Some of the questions are quite similar, so I thought it would be more helpful to put them together here and answer them in one place.

Here are some of the questions I have received:

Questions I’ve been asked

1. Looking back, what do you think helped you stand out during the Bank of America application process?

2. What are the most important skills, experiences or areas I should focus on over the next few weeks/months to become a stronger candidate for an Operations role?

3. I’m currently strengthening my CV and looking to take on some personal projects. Based on your experience, what kind of personal projects would you recommend for someone interested in Operations?

4. I’m struggling with answering “Why are you interested in this programme/role?” How exactly do you show that you are genuinely interested in the Bank of America summer internship?

5. I’d love to hear from you on which roles to apply for as a Law student, and possibly your practical guide on how to better secure one.

6. What advice would you give for the HireVue interview?

7. What would you recommend when writing a CV for an internship application?

1. Looking back, what do you think helped you stand out during the Bank of America application process?

I think one of the biggest things was preparation.

For my HireVue interview, I had deliberately prepared for the questions I expected to get. I had practised the STAR approach and, more importantly, learnt how to actually use it when answering questions.

I also paid a lot of attention to my CV.

I didn’t just take a CV I already had sitting on my laptop and send it off.

I read the role description carefully and went through each requirement. Then I asked myself:

“What have I done that demonstrates this?”

For example, I studied Law, so I didn’t have lots of Finance-related experiences to put on my CV.

But if they were looking for someone with demonstrable leadership skills, I had that.

I had worked as the Director of Policies, Programmes and Strategy at my university’s Intellectual Property Law Club, so I included that experience.

The point was not to pretend that my experience was something it wasn’t.

It was to communicate the skills I already had in a way that was relevant to the role.

That, for me, was very important.

2. What skills, experiences or areas should I focus on if I want to become a stronger candidate for an Operations role?

If you are planning to apply in a few months or even a year, start building your track record now.

If you are involved in student organisations, put your hands up for leadership roles.

Volunteer to organise things.

Take responsibility.

Work on projects.

Look for opportunities where you can actually do something and eventually say, “I did this, and this was the result.”

In my case, I hadn’t had much previous work experience when I applied. A lot of what I could talk about came from my student activities.

So don’t underestimate what you are doing outside the classroom.

I would also encourage you to apply for internships during your holidays or whenever you get the opportunity.

There are banks, financial institutions and other companies that offer opportunities to students.

They may not always be perfectly paid opportunities, and depending on where you live, opportunities may be more difficult to find.

But where you can reasonably take an opportunity, go for it.

You are building experience, but you are also building evidence that you can point to when it is time to apply.

3. What kind of personal projects would you recommend for someone interested in Operations?

I wouldn’t start a personal project simply because you think “I need something to put on my CV.”

Start with the skills the role requires.

If the role requires things like willingness to learn, teamwork, adaptability, communication, problem-solving or an ability to work with data, think about projects that allow you to actually demonstrate those things.

Maybe you and your friends want to set up a programme.

Maybe you want to start something that teaches students about basic financial concepts.

Maybe someone you know is already working on a project and needs help.

Help them.

It doesn’t always have to be something you founded.

The important thing is that you are doing something practical and can reflect on what you contributed, what you learnt and what the outcome was.

4. How do you answer “Why are you interested in this programme/company/role?”

There are different ways to answer this, and I think it is important to separate “Why this company?” from “Why this role?”

For the company, research them.

What have they been doing?

What is their track record?

What are their values?

What about their culture genuinely appeals to you?

For example, maybe their approach to diversity resonates with you. Maybe responsible growth is something you care about. Maybe you are interested in the way they invest in developing their talent.

Whatever your reason is, find something specific.

Don’t just say:

“I love Bank of America’s values and it is a leading global bank.”

Tell them something that shows you actually took time to learn about the organisation.

It could also be that you spoke to someone who previously had the internship and their experience made you want to apply.

For the role itself, understand what the role actually does.

For example, when I was applying for Global Operations, I thought about the role’s position within the wider process.

How does Operations contribute to the financial process?

Why is accuracy important?

Why does data matter?

What happens when a process isn’t working properly?

Once you understand the role, it becomes much easier to explain why you want it.

And if you’re struggling with this question, go and research.

Watch videos. Read people’s experiences. Look at how other candidates have approached the question.

Learn from them, but don’t copy their answers.

5. What roles can I apply for as a Law student?

This was something I had to get over myself.

Don’t disqualify yourself simply because you don’t study Finance.

For the Global Operations internship I applied for, the role description didn’t simply say that you had to study Finance or Economics.

It specified the year you needed to be in, when you needed to graduate, and then listed various technical and soft skills.

Things like being comfortable with data, being able to communicate effectively, being willing to learn and adapt, and being able to work with others.

So rather than fixating on:

“I’m a Law student. Why would they want me?”

I started thinking:

“If I were hiring for this role, what would I want to see in a candidate?”

Then I looked through my experiences and found evidence of those things.

I had done Law internships, but some of them weren’t obviously connected to Operations.

During my interview, however, I was asked about a time I had improved a process.

I spoke about how I had helped digitalise records at a law firm that had previously been using a lot of paper and pen.

But I didn’t need to have improved a process in a bank.

I needed to show that I had experience identifying something that could be improved and doing something about it.

