Diversity In Financial Services For Fidelity International

INTRODUCTION

Led by their Global Head of Early Careers, Fidelity sought to recruit a new cohort of apprentices, for their Kingswood offices in Surrey. This was undertaken outside of their normal recruitment cycle.
Fidelity and EiA aimed to deliver a positive recruitment experience for all applicants given the low level of self-esteem and mental health challenges that many young people had been experiencing during the Covid-19 lockdown.

The one-week programme was designed to ensure that they left with improved confidence and a sense of being valued regardless of whether they were offered a job or not.

HIGHLIGHTS

Fidelity International: Diversity | CV-less assessment and recruitment process

New process designed

EiA designed and delivered the UK’s first CV-less assessment and recruitment process which provided a new model to assess 2021/22 candidates that had not been able to sit exams.

EiA Positive Recruitment Experience | Fidelity International: Diversity

Candidates recruited

Out of 57 candidates, 15 apprentices and three employees were recruited on six month fixed-term contracts against an original target of 12. 70% of the hires were identified from the local area. Although the programme was not focused on diversity, the profile of those recruited was 50% female, 35% black, 65% BAME, 6% Disability and 6& LGBTQ+, with 100% social mobility.

Support provided

All unsuccessful candidates were given training on preparing CVs, applications and interview techniques from Fidelity’s HR Department and EiA.

REFLECTIONS

Gemma Elsen, Global Head of Early Careers at Fidelity and Project Sponsor

This wonderfully innovative and creative approach to recruiting young talent to the Firm has been revolutionary for us at Fidelity International. The programme brought out the best in the candidates because of its supportive and encouraging design, without which we would not have reached the fantastic outcome we did, hiring 15 exceptional individuals with diverse perspectives. I am excited to welcome this fresh talent on board.

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Scott Deacon, Head of Retail Operations and Department Sponsor

I am really grateful to Derek and the team at EIA in opening my eyes to a new way of recruiting young talented people. Before the assessment and final presentation, I thought we were taking quite a risk in not seeing CVs upfront. How wrong I was! The candidates were outstanding and the final presentation from the Business Challenge was well presented and the ideas brought forward contain points we can take on as a business.

PARTICIPANTS

Before this program, I was unemployed, lacking in confidence and fearful of my future. Now, I have new found skills, confidence in my ability to overthrow any obstacle that may present itself and a burning desire to explore what life has to offer.

The whole process is extremely different. I never would have imagined that there could have been such a process for recruitment selection. I would definitely say it is the best way as it really brings out your confidence, which definitely lets you perform better, even under pressure. The best thing about this programme was how connected to the real-life work situation it is.

Given the change in time and age, I believe Fidelity is adapting and changing according to time and this method [of recruitment] should ideally be practised by other companies. Recruitment in this generation should showcase people’s strengths actively rather than what a piece of paper says about them.