Tracy Scribner, 24, is an Equity Capital Markets analyst now in her second year at Rothschild.

Did you go straight to Rothschild from university?

Yes, I joined the graduate scheme in August 2006. I’d had a gap year before going to Oxford and I was ready to move to City and start earning some pennies.

Why did you pick Rothschild?

I chose Rothschild primarily because they are small – considerably smaller than their American bulge bracket counterparts, promising exposure access to senior bankers and letting you remain an individual rather than a number (I was one of thirty new Graduates taken on by the London office). I liked the British collegiate atmosphere, the discrete class of the office and the institution's renowned reputation. Coming from Balliol I enjoyed the familiar feel of history and tradition. In general it felt like the perfect place to start my career.

What do you remember about the application process and interviews?

The application process is in three stages; an on-line form, first round interview and ‘Super Saturday’. The form was pretty long but as your key to getting through the door for the interviews I would recommend taking the time and effort to really get it right. The first interview was built around the application form (why Investment Banking, why Rothschild, why Oxford, why maths) and a brief discussion of a transaction of my choice.

Before the next round we were asked to put together a paragraph on a deal that had caught our interest. Another Balliol alumnus at Rothschild provided some sound advice, leading me to choose an acquisition by Cadbury Schweppes – it’s much easier to talk around a company when you’re familiar with their product and you’re interested in their business.

‘Super Saturday’ is a two day event consisting of a selection of written papers (including a math test, a verbal comprehension test and a proof reading exercise) and two panel interviews. The panel were pretty daunting and their questions were challenging to say the least – you’re faced with 5 Managing Directors, all at the top of their game. In half an hour you’ve got to be sufficiently sparky to get their interest, knowledgeable enough to discuss transactions and quick-thinking enough to respond to the fast changing selection of questions from five strong-minded individuals. Leaving the second of these I knew I definitely wanted to work at Rothschild.

What sort of training do they give you? Do you need to have a 1st in Maths, like you have?

Rothschild runs a six-week training programme, followed by four two-week rotations, before settling in your team after Christmas. The training covers accounting, the standard models used by investment bankers for valuation, a bit of tax, an overview of equity capital markets and an introduction to debt.

In my graduate intake there was a real mix of educational backgrounds - a good friend and colleague of mine studied Geography at Manchester and we were entirely on equal footing during the training.

Have you always worked in the same department?

At the end of the four two-week rotations the graduates pick their top five teams and team leaders fight it out for their chosen grads. I chose equity capital markets and I’ve been in my team now for fifteen months. We all have the chance to move to another team this June – designed to give you the chance to become a more rounded banker.

What are the hours like?

They vary. It’s a bit of a shock to begin with – I’m sure getting used to a 9 to 5 is a bit of a strain on the system post a long summer but your first all-nighter is something else. It’s hard to put an average on my hours per week, but I get into the office at half-eight, it’s rare for me to leave before 8pm, and a midnight finish is not uncommon (and I’ve worked more than half a dozen weekends).

Where do you live in London and why? Do you like it?

I live with two other Balliol kids in walking distance of Liverpool Street and Spitalfields market – it’s a nice walk to work, it’s easy to get everywhere on the tube and the market’s fun for relaxed Sundays.

Do you have any advice for current students or recent graduates considering a career in investment banking?

Make the most of the Michaelmas recruiting period. Do your research of all the banks, make sure you really know who they all are and what differentiates them. Its definitely worth asking banker friends - or any ex Oxbridge students who have taken that route - for advice and direction at this stage. Once you have your focus sharpened, take your time in deciding what department you are most interested in - think about if you like early mornings or late nights, do you like numbers or companies, are you sales person or an analyst? Investment banking is tough for the first few years but the training it gives you is well respected in most industries and leaves doors open to careers like investment management and private equity.

With the application process, play the game with the online forms – there’s a lot of chance involved in being picked for interview amongst the multitudes of applicants. Go to all the first round interviews you get invited to – being there is the only way to get feeling if that is where you would like to spend the next few years.