That is the difference.

Also, don’t forget your university courses.

On my CV, I included relevant subjects such as Commercial Law, Contract Law, Entrepreneurship and Business, Company Law, Labour Law and Industrial Relations.

These subjects helped demonstrate that I had some exposure to commercial and business concepts.

And as a Law student, you also have skills that can be useful: communication, analysing information, structuring arguments and communicating your thoughts clearly.

Use what you have.

6. What advice would you give for the HireVue interview?

Before your HireVue, have well-prepared answers for questions like:

“Tell me about yourself.”

“Why are you applying for this role?”

“Why this company?”

“Why this programme?”

Then practise your STAR approach.

One thing I found helpful was having a few words or phrases in my head that helped me remember the different parts:

Situation → Task → Action → Result.

And please don’t spend all your time explaining the Situation.

The Action and Result are particularly important.

I also think you should take every stage seriously if you genuinely want the opportunity.

Don’t think, “It’s only the CV, it doesn’t matter.”

Don’t think, “It’s only HireVue.”

Every stage is an opportunity to show them who you are.

But at the same time, don’t overthink it after you’ve submitted it.

Prepare properly.

Do your best.

Submit.

Then move on.

7. What should I focus on when writing my CV?

Read the job description.

I know this sounds obvious, but I think people underestimate it.

Your CV should reflect the role you are applying for.

Add relevant courses where appropriate.

Clearly communicate the things you have done well.

And use relevant keywords from the job description where they genuinely apply to your experience.

Also, ask people to review your CV.

It doesn’t have to be someone who has already interned at the company.

One of my friends reviewed my CV when I was applying because I couldn’t find someone with the exact experience to help me at the time.

And it was useful.

Sometimes, another person can spot things you have completely missed.

If you have friends who are also applying for internships, do it together.

Share resources.

Review each other’s CVs.

Practise interviews together.

There are also usually people organising calls, sessions and training during internship application seasons, so take advantage of them where you can.

But don’t feel like you must have a one-on-one call with someone who has previously interned at the company before you can apply.

I didn’t get that opportunity until I had already been invited for an interview.

And I still made it through the process.

So, if you are currently preparing for an internship application, I hope this helps.

And perhaps the biggest thing I want you to take away from all of this is:

Don’t spend so much time thinking about what you don’t have that you forget to communicate what you do have.

You may not have the “perfect” degree.

You may not have years of experience.

You may not have worked in the exact industry before.

But you may have led a team, improved a process, organised a programme, worked with data, solved a problem, learnt something quickly or achieved something you haven’t even realised is relevant yet.

Your job is to find those things and communicate them well.

FINAL NOTE

If you found this helpful, please check out some of the other guides I have written on this topic.

I put this together as an efficient way to answer some of the questions I have received and, particularly, to help those who have reached out asking for a 1-on-1 call. As much as I would love to speak with everyone individually, I honestly can’t make that commitment to all the requests I receive at this season.

So, I thought, why not put everything together in one place?

I hope this is helpful. If it is, please let me know privately or in the comments. I would genuinely love to know what you found useful.

ABOUT ME

My name is Oluwabukunmi Olaleye. I am a writer and author, who loves growth and sharing the things that help people grow. You’ll find more of those things here.

I recently published my book, Build The Life You Desire. You can read more about the journey and track record of the book here.

You can also connect with me on Instagram or LinkedIn, or send me an email at teambukunmi@gmail.com.

A few helpful resources

• CV structuring: Please check this LinkedIn post for CV structuring tips

• Bank of America internship interviews: Please check this YouTube page for previous interviews with Bank of America interns, including myself.

My first question is simple: How badly do you want it?

If your answer is, “Bukunmi, you don’t understand how much I want this,”

Then this letter is for you. 🤎

Have you ever been given a responsibility and suddenly realized you don’t know how to do it? Or maybe you’ve done something similar before, but this particular style or approach feels unfamiliar?

Last month, I had a catch-up session with a senior leader. While rounding up, I asked him a question: “What helped you become known as a high achiever and get so many opportunities?”

Here’s what he told me:

“I know how to get things done. When I joined, whenever my manager was struggling to resolve something and needed to be somewhere urgently, I would tell him, ‘Give it to me. I’ll handle it.’

Now, I didn’t know how to do it. But I knew people across the floor who understood different parts of the process. A combination of their guidance could help me. They might be busy or uninterested — but I was interested.

So I’d take the task, go to them individually, ask questions, and follow their instructions. By the time my manager returned, it was done.

When he asked, ‘How did you do it?’ I’d simply say, ‘Don’t worry about that. It’s done.’

I became the guy who gets things done, no matter how hard. All I needed was to leverage people.”

Subscribe now

Often, we think that if we can’t master something immediately, then we can’t do it at all. We say “no” too quickly, as we don’t want to fail. Or we feel like a fraud - afraid we’ll be exposed.

Share

Figuring it Out, One Step at a Time

In Part Four of my new book, Build the Life You Desire, I share why you never have to walk alone. I also explore the kinds of people you should build with - friends, mentors, volunteers - and how to find and engage them effectively.

BUILD THE LIFE YOU DESIRE will be available for preorder in few weeks 🎉

Don't forget to join the wait-list here as you would have some exclusive gift accompanying your copy when you order.

