Barclays graduate scheme interview guide

How Barclays hires graduates: the application form, two short interactive assessments and an assessment centre with a motivational interview.

About Barclays

Barclays describes itself as having a "330 year history", "100K colleagues" and a presence in "38 countries".¹

It reports through five businesses: Barclays UK, Barclays UK Corporate Bank, Barclays Private Bank and Wealth Management, Barclays Investment Bank and Barclays US Consumer Bank. In the six months to 30 June 2026, group income rose 11% to £16.5bn and profit before tax was £6.1bn, up from £5.2bn a year earlier. C. S. Venkatakrishnan is Group Chief Executive.²

Graduates join "as an Explorer or an Expert" and get "training, mentorship and hands-on experience".³ Most full-time graduate roles start in August or September, with "1-2 years on programme, followed by roll-off into a permanent role."⁴

The interview process

As Barclays' early careers team describes it. The same three steps apply to its graduate programmes and internships.⁵

1. Application form

   You apply through the Barclays careers site.⁵ Barclays recruits on a rolling basis and recommends applying early.⁴

2. Online assessments2 assessments

   Two short interactive assessments "which will tell us how you might perform in the workplace, and your typical or preferred ways of working". You can take them on any device, including a phone or tablet. More technical programmes, such as the Explorer Developer programme, also ask for an assessment of your technical skills.⁵

3. Assessment centre2 or 3 stages

   "An assessment centre either in person or virtually", with "two or three stages, including a motivational interview with a member of the leadership team." This is where you show the strengths, behaviours or technical skills the role needs.⁵

4. Offer

   Barclays doesn't publish graduate salaries. Your recruiter discusses the package "at the point of offer", and packages for graduate hires aren't negotiable.⁴

The Capital Markets Graduate Programme 2027 posting lists its process as application, assessment, interview and next steps.⁶

Before you apply

• One application a year. You "can only apply to one full-time graduate or internship role globally each year". If you're unsuccessful, you can reapply in the next recruitment season.⁴
• No AI tools in interviews. "Third-party AI tools are not permitted during your Barclays interview", including transcription bots and meeting assistants. Using one means the interview is stopped and your application withdrawn.⁵
• Adjustments. If you tell Barclays during your application, it offers adjustments such as "extra time for assessments" and "offline assessments".⁵
• Visas. Barclays says its UK graduate programmes don't preclude applicants who need visa sponsorship.⁴

What Barclays looks for

Barclays says its early careers process is designed to find out whether you "share the same key attributes and Values as Barclays colleagues throughout our business."⁵ Its five Values are:

• Respect. "We harness the power of inclusion and opportunity in our business, trust those we work with, and value everyone's contribution".⁷
• Integrity. "We operate with honesty, courage, transparency and fairness in all we do".⁷
• Service. "We act with empathy and humility, putting the people and businesses we serve at the centre of what we do".⁷
• Excellence. "We set high standards for what we do, championing innovation and using our energy, expertise and resources to make a positive difference".⁷
• Stewardship. "We are passionate about leaving things better than we found them".⁷

Its Mindset has three parts. Empower: "Trust, support and inspire each other to deliver." Challenge: "Question whether things can be improved, simplified and/or automated. Be curious and ambitious; challenge the status quo." Drive: "Act like an owner. Take personal responsibility and accountability."¹

Programmes add their own. The Capital Markets posting looks for resilience, adaptability, confidence, drive, empathy and curiosity, and says graduates should have a "good work ethic and be keen to learn and develop".⁶ The UK Corporate Bank Graduate Programme, which rotates through client-facing coverage teams and support functions such as Business Management, Financial Crime and Sustainable Finance, wants graduates who are "customer-obsessed" and "keen to develop skills in analytics, stakeholder management".⁸

Barclays says it doesn't select people "purely on academic record".⁹

Questions to expect

Practice questions based on the Values, Mindset and qualities Barclays describes.

How to prepare

1. Bring real examples. Barclays advises giving clear examples that show judgement, innovation, teamwork, commitment and leadership, not generic statements.⁹
2. Know the Values and the Mindset. Have a story ready for each Value, and know what Empower, Challenge and Drive ask of you.
3. Take the assessments seriously. "Read through the instructions carefully and complete all practise and example questions", and answer honestly: Barclays considers your performance across all the exercises as a whole.⁹
4. Set up for video. Barclays suggests "a laptop or computer with a high-quality camera, but if you don't have access to either, a phone will do", in "a quiet, private space".⁹
5. Research the business area. Barclays asks you to research "us as a company, the business area you're applying to, as well as the specific role."⁹
6. Apply early. Recruitment is rolling, and you only get one application a year.⁴

Worth mentioning in the interview

• Half-year results to June 2026: income up 11% to £16.5bn, profit before tax of £6.1bn, and the 2026 income target raised to about £31.5bn from about £31bn. UK lending balances grew 5% year on year.²
• New leadership for the Investment Bank: Mike Joo, previously Co-Head of Global Investment Banking at Bank of America, and Adeel Khan, Head of Global Markets, are to become Co-CEOs of Barclays Investment Bank from February 2027, subject to regulatory approval.¹⁰

Quick answers

More interview guides

• PwC UK graduate interview guide
• Deloitte UK graduate interview guide
• Goldman Sachs student and graduate interview guide
• Aldi Graduate Area Manager interview guide
• All graduate scheme interview guides

Sources

1. Our Barclays StoryBarclays Careers
2. Barclays PLC Interim Results Announcement 30 June 2026Barclays · 27 Jul 2026
3. Early Careers at BarclaysBarclays Careers
4. Barclays - FAQsBarclays Careers
5. Early Careers Application ProcessBarclays Careers
6. Capital Markets Graduate Programme 2027 London at BarclaysBarclays Careers · 29 Aug 2026
7. Barclays core values and purposeBarclays
8. Barclays Early Careers - UK Corporate Bank GraduatesBarclays Careers
9. hints and tips - Barclays CareersBarclays Careers
10. Mike Joo and Adeel Khan appointed Co-CEOs of Barclays Investment BankBarclays · 17 Aug 2026

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