BNP Paribas Fortis is helping students looking for their first job

At BNP Paribas Fortis, we believe it is vitally important to talk to tomorrow’s talent and help them develop, especially in today’s difficult and highly uncertain climate. “Will I be able to get a job this year?”, “do I need to be less ambitious?”, “should I widen my search to other sectors?”... As they begin their working lives, this year’s graduates are facing an unprecedented situation that raises many questions.

An interactive session with our experts

This is why we organised, in conjunction with JobTeaser, an online live chat session in which students could put questions to our experts Koen De Leus (Chief Economist) and Hans Driesen (HR Business Partner Corporate Banking).

Koen De Leus began the session on a reassuring note. “A crisis doesn’t mean that there are no opportunities,” he said. “The jobs market is constantly changing and new skills, particularly in the digital field, are still in great demand. The crisis has prompted companies to accelerate their digital plans further. This benefits today’s young people, because they’re used to dealing with these modern tools every day.”

Of course, not all sectors have been affected by the crisis in the same way, and some will find it harder to recruit new staff than others. “Although the situation will sometimes be difficult in the short term, all companies need to keep their long-term strategy in mind and, sooner or later, hire new talent if they want to continue developing. Looking ahead, the IT, communications, finance and fintech sectors will do particularly well,” said Koen De Leus.

Long-term vision

For candidates worried about having a gap in their CVs, Hans Driesen advised them to be transparent. “It’s a situation that’s out of everyone’s control,” he said. “The person behind the CV is more important than the CV itself.” Even the format of recruitment interviews has had to adjust to the new normal. “Traditional face-to-face interviews have been replaced with remote ones. And some people have spent the first day of their new job working from home. It’s a good way of testing candidates’ ability to adapt.”

For Hans Driesen, it’s also important to take the long view when thinking about careers. “You need to avoid having an overly precise idea of your future job or focusing on one particular company,” he said. “Whatever the context, it’s always a good idea to find out about companies and the opportunities they can offer you over the long term, particularly in terms of personal development.”

Want to play an active role in a changing world?

The live chat was a big success, with almost 100 new graduates taking part. They were delighted to get advice from a company that understands their concerns and wants to help them at a key point in their lives by maximising their chances of getting a job.

At BNP Paribas Fortis, we want to reinvent ourselves in order to be the bank of tomorrow, committed to delivering a brighter future. Innovation and sustainability are core priorities for us. This is why we’re working hard to develop sustainable financing and investment solutions that have a positive impact on society. So we’re looking for talented people who stand out through their personality and skills, and who can bring a fresh perspective to projects that are transforming our bank and making our customers’ lives easier. If that appeals to you, find out about our employer promise.