If you want to partner with me on sharing and getting the book to a larger audience, let's connect via email. ❤️

I’d genuinely love to hear from you.

Tell me about a time you winged a challenging task you didn’t know how to navigate, but you were bold enough to try anyway. How did you do it?

Looking forward to hearing from you.

With Love,

Global Bukunmi.

Leave a comment

Share

I want to share three things that I have been doing this year that have given me a complete transformation and made me 10× better than in previous years.

This month's lesson

Growth requires courage to embrace new approaches, despite not being the usual. It requires you to push your mind beyond what feels familiar; you train it to adapt, to stretch, and to think differently.

Subscribe now

Three things you should do this month for unprecedented growth:

1. Explore AI tools that can help with your daily tasks

You are used to doing things manually and going through a rigorous process. Take some time this month to research AI tools that can help you automate and simplify the tasks you currently do manually.

What AI tool can save me from manual and repetitive tasks?

What AI tool can design my PowerPoint Slides?

What AI tool can compress time and processes?

Then take a small step by putting at least one of those tools into practice.

2. Practice what you learn immediately

Learning alone creates familiarity, but practice creates mastery. There is a big difference between understanding something in theory and being able to use it to produce real results.

When you learn a new skill, don’t wait for the “perfect opportunity” to apply it. Create one. Build a small or pseudo project around it and work through it. This forces you to make decisions, test your understanding, and see what actually works.

Practice is what compresses growth. It turns what could take years of passive learning into months of focused execution.

3. Teach what you know.

Teaching or explaining what you know is one of the fastest ways to sharpen your thinking. You have read or learnt it somewhere, now it is time to use your own words and analogy to teach it. If you can’t teach something, then you don’t fully understand it.

If you’re not used to sharing your knowledge, try finding one person — or a small group — you can speak with. If that is not possible, record and teach what you know via a video.

I have applied these three things over the past few years, and I can't fully explain how much I have grown in my thinking, productivity, and overall clarity.

Perks & Exclusive Access for you

New Book: Build the Life You Desire

The book we discussed last year is finally ready, and I can’t wait for it to be in your hands. ❤️

Through a practical step-by-step strategy, this book walks you through the process of transformation and living an extraordinary life. It is for anyone ready to achieve great things, no matter where they are right now. It would walk you through step-by-step strategies of transformation and living an extraordinary life.

You can now join the waitlist for the book here.

The wait-list will give you: more

• Access to an exclusive preview of the first chapter of the book.

• Access to a discounted price for the book.

A Private Mentorship Program

Over the past few years, I’ve had the privilege of volunteering in different mentorship spaces, sharing my experiences and lessons in personal development, faith, and global opportunities. It has been deeply rewarding to see how these conversations have helped people make clearer decisions and take intentional steps in building their lives.

In the next few weeks, I will be running a private mentorship programme for five people.

This is designed for those at a stage where they’ve decided to take their life seriously, but are asking the honest question: where do I start, and what really matters most?

We will focus on vision and goal setting (short and long term), building with intention, staying grounded in strong values, and navigating common challenges like fear, doubt, and lack of clarity.

Because it is intentionally small, there will be space for depth, reflection, and some one-on-one engagement. I’ll also be sharing practical insights and real lessons from my own journey.

If this resonates with you, you can apply using this link. (Click here)

Feel free to also share it with someone who might benefit from it.

Share

What I recently listened to and would be useful for you.

How to get 1% better every day (Click here)

What podcast, book, or conversation has genuinely changed the way you see something in life recently? You can drop a recommendation in the comments for others to pick up.

Leave a comment

Until next time — keep experimenting, and give yourself permission to grow.

Global Bukunmi. 🌻

1) Start seeing those spaces as learning opportunities

Rather than seeing those spaces as a scoreboard, see them as classrooms. Let them be places where you stretch, observe, and build.

Ask questions—not from insecurity, but from genuine curiosity. What are you doing? How did you get here? What did you learn along the way?

People that are truly intelligent would always be willing to share.

When you stop seeing others as threats, you start receiving the capacity to learn from them.

2) Show yourself grace

You have come a long way. For some people, their starting point was a place you once prayed to reach. They may have had earlier exposure, quicker access, or different opportunities—and that does not make you less. It simply makes your journey different. We are not running the same race, but we are all in motion. Progress is not measured by comparison, but by becoming better than who you were yesterday.

And here’s the quiet truth we often forget:

The people you think have it all figured out are still figuring it out.

Behind the confidence are hopes, doubts, and goals still in progress. We are more alike than we realize—human beings believing, trying, and working toward something meaningful. No one is perfect. No one has arrived.

So if you ever find yourself in a space where you feel like you don’t measure up, resist the temptation to feed yourself poisonous thoughts.

You are there because you belong. You were invited because you are needed. Ask. Learn. Grow. And then, bring your own light to the room to complement the beauties you have encountered.

With Love,

Global Bukunmi ❤️

I hope you are doing well.

I have been enjoying writing to you every week, and I hope the newsletter has been helpful to you.

There is often an illusion that we can make choices that come with “less risk.” We think, I want a job with fewer chances of stress, mistakes, a heavy workload, or trouble. Or, I want to live in an area with less risk: less insecurity, less economic pressure, less fear..

