mate its genuinely the hardest, most degrading process ive been through. Spending a day on an application to get a rejection within hours. stick it out, email smaller boutique firms and then make sure you smash the interview (best way of prep is to download their last few annual reports and try and find out who they ''want to be'' etc.), i managed to get a work exp. placement with a pretty large uk bank this summer which led onto a few weeks paid and then finally a grad scheme offer for next year. the pay and perks have made that all worth it already mate.. and if you have to, lie.