Spring weeks only exist in the UK, not the US. Many bankers in the US don’t even know about or understand the process, so you won’t necessarily get “credit” for completing a spring week if you apply there.

Hi, great article! I am a University of Warwick student, I would like to ask if this process of spring week-internship-job is a UK thing or also a US thing, separately, if you go through this process of spring week, can you then apply for an internship and a job in the US or is it more advisable to do it in the UK?

Thank your for the answer. I will include my previous study in CV and CL. And I will rethink applying for spring weeks after your comments. However, it seems as valuable experience and among my friends many people got 2nd year summer internships in London at BB banks after completing spring weeks, and those who didin’t attend those insight programmes during their 1st year didn’t manage to get in. I do get your point though and I will think this through. Thank you!

Yes, you should put previous study and your transfer on your CV / CL because it will come up if they ever do a background check. Just say you wanted more rigorous academics or better learning/career opportunities, etc.

Also, note that spring weeks are somewhat over-hyped and not truly “necessary” in a lot of cases. And they have some downsides as well, such as having to explain why you didn’t receive a return offer in many cases.

So… you don’t necessarily “need” spring weeks to get in. You just need to make sure you have some relevant-looking internships before penultimate-year recruiting at the large banks begins.

I believe you can, but logistically, it may not be feasible to go through interviews and complete them. You don’t “need” spring weeks to win internships or full-time roles. You can just network and apply normally and use other internship experience to get in. And they do have some downsides, especially if you win one but then do not perform well in it.

I read below that you think it is not worth it. Why is that? If it is not worth it, how can I land an internship/ FT role in London?

Just look presentable and have proper business attire… you won’t get points for fancy clothes, and it could actually hurt you.

You can ask questions about the firm and company, but focus on the personal side – how did the person get to where they are? What did they do before? What do they do for fun? Where did they go to school? Start serious and find a way to transition into interest/hobby-related questions.

Thank you for your reply!

I have two more questions, if you do not mind:

How important is what I wear?

You said that I should not start asking technical questions, should I only, therefore, ask questions about the firm and the business itself? Everybody talks about asking intelligent questions, but what does it exactly mean?

I don’t really have much to add beyond what’s in the article (and I don’t know much about spring weeks personally since I never went through them). The truth is, spring weeks are somewhat over-hyped and have some downsides as well, which an upcoming update of this article will deal with. To convert your spring week offer, everything needs to line up perfectly – everyone on the team has to like you, you have to introduce yourself and follow-up with everyone you meet, and you have to come across as motivated without being overbearing (e.g., do not start asking technical questions).