We also want relationships (with friends and family) that carry less risk, with a lower chance of being hurt, cheated, or overwhelmed.

But recently, I began to realise that “no risk” is an illusion. There is risk in every choice and every decision.

Subscribe now

Suppose you decide to go all out and invest your time, resources, goals, and interests into an opportunity. In that case, you expose yourself to risk: the risk of failure, embarrassment, and falling short despite people’s expectations.

But the person who hides, believing that avoidance makes them safe, is also in the hands of risk: the risk of losing their potential and the risk of wasting their youth- the very season when they should seize opportunities and make exploits.

The person who keeps their money and the person who invests it are both taking risks, just in different forms. The person who chooses to write a book or start an organisation is taking a risk, and the people who choose to hide their story are taking a huge risk of erasing their stories, growth,, and experiences from being remembered.

I am learning daily that risk exists in every choice. Both the one who chose to go all in and the person who chose to lock the wonders in them until “it feels comfortable.” 

Book-ish

A section where I talk about books - recommendations or reviews.

In the next few weeks, I will share the books I have read each month in 2025. You might find some books to add to your reading list in 2026.

The 3 books I read in January 2025

1. You on Purpose – Stephanie Shackleford
A book about intentionally embracing who you are, and growing into the person you’re created to be—beyond the expectations of the world.

2. 25 Lies Twenty-Somethings Need to Stop Believing – Paul Angone
A collection of powerful lessons on discipline, courage, identity, and navigating your twenties with confidence.

3. 10 Things Every Minister Needs to Know – Ronnie Floyd
A guide for people called to serve God, teaching about building assignments, managing people, and balancing life and ministry.

I would love to know some of the books you read this year. What are some favorite books you have read in 2025?

Leave a comment

Thank you so much for your support after I shared the book cover last week.

More insight into the book:

The book covers lessons on standing out as a young person and breaking barriers that keep us limited/stuck. I’m as excited as you are! 🤭 I will share the full timeline for publishing once everything is confirmed.

As the year wraps up, remember: there is still enough time to start what you want to start. Let go of overthinking the risks. Whether you do it or not, risk will always exist! ❤️

I would love to hear your thoughts on risks. What are the risks you are taking recently, and how do you approach choosing which risk is worth taking?

Please share this newsletter with a friend, and subscribe if you haven’t already.

Share

Check some of my posts here on Instagram and LinkedIn

Till next week! ❤️🌻

Make growth a priority ✨

I hope you’re doing well.

Over the past weeks, I’ve found myself influencing and helping people in small but meaningful ways. This has caused me to reflect deeply on impact and leadership.

You don’t have to wait for permission, a title, or a perfect moment. If there’s a gap, a need, or a place where you can serve—step in. That in itself is an impact.

Subscribe now

From these reflections, I’ve learned five simple truths that I want to share with you.

1. Impact is not a role that is given—it’s a responsibility you take.
We don’t wait for someone to assign us a position. We see a need, we show up, and we serve.

2. Real impact is service.
It is choosing to help even when you have your own full plate. It’s the willingness to say, “I can help you figure this out,” even when you’re still figuring out your own life.

3. Calm and Stillness can lead.
Growing up, I thought the loudest person was the leader. But now I know: gentleness can lead. Calm can lead. Stillness can lead.

4. Impact requires remembering your vision—again and again.
Without revisiting why you started, you can get lost in activity and forget your direction. The heart of impact is staying aligned with the purpose that moved you in the first place.

5. Impact is not age-dependent; it is capacity-dependent.

You can be young and still have the wisdom, commitment, and courage to carry something meaningful.

All of this has shaped the work I’m doing with young people, and it’s shaping something even more special…

I’M WRITING A BOOK!

The title is Build the Life You Desire, and because you’re part of this community, I want you to be among the very first people to see the front cover.

I’d really love to know what you think! ✨

This is the first look at my book cover, and your honest feedback would mean so much to me.
Do you like it?
Does it speak to you?
Does the title make you curious about what’s inside?

Thank you for sharing your thoughts with me — I truly appreciate it. 🤭💛

Leave a comment

In my next week post, I’ll be sharing the more about the book, and I can’t wait for you to see it.

Thank you for being here, and thank you for reading.

I look forward to hearing from you.

With love, 💕

Global Bukunmi.

This letter is from the countless conversations I’ve had with students who felt stuck, unseen, or unsupported in their schools. This episode is for them — for anyone navigating barriers and still trying to stand out as a young person in university.

A few days ago, I saw a post that deeply struck me. Someone has gotten a full time offer with Apple but lost the opportunity, because his school refused to issue a letter to process his visa early. I was on a call with my friend, venting about it — venting about a system that often leaves young people frustrated.

Read this:

Many students lose opportunities, not because they lack potential, but because their schools haven’t created structures to support their dreams.

I had my fair share of that reality. Even though my unfair experience didn't end my journey, but I know others whose stories took different turns.

In contrast, I’ve met students from universities where it’s almost expected that their students would travel for global opportunities — and the school already has systems in place to help them make up missed exams or get academic support.

But for many of us from less-exposed universities, that’s not the case.

The questions often sound like:

“Why can’t you wait until you graduate before traveling for an internship?”

