In 2020 the campus recruiting calendar looked very different from previous years. The pandemic pushed banks, consultancies and other big employers to rethink how they reach students — but it didn’t stop them. Citi remained active on the campus circuit, running information sessions and employer events for students at target schools including Princeton, Yale, and the University of Georgia. Those sessions were part information briefing, part recruiting funnel, and part signal — they told students what roles Citi was hiring, what skills mattered in a pandemic-shaped market, and how to navigate virtual recruiting. Below is a practical, story-driven guide that reconstructs what those sessions typically covered in 2020, why they mattered, what students learned, and how you can use the same playbook today if you’re preparing for large-firm recruiting.
Quick overview — what actually happened (the essentials)
During 2020 Citi ran a set of campus events aimed at undergraduates and early-career students: investment-banking and markets info sessions, diversity and outreach breakfasts, and virtual career-fair presentations. Princeton’s career development office and Yale’s Office of Career Strategy both hosted Citi sessions that year to brief students on internship pipelines and assessment formats; the University of Georgia likewise listed Citi information sessions and diversity breakfasts on its event calendar. These events were designed both to educate students about roles (what an IB or markets internship looks like) and to seed candidate pipelines for virtual interviews and online assessment rounds. (Center for Career Development, YouTube, calendar.uga.edu)
Why these sessions mattered in 2020
Three big reasons:
- Recruiting went virtual, but visibility still mattered. With in-person career fairs cancelled, info sessions were often the first and only live interaction students had with bank reps. That made attendance — and thoughtful questions — more important than ever. Yale and other universities explicitly shifted toward virtual outreach in 2020, creating a new ecosystem of webinars, virtual coffee chats and recorded panels. (Yale College Admissions, YouTube)
- Banks were recruiting for the same pipelines — with slightly different filters. Internships (rising-junior or rising-senior roles in investment banking, markets, and corporate banking) remained the target; what changed was the assessment toolkit. Where firms had used on-campus screening and in-person assessment centers, they now relied more on online tests, video interviews, and virtual case rounds.
- These sessions were both signal and coaching. Recruiters used them to signal what they needed (numerical comfort, teamwork, resilience), and they used the Q&A to spot prepared, engaged students. Students who came with sharp, role-specific questions stood out even in a digital room of 100+ attendees. Citi’s campus presence — info sessions listed on university portals and the bank’s own events pages — reflected that same dynamic. (Citigroup Careers, Center for Career Development)
What Citi typically presented at those campus events
If you attended a Citi info session in 2020 (or watched the recorded version), here’s what you probably heard:
- An overview of the business and career ladders. Which divisions hire interns (Investment Banking, Markets, Securities Services, Treasury & Trade Solutions, etc.), what an internship assignment looks like, and typical conversion paths to full-time grad roles. Recruiters explain how internships feed the full-time pipeline and what “convertible” performance looks like.
- The 2020 recruiting mechanics. Expect a clear walkthrough of the hybrid process: online application → recruiter screen → online tests (numerical reasoning / situational judgment) → virtual interviews (behavioral + case or role fit) → final virtual rounds. Recruiters emphasized preparation for interviewer-led formats and noted differences from previous in-person loops.
- Assessment tips and common pitfalls. Recruiters often flagged common mistakes — weak mental math, poor structure in case answers, lack of concise STAR stories — and gave hints on what software/camera setup to use for video interviews.
- Diversity & early-careers programming. Many sessions included content about early-access initiatives, diversity breakfasts, affinity group events and mentoring programs (for example, diversity breakfasts sometimes targeted specific cohorts). University calendars from 2020 show Citi running diversity breakfasts and targeted info sessions aimed at building more diverse pipelines. (calendar.uga.edu)
- Practical next steps. How to apply, who to follow on LinkedIn, and how to request 1:1 chats with junior bankers — recruiters encouraged reaching out (respectfully) to alumni and current analysts for mock cases and realistic insights.
Each of the three schools adapted this content for their students (Princeton and Yale emphasized on-campus interview scheduling and alumni panels; UGA highlighted regional recruiting and diversity outreach). (Center for Career Development, YouTube, calendar.uga.edu)
What recruiters were looking for in 2020 (and what that means for you)
Across those sessions, Citi recruiters emphasized a consistent set of attributes:
- Structured problem solving. The ability to break down ambiguous problems into a hypothesis-driven approach; clear frameworks still win. Practice interviewer-led cases and short, crisp syntheses.
- Numerical agility. Quick, accurate mental math and comfort reading basic financials. Online numerical assessments were harder filters in 2020 because firms wanted objective signals before investing time in video interviews.
- Communication & composure. The ability to explain answers succinctly in a virtual environment, narrate your thought process, and handle interruptions or follow-ups.
- Teamwork and leadership evidence. Recruiters asked for STAR examples showing accountability, persuasion, and rapid learning.
- Remote-readiness and initiative. Given the remote nature of many internships in 2020, recruiters looked for signs you could self-manage and deliver without constant supervision.
If you were at those sessions, you’d be wise to assume that the first cut might be an online test — so practice timed numerical and situational judgment questions, prepare 6–8 STAR stories that map to teamwork and impact, and run 6–8 virtual mock cases to get comfortable talking through your logic on camera. (Citigroup Careers)
Practical playbook: How to get the most out of an info session (before, during, after)
Before the session
- Read the JD or job description and write down three specific questions. Generic questions are easy to answer — specific ones make you memorable.
