions do not have a right or wrong answer; in fact, most of the answers could be correct. The reason this test is so effective is that it assesses your work behaviour, risk judgement and problem solving.
Your score on this test will be used to determine if you have the right inherent behaviours to be successful in the advertised role.
BNP Paribas Numerical Reasoning Test
Numerical reasoning assessments are not maths tests. In fact, most need only a rudimentary knowledge of basic mathematical functions (equivalent to about GCSE maths level).
In a numerical reasoning test, you are presented with data in the form of tables and graphs with a statement to follow. Candidates must read, understand and apply the information given in the table or graph to the statement in order to answer whether that statement is true, false, or there is insufficient information.
The BNP Paribas numerical reasoning assessment is just 12 minutes long, and you need to answer 37 questions. You will be marked both on your speed and accuracy, so be quick and correct to score well here.
BNP Paribas Verbal Reasoning Test
Like the numerical test, candidates will be presented with some information, followed by a statement, and they must decide if the statement is true, false, or cannot say according to the information provided.
In the verbal reasoning test, the information is usually a block of text containing a large amount of information, and to be successful the candidate needs to read, understand and analyse the information quickly to answer the questions correctly.
In the BNP Paribas verbal reasoning test, you will need to answer 49 questions in just 12 minutes, so there is very limited time available.
BNP Paribas Logical Reasoning Test
The logical reasoning test at BNP Paribas uses inductive reasoning skills. In this type of test you will be presented with a number of images and have to find the rule that links them correctly and predict the next image. A selection of possible images are included, and you need to find the right one that completes the pattern.
The rules aren't always straightforward, and despite being multiple choice it can be difficult to find the right one - especially under time pressure.
In the logical reasoning assessment, you will have 12 minutes to answer 12 questions, and again you will be marked on speed and accuracy.
BNP Paribas Interview
There are three types of interview that you might have at BNP Paribas, and in some cases you might be expected to complete more than one round (depending on the role you have applied for).
The first is a telephone interview. This is usually a less 'formal' interview, a chance for the recruiter to get a feel for you and your personality, as well as some basic getting to know you questions.
You might have a face-to-face interview, either with a single member of the team or a panel. This is more likely to be a formal setting, often either taking place in the office or via video conferencing software.
The third interview type is one that many will be unfamiliar with, although it is becoming more popular in graduate recruitment - and that is the video interview. If you are asked to take part in a video interview, you will be given a number of questions to answer, and you will be required to record your answers via a particular website or platform.
In any of these interviews, it is important that you bear in mind what the assessors are looking for in terms of competencies and soft skills, and be prepared to answer competency questions. It is likely that you will be asked about your CV and cover letter at this stage too.
Don't forget that interviews are two-way conversations, so demonstrate your research and knowledge by asking thoughtful questions about BNP Paribas and the wider financial business to find out more about it.
BNP Paribas Assessment Centre
If you are successful in the interview stage, the final round is often an assessment centre. Known in BNP Paribas as a Superday, candidates are invited to a local office and will take part in a number of activities to finalise the selection process.
During the day, there will be plenty of opportunities to meet and network with future colleagues and managers, but the majority of it will be spent being assessed in various situations.
Depending on the role that you have applied for, your day could consist of a combination of the following activities:
- One-to-one interviews: these might be with a supervisor or a member of the HR or recruiting team.
- Coding and other skills tests
- Group Exercises: a chance to display leadership and collaboration skills.
- Presentations
- Case Studies
The Superday is the culmination of the application process and candidates will be continuously assessed in terms of the BNP Paribas culture and desired behaviours - if you are successful, you can expect to have a job offer soon after.