“How does your course of study even align with the internship you are traveling for?”

They were questions I was asked, and I’ve heard them asked to others too.

It can be disheartening knowing that while you’re already dealing with general academic struggles, the very structures meant to help you grow are missing.

Simple things like:

• Career days or mentorship sessions with alumni and trailblazers.

• Alumni who return to share lessons from life after school. (Many don’t — because they still carry the hurt of how their schools limited them.)

• Even getting your transcripts or necessary letters without difficulty or fear of being denied.

• The list goes on…

This isn’t just about missing out on global opportunities. It’s about the larger gap:

The lack of access to spaces that help you grow, expand your thinking, and prepare you for the future.

The gap is wide, but we can still bridge it, one person at a time.

How do you carve your own path when your academic environment feels like a limitation rather than a launch pad?

Here’s what helped me, and I hope it helps someone reading this too

1. Self-Determination

At some point, you must decide that your life will not look like what you’re going through.

That realization hit me in my 300 level. I stopped grumbling about what my school didn’t have — no internship programs, no mentorship opportunities or networking events. I started finding my own abridged versions of those experiences.

2. Put in the Work

Be ready to go the extra mile. There may be no career days, networking events, or industry mixers — just classes, exams, and organizations meetings. You have to excel at the normal things and proceed to add the “extra” that moves you forward.

I had to stream lots of events life because traveling to Lagos for the events was luxury.

3. Surround Yourself with Growth-Minded People

Your environment might be discouraging, so your circle has to be uplifting.

Be around people who talk about opportunities, growth, and self-development — and actually do the work.

The biggest impact in my Journey was my role at Intellectual Property Law Club in University. The club started with someone sharing an idea shared with another friend, till the group was formed and before long, it became a community where we learned, built, and grew. That space gave me a big leap in experience and exposure.

4. Let the Internet Be Your Advantage

If the mountain won’t come to you, go to the mountain. If you are intentional about growth, you should constantly be finding how Internet can fill the gaps. Signing up for competitions, trainings, and internship. Find a mix of national and international opportunities, things that suits your career goal and trainings that would answer your questions on career growth.

I learnt how to write a standard CV from webinars that I attended in 200 leve Some weekends, I would walk to a quiet spot just to find network, join some online sessions and take notes.

I’ve sent countless emails — even cold emails — to people I admire, asking for mentorship in filmmaking, writing, and applications. Many didn’t reply, but the few who did changed my journey.

Also, show up online. Create a digital portfolio for your work. Share about your learnings and progress. Use LinkedIn to connect with students from other universities and ask how you can replicate some initiatives in your own school. Ask for possible collaborations if needed to successfully carry out your own initiatives.

5. Be resilient in your Belief

It might not be the popular route or the easiest one, but there will always be a way. You have to be resilient in your belief. I have missed a desired internship because I live in Ekiti and traveling travel to Ibadan was not possible at the time. I know people who lost theirs because exams clashed with opportunities their schools didn’t regard.

You’ll have to make tough choices and have your degree as the priority, but keep striving anyway. Even if I had missed the internship at that time, knowing there are still more ahead, kept me going.

Pray for it and believe God for it. Trust your process and work for it.

The goal isn’t to complain about what we lack, but to keep finding and building what we need.

Because one day, you’ll look back and realize that those limitations became the very reason you grew.

Leave a comment

Check my Substack posts for any articles on global career and my Bank of America application story.

It’s about how to stand out from a pool of thousands of applicants and get through the first stage in the application process.

Let’s get right into the Frequently Asked...

...question 1: How do I break down my CV into appropriate sections?

There’s no hard and fast rule because your CV is your story. How do you want to be known? What do you want people to remember about you?

Start by writing down everything you’d want a recruiter to know about you. Then refine it later.

The most common sections are:

a) Education: List your university, course, expected grade, and any relevant coursework.

b) Experiences:

This includes your work, leadership, and volunteering engagements. You can organize them into categories if that helps you tell your story more clearly. Don’t underestimate school-based roles—one of my key CV highlights was serving as the Director of Programs, Policies, and Strategies at the Intellectual Property Law Club. Though it was a student organization, the experience helped me build real leadership and communication skills that later proved invaluable.

Your internships, volunteer work, and even campus leadership roles all count as your current experience. (I’ll share more about how to gain relevant experiences ahead of your applications next week.)

c) Hard and Soft Skills:

Hard skills refer to the technical abilities required for the role. Soft skills, on the other hand, encompass qualities such as teamwork, communication, adaptability, problem-solving, and a willingness to learn.

My personal hack is to use the exact words used in the job description. For instance, if the role highlights “willingness to adapt,” I prefer to use that same phrase instead of replacing it with “flexibility.” This subtle detail can make a difference, especially if the recruiter uses an automated CV screening system. The presence of matching keywords helps the system identify your CV as relevant

d) Extra Sections:

There are various options you can include in this section. The combination that helps you stand out should be your focus. These could range from Certifications and Awards to Projects or Scholarships. Add the sections that best reflect your past experiences and strengthen your overall story.

...question 2: What’s the best way to structure my CV for maximum impact?

• Think of your CV as your personal brag sheet and an opportunity to put your best foot forward. For early-career applications, your education section usually comes first. After that, list your experiences in order of relevance and arrange them based on recency.