- Bring a concise one-minute “elevator pitch” (year, major, one relevant internship/project, and one relevant achievement). You may be called to intro yourself in Q&A or a breakout room.
- Test your tech. Many students lost credibility to poor audio or frozen video in 2020 — don’t be one of them.
During the session
- Use the chat sparingly to introduce yourself: “Hi — I’m Maya, a junior Econ major interested in FIG coverage. Quick question on recruiting timing — are you prioritizing sophomores for analyst pipelines this cycle?” Short, focused comments get answered and flagged.
- If there are breakout rooms or alumni panels, volunteer to be the synthesizer: summarize what others said and bring the group back to the main point. That’s how quieter candidates stood out.
- Ask one role-specific question at the end if there’s a live Q&A. Example: “For the NY Markets summer internship, what would you say is the single most important skill a candidate can demonstrate in a 20-minute interview?”
After the session
- Send a short LinkedIn message to one recruiter or alum you heard from — mention the session, something specific they said, and offer a 15-minute follow-up question. This converts a passive impression into a contact.
- Email your career center if they permit early signups for OCR/interview channels — career services often hold limited interview slots for students who attended employer events.
- Practice for the actual assessment day — do timed mocks and rehearse your camera presence.
This simple rhythm before/during/after is what converted students from passive attendees into tracked candidates in the 2020 virtual recruiting world. (Citigroup Careers)
Sample Q&A you might hear — and model answers
Q: How is Citi adjusting its internship experience for remote or hybrid formats?
A (recruiter style): “We run structured projects with clear deliverables, weekly check-ins, and a virtual training curriculum. We expect interns to own a measurable deliverable and we emphasize mentorship and exposure to senior partners.”
Q: What’s the best way to prepare for Citi’s online numerical test?
A: timed practice on percent/ratio problems, practice with business case math, and warm-up calculators for spreadsheet familiarity. Recruiters in 2020 advised candidates to treat the online test as an initial filter — practice beats surprise.
Q: How can sophomores improve their odds if they’re not yet applying for internships?
A: Attend info sessions, join finance clubs, do a micro-internship (volunteer at a student fund), and network with alumni for case practice. Citi sessions often included advice for early-stage students to build relevant signals. (Center for Career Development, YouTube)
The follow-up: converting session attendance into interviews
A lot of students asked: “I attended — now what?” In 2020 the steps that converted attendance into interview visibility were straightforward but disciplined:
- Apply through the official link within 24–72 hours while the session is still fresh on the recruiter’s mind. Many career centers logged attendance and forwarded candidate lists to recruiters; submit your application promptly and reference the session in your cover note.
- Follow up with a 1–2 line LinkedIn message to the campus recruiter or the presenter. Mention the session topic directly and attach one concrete value add (a short note about a research project or relevant class).
- Use career services. On-campus OCR and interview scheduling mattered: universities often give priority interview slots to students who engaged in campus events — check with your career office.
- Practice for online assessments — don’t wait until you get the invite; prepare now. The window between invite and the online test was often short in 2020. (Citigroup Careers, YouTube)
What changed after 2020 — and what stayed the same
Two big shifts stuck around: first, virtual interviews and online assessments became a permanent part of the toolkit; second, info sessions expanded to include more practical recruiting coaching (mock case workshops, recorded training, and alumni panels). What stayed the same was the content recruiters cared about — structured problem solving, numerical agility, teamwork, and demonstrable drive.
So if you’re preparing in 2025 or later, the lessons remain relevant: attend employer talks, prepare targeted questions, build real project evidence, and practice the virtual interview mechanics until they feel second nature. Citi’s 2020 sessions at Princeton, Yale and UGA were a fast snapshot of that transition — and they model the behaviors that still win interviews today. (Center for Career Development, YouTube)
Final checklist — action items if you want to convert an info session into an offer
- RSVP and attend the session live (or watch the recording within 48 hours).
- Apply within 72 hours and reference the session in your application note.
- Send one targeted LinkedIn message to a presenter or alumni (keep it ≤3 sentences).
- Do 10 timed numerical practice problems and 6 interviewer-led mock cases before your test/interview.
- Prepare six STAR stories mapped to leadership, teamwork, and problem solving.
- Ask career services about OCR priority status for attendees.
Sources & practical links (selected event pages and university calendars)
To reconstruct these campus visits and the 2020 recruiting context I used university event pages and employer event listings that documented Citi’s 2020 campus outreach and the virtual pivot in recruiting that year. Examples include Princeton’s career events listing for Citi sessions, Yale’s virtual academic fair materials, and the University of Georgia’s event calendar that logged Citi information sessions and diversity breakfasts. These pages are useful to students who want templates for how employers present campus events and what questions to expect. (Center for Career Development, YouTube, calendar.uga.edu, Citigroup Careers)
If you want, I can:
- Turn this into a one-page cheat sheet you can carry to any info session (includes pitch, three targeted questions, and a follow-up LinkedIn template),
- Draft 6 STAR stories tailored for Citi (based on your background — paste two project bullets and I’ll write them), or
- Pull current Citi campus event listings for your school and format a week-by-week recruitment plan.
Which of those would be most helpful?
