eFinancialCareers

Want to work as a fund manager? You could always try fund managers with links to insurers. Most big insurers have so-called ‘captive funds’ which manage their own money. And they also offer graduate training programmes. Here are a few you might look at:

Standard Life Investments

The asset management arm of Standard Life.

Graduate programme? SLI takes on about five graduates a year, split between four programmes: trainee fund manager, property fund manager, distribution and client services and investment operations.

Ratio of applicants to places: 120:1

Application process: Online application, first-round interview and ability test, followed by a competency-based phone interview conducted by Gallup and an assessment centre.

Deadline: 2008 applications are now closed. Applications for 2009 will open in October, with a deadline of the end of November, to start the following September.

Website: Click here to access the website.

Scottish Widows Investment Partnership

The asset management arm of Scottish Widows.

Graduate programme? Five graduates per year taken onto the trainee investment manager programme, but the company is considering expanding this to other areas. Investment manager trainees can expect a series of nine-month rotations in areas such as company analysis, research and portfolio construction, risk and desk support.

Ratio of applicants to places: 100-120:1

Application process: Online application is followed by a first interview, held in London, Scotland, Manchester or Ireland, and then an assessment centre in Edinburgh.

Deadline: Applications for 2009 will open from September and close by November, with the programme starting the following September.

Ideal applicant: “We look for evidence of ability to work in a team, for people who have perhaps done things worthwhile or relevant in their breaks or gone above and beyond the norm and, indeed, how they have dealt with times when they have not been successful.” (HR director, Lynne Dalgarno).

Website: Click here to access the website.

Winterthur Wealth Management

The asset management arm of AXA.

Graduate programme? AXA takes on between 40-50 graduates a year onto five programmes: business, marketing, HR, IT and actuarial. Candidates have the opportunity to work in asset management as one of their placements.

Ratio of applicants to places: N/A

Application process: Interviews and assessment centres.

Deadline: Applications for 2009 will open in October, with online testing beginning in December, first interviews between January to March and assessment centres held between February and May.

Website: Click here for access.

Morley

The asset management arm of insurance company Aviva, best known in the UK as Norwich Union.

Graduate programme? Morley normally takes between 10 and 12 graduates onto one-year programmes within investment, finance, IT and operations and a two-year programme for property. But this is currently under review – watch the website for information.

Ratio of applicants to places: N/A

Application process: Online application, phone interview and assessment day.

Deadline: Third week of November.

Website: Click here for access.

Insight Investment

Part of HBOS.

Graduate programme? An 18-month graduate training scheme normally takes on some five graduates across two programmes: IT and investment. Initial rotations are around middle and back-office functions, such as marketing, risk and operations. Trainees then move into areas such as fixed income, financial services, equities or strategy.

Ratio of applicants to places: 60-100:1

Application process: Website, numerical testing process, then a phone interview, and finally a two-day assessment centre in London, with successful applicants being informed in early February.

Deadline: 14 December.

Website: Click here for access.

Aegon Asset Management

Subsidiary of Dutch insurer Aegon.

Graduate programme? Two two-year graduate programmes run from September: one in investment management and one in corporate management and securities management. Five hired in total.

Ratio of applicants to places: N/A

Application process: Initial competency-based interview (including verbal and numeric reasoning tests), followed by a panel interview and presentation, one-on-one meetings with the investment managers and even a meeting with the chief executive.

Deadline: October/early November with the closing date for applications normally around the end of January.

Ideal applicant: Good degree, high level of numeracy, postgraduate degree can help. “We welcome candidates with good degrees in any subject, and those working towards a second degree or with up to two years’ relevant work experience are also welcome to apply.” (Susan Oliver, HR partner)

Website: Click here for access.