An open climate where you are encouraged to dare test things

Robin Weiderstål works as a business developer in Pensions and Insurance. “It’s an open work climate where you are encouraged to dare and to test things,” he says.

Robin Weiderstål spent one semester at SEB as an intern during his Master’s studies in Uppsala. He got along well and discovered that his preconceived notions about how it is to work at a bank were inaccurate.

“It wasn’t at all as conservative and bureaucratic as I had thought,” he says.

His positive experiences from SEB were one of the factors that prompted him to apply after graduating and get accepted into SEB’s 2018/19 trainee programme.

How was the trainee period?

“I was super satisfied. It was a good way to get to know the organisation, get international insights and kick-start my career.”

Was there anything in particular that stuck out?

“This was before the corona pandemic hit, and I had the opportunity to work three weeks in Private Banking in Singapore and one week in Kuala Lumpur, where we have an IT development team. It was valuable to gain new experiences and see other countries, while at the same time realising that the organisational culture itself was surprisingly similar. You could clearly tell that the international operations were part of SEB.”

What do you do in your role?

"At the moment we are working with an investment service – a digital investment robot that will help customers with advice. My role largely involves identifying the needs of our customers and the business, and ensuring that we address them in our development. It is varied, and I’m learning new things every day.”

Was there anything you found particularly challenging, and how did you solve it?

“As a trainee you have a very high level of freedom to shape your programme. It’s very much up to yourself what you get out of it. In the beginning it can be easy to feel stressed by all the different areas you want to learn about. The key is to stay calm and allow things to evolve as you settle in to your work.”

What advice do you have for others who are thinking about applying for a trainee position at SEB?

“Don’t hesitate. There’s an incredible wealth of opportunities in various parts of the operations. There are many who have worked here for 20 to 30 years, and I see this as a positive attribute for an employer.”

Anything you were surprised by?

“Yes, it is not at all as rigid as the stereotypical image of a bank. There’s a relaxed atmosphere and open work climate where you are encouraged to dare test new things, even as a newbie. It’s a very good environment to develop in.”