• Adding a professional summary is often a topic of debate. Personally, I don’t include one because I prefer to use that space for something else. However, I’ve seen people who did and still got the same opportunities I did. If you choose to include a summary, keep it concise—two to three sentences highlighting your focus and strengths. But if you need the space to showcase key achievements, don’t hesitate to leave it out.

...question 3: How do I know that my CV would impress my recruiter?

• Seek feedback and opinions from friends and people who have strong knowledge of CV writing. You’ll be surprised how helpful their insights can be. If possible, ask someone who has previously secured the opportunity you’re applying for.

• For example, during my Bank of America application, I had my friend Honour Dahunsi, AICMC, review my CV, and later sent the final draft to James Olayinka for feedback. If the people reviewing your CV can confidently say it’s perfect, you’re already well on your way to something great.

...question 4: How can I submit an impactful essay?

If the application asks for an essay, focus on telling a personal and relatable story. Choose one clear reason or motivation and build your essay around it if the word count limit is small. Be honest and authentic; write as if you’re speaking to a mentor who truly believes in you. Avoid trying to impress with overly complex language. Clarity and sincerity matter more. After writing, take the time to review, revise, and review again. Every round of editing will help your story shine and ensure your essay reflects the best version of you.

Three extra tips +++ my personal stories

Lesson 1: The Power of Practicing

Don’t wait until the last minute to start learning how to write a strong CV or essay. CV writing is an art—you improve through consistent practice. The first reason to start early is simple: it prepares you ahead of the opportunities coming your way.

Throughout my years at university, I was on what I call “application submission steroids.” I applied to everything that sparked my interest. Through that process, I received feedback on different CV and application-writing hacks and techniques from people who reviewed my applications.

I didn’t know about the Bank of America internship until a few weeks after applications opened. There wasn’t much time to start learning CV writing from scratch or figuring out how to structure it. I had to leverage everything I had built over the years.

If you’re reading this and haven’t perfected CV writing yet, start today. The earlier you start, the more skilled and confident you become!

Subscribe now

Lesson 2: The Power of Preparation

Keep an archive of your experiences—roles, achievements, and measurable outcomes.

You’ll forget key details over time, so documenting them makes applying for new roles much easier. I personally maintained a CV archive because I had a wide range of interests and wanted the flexibility to choose what I’d eventually pursue. Every experience went into the archive. When applying for a writing, media, or communications role, I could easily refer back to relevant experiences. For a law-related role, I would pick what applied, and for any other field, I would do the same. Without this system, you risk overlooking important experiences.

What I did was go through each bullet point in the job description, compare it to my past experiences in my CV archive, and tailor them to fit. It’s about connecting the dots, not dumping everything you’ve ever done.

Lesson 3: The Power of Resilience

Even when you do everything right, you might not always get a yes for every application. Rejection can be redirection. Sometimes, it leads to something far more aligned with your purpose. I’ve still received many nos and many yeses for various opportunities. But I’ve learned to trust that the right doors won’t close on me.

Keep applying. Keep learning. The only thing that’s not allowed is giving up!

Next Week

We’ll talk about navigating opportunities when:

You’re not sure how to position yourself while in university or,

You feel disadvantaged by your background or school.

You’ll be reading from a girl who studied in an underexposed Nigerian university — where good internet and electricity were luxuries, and “career day” or its ,variant does not exist.

If that sounds like you, don’t miss it!

+++ If your friend shared this with you, it’s because they want to see you thrive! ❤️

Tag another friend that should be part of this community in the comment section to read as well!

If you enjoy what I share here, subscribe to this newsletter. I genuinely love to hear from you, so I will be in the comment section

I wrote this piece in 2023 on medium, thought to share it here as people liked it at that time. Hopefully you enjoy it too. ✨

The routine of a regular taxi now is that a passenger enters and renders a frustrated yet sonorous hiss, and says “God will save us from this government”

Then the older woman in the car would put in “It is a serious matter o”

and another would say “They said they are even increasing petrol price to #750 per litre.”

“They said Tinubu will open the border”, “They said….” It gets louder with each they said, they said and they said till their voices cut short my thoughts and bring me back to reality.

Don’t think they speak English in the cab, I only translated it for you. (Yes, You are welcome. 🌹 )

I am never interested in a public talk, but do they care? They compel me to listen to their loud voices of unverified news. As a tomato seller tells a civil servant (CS) that the minimum wage is now 150,000. If the civil servant dare object and try to educate her, she would tell him he doesn’t know anything about his monthly wages. (What a confidence!)

Well, all these are not my problem. Mine is that, let us all enter the cab, say a good afternoon, and. maintain. perfect. silence. 😌

Fiction ✨

I am just a 19-year-old who is preparing for the Jamb examination. I wanted to target 300 out of 400 to gain admission to study law at University of Ibadan. Hence, you could imagine the level of admiration I have for the charming lady in front of me. For the past two hours, like crows of a cock, she has sung the praises of Harvard law school to my ears. I am now awakened to the thought of schooling at Harvard.

The fact that she stooped low to engage someone of my caliber in a discussion increased my respect for her.

"And I will love to go this Harvard oo hanty Laila"

"Sure, you can. The future is within the reach of those who can pay the sacrifice."

