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Christie’s Graduate Training Programme

  • The programme


    This exciting 18-month programme offers 10 outstanding graduates the chance to experience our business through a series of placements, spot rotations and workshops. Each Graduate Trainee will be offered a competitive salary and will have the exclusive opportunity to be mentored by experienced business leaders. Participants will gain a comprehensive understanding of Christie’s, heightened commercial awareness and advanced specialist skills. We aim to retain all of our Graduate Trainees – the next generation of Christie’s business leaders.


    A Trainee will complete a series of rotations with both specialist departments and key support departments. They will work closely with the department teams, while completing training and mentoring programmes. Each Graduate Trainee will receive a formal performance review at the end of each rotation.


    The 18-month scheme will also include shorter spot rotations with teams beyond our specialist departments, from Marketing to Legal. These placements will enable Graduate Trainees to develop an understanding of how the different business functions work together, and foster relationships across Christie’s.


  • The locations


    The Graduate Training Programme will be available in three locations across the globe; London, Head Office for the EMEA region (Europe, Middle East, Russia and Africa), New York, Head Office for the Americas and Hong Kong, the primary office for Asia.


    Please note you can apply for more than one region, however with the exception of Hong Kong you must have the right to work in the location(s) you apply for. Due to local immigration regulations, Christie’s cannot sponsor visa applications for the training programme in London or New York.


    The graduates


    Our Graduate Trainees will have strong academic records, a clear appetite for personal development and the ability to thrive in a collaborative environment. They will also display commercial acumen and a passion for the arts.


    The application process


    • 1 October 2021: The window for online applications opens (Please note that no hard copy applications will be considered.)

    • 31 December 2021: Application window closes

    • February 2022: Shortlisted applicants will be invited for an online interview

    • April 2022: Finalists will attend a rigorous assessment day, following which offers will be made

    • August 2022: The cohort will begin the programme

    • Winter 2022: Start of formal application process for the 2023 intake


    Please contact graduateprogramme@christies.com with any queries.


Meet our Trainees

  • Shereen Al-Sawwaf

    Graduate Trainee

    How did you find the application process?
    The application process was unlike anything else I had experienced. While the first two steps of the process are fairly straightforward, the Assessment Day was intense. Though I was challenged in so many different ways, I left Assessment Day with a clearer idea of the inner workings of an auction house and an even stronger desire to be a part of the magic.

    How would you describe the culture at Christie’s?
    Christie’s is a company of passionate people. People love what they do, and they love sharing their passion with you. Though I had no prior experience in the art world and was incredibly nervous before starting, my colleagues quickly took me under their wing and trusted me as a valued member of their team.

    Tell us what you’ve learnt so far.
    The Graduate Training Program has showed me the truly expansive nature of auction house work. From learning how to price, research, catalog, write about, and ultimately sell works in a specialist department to researching market trends, working with data, and building engagement strategies in a business development department, so much goes into each lot and each sale.

    What has been your highlight so far?
    Nothing beats seeing your own words and research published in a catalog. However, one of my favorite events before the lead up to any auction is the “hilling session” where everyone involved in the sale convenes in the warehouse and examines a selection of pieces. Specialists often use these sessions as teaching moments on the various idiosyncrasies of a particular work, artist, or movement. I always leave a hilling session having learned something new, which is always a highlight for me.

  • Henry Primmer-Pyke

    Graduate Trainee

    How did you find the application process?
    The application process, particularly the assessment day, throws a wide variety of different tasks at you. These range from a traditional interview, to a prepared presentation, to live role-playing exercises which simulate some of the situations you might face working at Christie’s. It stretches you in lots of different directions and requires you to think on your feet. My academic and career background was more focused on languages and digital media rather than Art History, and I appreciated the opportunity to showcase some of my other skills – you are not expected to already be a specialist at the assessment day!

    How would you describe the culture at Christie’s?
    Whether it’s picking up the phone to a colleague from business support, or quizzing a specialist while they catalogue a painting, everyone is highly knowledgeable passionate about what they do, and happy to answer any questions you might have. I also feel that the perspective of the trainees is valued and my colleagues have always been receptive to my ideas. Deadlines certainly matter, but there is a relaxed and friendly atmosphere at the company and it is always worth taking the time to catch up with a colleague, or introduce yourself to someone new over a cup of coffee.

    Tell us what you’ve learnt so far
    I would struggle to summarise everything in a few sentences, as graduate trainees have the rare opportunity to see the business from a variety of perspectives, not just different specialist departments but also business support functions. However, to give you an idea of the breadth of the learning opportunity, I have completed a Christie’s Education course in the history of jewellery design, helped the restitution department to look into the provenance of potentially looted artworks, looked at countless prints from Dürer to Hockney, learnt to use multiple IT systems, and attended weekly specialist-led tours of auction previews. This is really just scratching the surface.

    What has been your highlight so far?
    The constant turnover of world-class art, both in the galleries and behind the scenes, always makes coming into the office a great pleasure. There is always something new to see. I would say that there is nothing more exciting than attending an auction that you have helped with, because it is the culmination of everything your team has been working towards. I have loved telephone bidding in sales for both of the departments I have worked with so far. My personal highlight has been the 2019 Only Watch charity auction in Geneva. I was involved in the preparations, able to attend the sale in person, and saw the world record hammer price being achieved live for a wristwatch.

  • Qin Yi Tan

    Graduate Trainee

    How did you find the application process?
    The application process was intense, but it was an extremely valuable experience from beginning to end. A personal highlight was the assessment centre, which was essentially a day-long workshop where candidates were invited to work in groups and participate in a series of activities central to the art world business, putting our existing specialized knowledge, written skills, and client-facing experience to the test. It provided a good preliminary exposure to the ABCs of the industry, and an excellent opportunity to engage with Christie’s Hong Kong employees, which was both informative and fun. Throughout the entire process I learnt a lot about myself and realized that the most crucial factor – alongside grit – is passion, so don’t be afraid to let that carry you through!

    How would you describe the culture at Christie’s?
    One thing that would be impossible to miss is the shared love of art – everyone I have had the pleasure to work with so far has been extremely supportive and keen to share their specialized expertise and knowledge. Each of our many offices and departments may function uniquely to their own, but the overarching culture is highly collaborative, driven by innovation and creativity.

    Tell us what you’ve learnt so far.
    Having the opportunity to experience both specialist and business support departments, the range of skillset and knowledge that each of my rotations has offered has been hugely diverse. But you would be surprised to learn how much they actually overlap and build on one another! During my rotations at Post-war and Contemporary Art and Chinese Works of Art, working alongside our amazing specialists have taught me the immense amount of work that goes into an auction – from business-getting, cataloguing to researching – before our work materializes into a beautiful, glossy catalogue and a successful sale. Also, the opportunity to be mentored by experienced business leaders at Christie’s has been instrumental in helping me develop a sense of business acumen that is so unique to our industry.

    What has been your highlight so far?
    My highlight is the never-ending opportunity to learn and work with colleagues from all parts of the business! This is basically what drew me into the Programme when I first decided to apply. And being able to very intimately experience beautiful works of art on a daily basis, I don’t think anything can quite beat that.