Second year Mathematics student, Sam was successfully matched with a mentor working at Lloyds Bank as a National Director of Business Development, SME Banking. After graduating from a French degree at Exeter, this mentor pursued a career in the Banking and Finance sector. His previous employment includes various different roles at Lloyds Bank.

The partnership started at the end of Sam’s second year and continued until October of his final year. Sam shared some insight from the scheme with us:

Apart from obtaining help to prepare for his next steps for graduate level employment and receiving help with application forms and cover letters, Sam also learned more about the good and bad aspects of working in the Banking and Finance sector.

What were the highlights of the scheme for you?

Meeting with my mentor and getting to know him was a highlight, as was the opportunity to use him as a source of help in the future.

What did you find most useful from the mentoring experience?

I found the networking opportunities most useful together with getting to know an important figure within Lloyds Bank.

What message would you give to a student thinking of applying for the Career Mentor Scheme?

Getting to know someone on a professional level who wants to help you succeed gave me encouragement and confidence when applying for jobs.