"But my mother cannot afford a private university not to think of a school abroad"

"There are scholarships available to pay for students who cannot afford it dearly.”

" Really?"

Then she started to tell me about various scholarships and how I can access them. Then like suspense in Nollywood movies, she paused and said "come to my house by 3 pm tomorrow. I will put you through it."

The next day, I could barely wait for the closing bell as I bolted to Laila’s house.

As she saw me from afar, I saw her running inside to bring out clothes in laundry baskets. She made me wash all the plates in the house, swept the corridors of the bungalow, and rinsed her clothes as she washed them. I worked like I would be paid. By 7:00pm, we had been working for 3 hours - I was so exhausted.

“I am really tired already, I don’t think we should start this thing today,”

“Can you come tomorrow? We will start as early as 3 pm and by this time of the day, we will be done.”

On the second day, a similar incident happened again. I saw what was coming from afar, she ran in and brought the dirty plates out. This is a Harvard girl, I have to be respectful to her. This time I did the work with such enthusiasm I have never flexed to do my chores at home. I washed plates, fetched water, and cleaned the house in two hours - I have never beaten such a time limit when working for my mother. Despite the fact that I hurriedly did her tasks, we still couldn’t have the Harvard talk that day. According to her, it was late already and she had a virtual meeting with her colleagues.

I sincerely wouldn’t have shown up on this third day, I was feeling cheated already. But didn’t she say that the future is for those who are ready for the sacrifice? Maybe she was testing my patience. It is the third day already, I thumbed up myself as I approached her aunt’s house. I just passed the test and she will tell me how to get into Harvard now.

At that same time, I was fantasizing about the satisfactory smile on Laila’s face, and my mother suddenly interrupted my plans.

“Clara, thank God you came home early. Put off your clothes and pound this yam quickly.”

“Mummy, why this afternoon? We can eat pounded yam as dinner ma.”

“Your father is on his way home to pack his bags for his new posting. I want him to eat well before the long journey.”

No, it cannot work. I just found the golden opportunity to get into Harvard for free. “Mummy, I have a place to go. I will be back soon before the yam is done”

Maybe she said No, maybe she asked where I am going to, I can’t say. I was already at the doorstep of Laila’s aunt’s house.

As I got there that afternoon, Laila wasn’t around. This was odd, she didn’t say she would not be around.

Then after ten minutes, her aunt drove in and I went to greet her.

"How are you doing, Daina?"

"I am fine ma. I am looking for aunty Laila"

"Laila? I just went to drop her off at school now. She is now in a boarding school."

"Boarding school?"

“Yes. Laila is the daughter of my sister that you knew died two months ago. She is preparing to write her jamb by next month. I had to bring her over to complete her secondary school."

"Write jamb?"

"Yes, Jamb. Same as you now. Or are you not preparing for your JAMB?"

"Yes, ma. So you are saying Aunt Laila is not in Harvard?"

"Why are you calling her aunty? She is your age mate now. Is it because she has a big stature? I thought you were friends o."

Friendship my foot "Ma, we are not friends o"

"So why does she always refuse to do her chores and she says, Diana my friend is coming in the afternoon to help me"

Really? Diana the gullible maid!

“Are you saying she is not schooling at Harvard”

“What is Harvard”

“Like she has not traveled out of Nigeria before”

“Not at all. She lives in Anambra.”

That is it - I was tricked - twice. She knew the honor Harvard facade will bring. She thought of her tedious chores at home. Somehow, I became the chord to connect them. I got used to it!

As I walked back to my house that evening, I saw from afar my parents eating pounded yam on the bench outside the house. My father was already dressed in her military uniform with his bag beside him. Then I remembered my mother’s ability to fine-tune a tale like it happened, especially when it comes to reporting my deeds to my father. I need no soothsayer to say that skill has been exemplified in my absence. As I walked towards my military father, I pictured a Christmas chicken about to jump into a heated oil on gas, it takes less than a minute before it’s roasted.

I knew how to spell trouble, perfectly. This is it.

Laila from Harvard gave me this hazard.

I’m doomed!

Over the past few months, I’ve received countless messages from students and young professionals asking about global internship applications. How to submit the right application, how to stand out, what to do while waiting for results, and especially how to prepare for video assessments and assessment centers.

I realized I was giving similar answers repeatedly, so I decided to compile my experience into one accessible series. This way, I can reach more people, especially undergraduates, who are navigating the same process and wondering how to get started.

My story is based on my global internship with Bank of America, where I worked in the Global Operations Division. The reflections and lessons here are personal, based on what helped me prepare and what I would want you to know if you are aiming to walk down a similar path. For official information about the internship, please visit Bank of America’s career page.

What This Three-Part Series Covers

I’ll be sharing my experience in reverse order to give you insight from the most crucial stage back to the beginning:

1. Part 1 – Preparing for your interview or assessment center (this post).

2. Part 2 – Submitting a strong application: how to write an outstanding CV and essay (for anyone trying to submit applications globally to any opportunity round the year).

3. Part 3 – General advice and FAQs, especially for students from less-exposed universities or who are applying for opportunities outside their fields of study at university.

   Thanks for reading! Subscribe for free to receive notifications when I make new posts, and if you would like to support my work.

