City and Corporate Courses

City-Corporate: Overview

The skills and knowledge acquired from banking are highly transferable. Opportunities in the financial industry include: banks, investment companies, credit providers, specialised lenders, pensions and insurance companies. An alternative option is to work independently, such as a financial advisor, following appropriate training approved by the Financial Services Authority.

Expected Salary

Depending on experience, starting salaries can be:

• £23,000 - £32,000 - Trainee programmes
• £50,000 - £100,000+ - Senior level (depending on level of responsibility and including bonuses based on meeting and exceeding targets).

Training

The Corporate/Business sector benefits from a range of training opportunities including:

• On-the-job training, acquiring skills through practical experience of a specific role
• Specialised technical training to establish the skills and knowledge required for a particular position or assignment
• Study for appropriate professional qualifications, regarded to be an important part of the graduate training and offered by the Ifs School of Finance (IFS) and the Chartered Institute of Bankers in Scotland (CIOBS)
• More specialised training for qualifications for entry to a specific area such as human resources, accountancy or computing, or to comply with regulatory requirements
• In-house courses to provide underpinning competencies in areas such as people management, leadership, time management, customer service, health and safety and security

Underoak lists many short courses to aid you in your career progression. These may be funded individually or through your company. To search these courses, simply type the relevant key words and click on ‘request information for free’ to send your enquiry direct to the trainer.

Related Careers

• Investment Banking
• Debt Capital
• Equity Capital
• Fund Management
• Life Insurance Reporting Actuary
• Private Banking
• Operations and Finance Management
• Risk Management
• Compliance
• Markets and Trading

Useful Links

Core Skills

Apart from an excellent academic record, candidates need to show evidence of the following:

• Excellent interpersonal skills
• Leadership qualities
• Exemplary written and oral communication skills
• Analytical skills
• Willingness to relocate
• Flexibility and adaptability in responding to change
• Creative thinking and an enquiring mind
• Enthusiasm and a commitment to further training

Job Sites

Average working hours per week

Job Spotlight

Banker

The Role

A banker is responsible for establishing and maintaining positive customer relationships. They will also plan and deliver effective sales strategies and monitor the progress of new and existing financial products.

Banks operate in a fiercely competitive marketplace, which are frequently changing. It is essential to develop products and services, to satisfy the expectations and demands of customers. Working with staff and customers to achieve targets has become a major part of the role.

Responsibilities for retail, corporate and commercial bankers may include:

• Implementing the delivery of sales strategies and targets and motivating employees to meet and surpass these
• Establishing and maintaining effective relationships with new and existing customers, establishing their needs and advising on the suitability of services
• Visiting business customers and attending meetings and conferences with them and other professionals
• Managing and supporting staff and facilitating appropriate continuing professional development (CPD)
• Communicating, implementing and monitoring compliance with corporate standards and procedures
• Processing data to produce accurate facts, figures and reports
• Evaluating new and renewal lending proposals, negotiating terms with customers and, where appropriate, submitting proposals to the credit department for approval
• Checking accounts and initiating action if they are overdrawn without arrangement or are in excess of agreed arrangements
• Assuming overall accountability for products and services, such as consumer lending, current account transactions, unsecured loans, overdrafts, credit cards and personal loans
• Networking with appropriate professionals
• Representing the bank within the wider community

Salary:

£23,000 - £32,000 Starting salary depending on the organisation

Career Development

There is potential to grow within this industry depending on the performance and qualifications and training gained throughout the career. Some may prefer corporate banking or a more specialised role, such as:

• Human resources
• Marketing
• Credit and risk analysis
• Card services
• Operational management