Modern banks have highly trained staff for delivering top quality service to customers. Other financial institutions like insurance companies now offer most of the services provided by banks. Owing to this intense competition, banks need top quality staff that is talented, reliable, trustworthy, and communicative. Many banking jobs are in specialist areas such as IT and corporate banking. Entry-level jobs will probably involve processing checks so that the employee can meet the strict deadlines for overnight delivery to the bank's head office. These employees are also involved in answering customers' questions and are the bank's front line executives. If the employee shows aptitude and initiative, he or she can become a supervisor, carrying responsibility for his or her own team. Once this employee passes their professional banking exams, he can be in charge of the whole branch. Graduates can expect to be placed on a fast track learning course, spending about two years moving through different jobs within the bank while learning how the bank works before being promoted to a management position. Managers need a wide knowledge of the financial services available and should know when to bring in specialist advisers from other areas of the bank. All banking staff is expected to attend regular in-house training courses throughout their career to learn about new developments. Working hours of the staff are generally from 9am to 5pm, but working patterns can vary. Some branches will be opened on Saturdays and some are even open on Sundays. Salaries depend on the roles and responsibilities of the employee and the location of the bank. Most banks operate on an annual appraisal system and salary increments are awarded according to the performance of the employee during the year. Profit sharing, subsidized mortgages, and non-contributory pension schemes form a part of their remuneration package. There is a tremendous range of opportunities in commercial banking, starting at the branch level. Different job options are Credit Analyst, Loan Officer, Branch Manager, Trust Officer, Mortgage Banker, and other jobs in accounting, marketing and advertising, commercial card operations, securities transfer, wire operations, private banking, cash management services and operations and communications. In the case of investment banking, the job options are manifold in areas like corporate finance, merger and acquisition deals, project financing, derivative financing, international sales, and retail brokerage. |