Part 1: Interview & Assessment Center

If you have submitted your application and completed your HireVue interview/video assessment. The next question would be, what next?

1. Stay Calm and Confident

As you wait for the feedback on your submission, it could feel like an endless wait. There would be many reasons for anxiety and worry, but you should make every attempt to be calm and confident. I remember checking my email multiple times every day, even on weekends, hoping and overthinking. Looking back, that anxiety added nothing.

You’ve done your part. Now, permit yourself to breathe. Stay engaged with your normal activities and trust that the outcome will arrive duly.

2. What to Read and Prepare

There were other school activities that needed my commitment, so I only started the preparation for my interview after I had gotten an invitation to the assessment center. I realized how much I still needed to understand, so I started reaching out to past interns and mentors who helped me identify key areas to focus on.

Here’s a list of what I studied and found most useful:

• A basic understanding of investment banks - their structure, divisions, and the products they trade.

• The services offered by the bank and how they contribute to the global financial system.

• The role and importance of your specific division within the larger structure.

• Risks that banks face and how they are managed.

• Common financial terms and concepts used in investment banking.

• A clear answer for “Why are you applying to this bank?” and “Why are you applying to this division?”

• How technology and innovation shape banking operations today.

• Awareness of current global events and their impact on the financial sector.

• Mastery of the STAR (Situation, Task, Action, Result) technique for structuring answers.

• A mental bank of personal scenarios that demonstrate the required soft skills like teamwork, leadership, communication, and problem-solving.

• Generate multiple questions with AI tools to practice and get familiar with answering questions.

• Achievements, core strengths, and news about the bank to slip in some facts when necessary during the interview.

There possibly would be new things for you to read and revise until the morning of the interview.

3. Practice Your Delivery

Knowing your answers isn’t enough; how you deliver them matters.
Here are a few things that helped me improve my performance:

• Be concise with your answers and avoid winding responses. When you think you have answered the question asked, just say “Thank you” and smile. Resist the urge to keep perambulating if there are no more key points to add.

• Let your facial expressions reflect confidence and engagement. Smile and show curiosity.

• Be ready to ask meaningful questions. Prepare questions that you can choose from to ask your interviewer. Let the question reflect your curiosity. It shows initiative and interest.

Before the interview:

• Choose a quiet, well-lit space with a clean, professional background.

• Test your network connection, lighting, and camera angle in advance.

• Dress professionally.

• Do a few mock interviews with friends to practice speaking slowly and confidently. Ask for their honest feedback.

• Review your CV carefully and be prepared to discuss any of the experiences you have listed.

Pray, stay positive, and trust that all things will go well.

4. Helpful Resources

Here are a few resources that I would recommend:

• Materials from Bank of America Career Day (if you can get access through friends or peers).

• The Bank’s website to understand the values and goals.

• Indeed.com – for interview tips and practice questions.

• CareerVidz: A YouTube channel for competency-based interview practice.

• Quora: To read real interview experiences shared by past applicants to various investment banks.

• ASN Network: If you would want to watch some interviews of the past interns.

To previous interns, what are the things you would want to add to this list. Please share in the comments for others to read.

If you have other questions, feel free to drop them in the comments. I’ll respond and there might be some previous past interns in the comment section to answer as well.

Until then, remember: you don’t need to be perfect to be the best fit, your readiness is what makes the big difference.

If this was helpful in any way, please let me know in the comment section as well.

Subscribe now

Behind the favour that we find with men, there is an attitude of honour that we have chosen as a lifestyle. The attitude we have built before knocking their door, kept the access opened for as long as we wanted it - anyone would call us lucky.

Behind all of our achievements, there is a supernatural force that produces the results. Despite the mental preparedness and attitude, we chose to rest in the God that produced the results.

For we understand that the things that are seen, are made from things unseen.

From Oluwabukunmi,

…that you never walk alone💙

After finally searching out which discussions I have had during the day that has let in worries into my heart; I travelled with the question into the repository of my future plans to fetch an answer. I was embarrassed finding out that I never mapped out a perfect plan to balance my studies with filmmaking.

Subscribe now

Earlier on, I had rambled “the future will sort itself out” to Barrister B. that threw the question at me. Obviously, a 3-year post call lawyer will know better than a third year law student. He reminded me of how voluminous Company Law and every other law courses will require my full attention. He was kind to explain how production of visual contents might lead to poor performance and low grades.

My biggest goal before graduation is to produce a movie; the thought of how to manage the script, storyboards, cast, crew, locations, filming and post production now burdens me heavily and fear was beginning to set in. I decided to go beyond worrying about how to balance them as it will stray me away from ever starting. At the perfect time, I will forge ahead.

Is it okay to spell out limitations for those coming behind because you have toured the same path and you believe they are setting out to experience the same pattern of your life? What if your gaze were fixed on the potholes and you never raised your head up into the sky; so you toured the thin path thinking there was no space to fly so you never flapped out your wings?

Two years later, I still don’t have right answers to the question he asked. But I knew I had gone ahead to birth the beautiful dreams I had for my creative career. I had managed the production of courtroom movies, I was the overall winner in a video submission, and I managed the pre-production and production of my first film. While giving wings to my dreams to fly, my grades held on tightly to me - maybe I held on to it- we flew together.

Behind the scene image of my first film