In partnership with
Hey future apprentices, interns and graduates, this week’s email contains:
Important news from this past week
(Talk about this in your interviews!)Weekly advice from a current intern at a top firm
New news and updates you can use immediately
multiple sponsors (you can help support us by clicking on each and checking out their sites!)
Let’s get into it 👇
Ship the message as fast as you think
Founders spend too much time drafting the same kinds of messages. Wispr Flow turns spoken thinking into final-draft writing so you can record investor updates, product briefs, and run-of-the-mill status notes by voice. Use saved snippets for recurring intros, insert calendar links by voice, and keep comms consistent across the team. It preserves your tone, fixes punctuation, and formats lists so you send confident messages fast. Works on Mac, Windows, and iPhone. Try Wispr Flow for founders.
REAL-WORLD APPLICATION NEWS
(Split into Finance, Tech, Engineering, Law & Markets — so you can use whatever fits YOUR path.)
💼 FINANCE
Global Financial Services M&A Momentum Continues in 2026
According to a new outlook on dealmaking in financial services, mergers & acquisitions are being driven by technological disruption, stabilising interest rates, cost efficiency priorities and competition pressures. Megadeals are increasing in value, even as transaction volumes reflect broader macro uncertainty — signalling strategic consolidation is a key theme for the year ahead.
Interview Tip:
“Financial services M&A trends show how firms are using scale and technology to navigate competition and economic uncertainty — great context for roles in finance and consulting.”
💻 TECH
Meta Faces Potential Regulatory Measures in Europe Over AI Competition
The EU is reportedly threatening temporary measures to stop Meta from inhibiting access to AI rivals on WhatsApp, a move that reflects intensifying scrutiny on how big tech platforms compete in generative AI and messaging ecosystems.
Interview Angle:
“Potential EU action against Meta highlights how regulation is starting to catch up with AI competition issues — useful when discussing tech policy and business strategy.”
AI in HR? It’s happening now.
Deel's free 2026 trends report cuts through all the hype and lays out what HR teams can really expect in 2026. You’ll learn about the shifts happening now, the skill gaps you can't ignore, and resilience strategies that aren't just buzzwords. Plus you’ll get a practical toolkit that helps you implement it all without another costly and time-consuming transformation project.
🛠️ ENGINEERING & INFRASTRUCTURE
Engineering & Industrial Strategy: Major Thermal Systems Merger Completed
Industrial engineering firms Gentherm and Modine’s Performance Technologies have completed a transaction to merge their thermal management solutions businesses, creating a scaled leader focused on high-growth sectors such as power generation, commercial vehicles and heavy-duty equipment.
Interview Tip:
“Industrial engineering consolidation like the Gentherm-Modine merger shows how strategic transactions can drive scale and innovation in engineering markets.”
⚖️ LAW & MARKETS
New EU Pay Transparency Directive Requirements Loom for Employers
A recent briefing explains how the EU’s Pay Transparency Directive — aimed at reducing gender pay gaps — will require companies to disclose salary structures, enhance employee rights to pay information, and face judicial scrutiny if not implemented effectively by member states.
Interview Phrase:
“Pay transparency legislation shows how law and HR policy intersect — understanding these shifts is valuable in roles involving compliance or organisational strategy.”
AI is all the rage, but are you using it to your advantage?
Successful AI transformation starts with deeply understanding your organization’s most critical use cases. We recommend this practical guide from You.com that walks through a proven framework to identify, prioritize, and document high-value AI opportunities. Learn more with this AI Use Case Discovery Guide.
UPDATE YOU CAN USE IN INTERVIEWS
Here are practical ways to talk about these items depending on the role you’re targeting:
📊 Finance / Banking / Consulting
“Financial services M&A momentum highlights how firms balance competition and technology — I’m monitoring how scale and consolidation shape strategic decisions.”
💻 Tech / Product / AI Roles
“Regulatory responses to tech companies like Meta reflect how AI and competition policy are becoming core strategic issues.”
🔧 Engineering / Industrial Tech
“Mergers in the thermal and industrial engineering space show how consolidation can create global engineering leaders.”
⚖️ Law / Policy / Regulatory Roles
“Emerging pay transparency rules demonstrate how law shapes corporate practices and workplace equity — a useful lens for policy and governance discussions.”
INSIGHT FROM A CURRENT INTERN
This week we spoke with a current summer intern at a top management consulting firm — here’s their real, practical advice:
1. Build Answers Around Why It Matters
Rather than summarising headlines, explain why the development matters for the business, client or end user.
2. Use Structured Thinking
Frame answers in three parts: What happened → Why it matters → How you would act.
Example:
“Regulatory pressure on Meta matters because platforms are under scrutiny — so I’d focus on compliance-friendly growth strategies.”
3. Spotlight Cross-Sector Understanding
Even if your focus is finance or tech, referencing policy or engineering news shows you’re building a 360° perspective.
Interview line you can borrow:
“I track trends across finance, tech and regulation so that I can connect insights to how businesses compete and comply.”
RESOURCES TO GIVE YOU AN EDGE
🚀 GetInPrep — Structured prep for interviews & assessments
If you’re applying to apprenticeships, internships or graduate programmes and want focused preparation, GetInPrephelps you:
Practise real interview & assessment formats
Build structured answers using frameworks employers love
Train for numerical, situational & behavioural tests
Improve confidence before you apply
👉 Explore it here: getinprep.co.uk