Getting a banking job in the UK is a long tedious process mostly taking up about 5 to 6 months. And the bank may browse through hundreds of piles of candidate resumes, just for one available vacancy. In addition to that, Interviewing the canmdidate usually has two stages and an evaluation examination. Those professionals who have worked on a bank or in a financing company surely know and have experienced the hardship of getting that darn job. And when youre finally planning to change your career in banking, you have two options to choose from. Its either you take the Agency route or the Direct route. Agencies are a major source of fresh recruits most especially in banking jobs. These agencies often are left with the difficult responsibility of searching for the right candidate that would fit a certain bank’s needs. It also is given the task of processing the candidates until they come up with a few highly qualified candidates. It is where the bank steps in. Giving the final go on things. In some way, the banking industry is learning to outsource their employment needs to BPOs.

Young workers in the United Kingdom are eager to enter the banking industry. There are very lucrative positions with major banks throughout the country. However, banking professionals who have been in the industry for years can attest to the rigid competition job market today. Thousands of graduates are competing with local and international professionals for jobs as advisers, bankers and stock traders. those just getting into the banking profession must familiarize themselves with the methods on how to secure their dream job.

The first tool that must be used to secure a quality banking job in the UK is the Resume. A Resume is not just a list of experiences and accomplishments. It is somewhat a calling card promoting yourself within the world of banking. To create a quality PORTFOLIO for banking positions, applicants need to include a short statement of goals at the top of their resumes. It usually explains in one sentence why they are applying for the job and in another sentence, outlines their career goals. Finally, a bank professional’s resume should include references in order to save time for the prospective employer.

Becoming a branch manager in a bank or other financial institution requires much more than the ability to crunch numbers. To be successful, you must also have strong sales, people-management and customer-service skills.

A Branch managers’ primary management task will be staff management, customer service and business development.

To succeed, branch managers must have excellent business-development skills and a proven ability to develop a team. Leading the pack in loan generation and deposit growth will place someone in a sound position to grow into a management position, he says, but the best candidates are also able to motivate and mentor others.

A branch manager should have at least five years of banking experience, while prospective managers should have a bachelor’s or master’s degree, along with relevant management or financial experience in other industries can learn the tricks of the trade.

Bankers nowadays are getting proactive and they don’t usually stay in their desks anymore waiting for clients, They now go out into the world and look for customers to offer their products and services.

If a career in banking is what you want, you have to show your potential employer that you have the abilities and skills to be a successful banker.

You’ll need to have, a college degree, proper attire and updated resume.

Education is very important. You need to have the proper knowledge for the job you want.

You have to invest in business attires. As bankers you will be working in a corporate setting and you need to be well groomed to attract potential clients.

Your resume must be updated and concise. Banks receive tons of applications and you need your resume to stand out among the rest. Also include a well prepared cover letter highlighting your banking skills and experience.

Talk to people in the field of banking. As there are many areas in banking, knowing what area is suitable for you will help you prepare for the right banking job.

Money is a continuous business. Need and production of money does not stop. This may be a hard time for the banking industry. Some say that it can be until 2008. The biggest contributing factor is the slump of the mortgage business. Those familiar with the industry may say that the domino effect can be felt. But why worry. The industry has been here for the longest time and has survived the worst of all crises. Every business has its ups and downs. Be optimistic, you can get any deeper and there is only one way to go when you�re down.

7. Why should we hire you for this position: Be honest and be direct to the point. You can showcase your skills when the HR employer asks you this question. Remember, never ever do an over-acting of your skills. The employer will know when you are lying (aside from the fact that hypothetically, you get the job, and can’t do most of the skills you attached to yourself with).
8. Why do you want this job: Research the position you are applying for. You have to take note of the responsibilities of the job post you are applying for and make a point that you do love doing the responsibilities written.
9. Where do you see yourself in 5 years: This question involves planning. The employer wants to find out if you have a plan for yourself (about getting a promotion and the like). Think about these things the night before your interview.

Photo taken from http://www.interviewquestions.biz

4. What are your weaknesses: This question is in fact a hard one, but what the employer is seeking is for you to be totally honest about yourself, and assess all the aspects of how you work. The worst answer to this question is, “I do not have any weaknesses”. Oh, sure you do. Even Superman has.
5. What do you know about our company: This is where the employer tests you if you have done your homework. This includes a little background about the company itself, its mission and vision, and perhaps, a little about the organizational chart.
6. Why do you want to work with us: Do not ever try to answer “because it’s a prestigious company”. It says absolutely nothing about why you want to work in their company. What you can do is be honest with why you want to work there (but not to a point that it’ll cost you the chance of getting hired).

Photo taken from http://indocareer.files.wordpress.com

In a job interview, questions just seem to pop out of nowhere. The hiring employer can just fire at you different questions that may or may not be related to each other. Here are some of the questions that are normally asked by the employer.
1. Tell me about yourself: This is the most common question asked to the applicants. This is the applicant’s chance of introducing him/herself and making an impression that the he or she is really qualified for the job.
2. Why are you leaving your current position: Never ever bad mouth your past employer. This will reflect badly on you.
3. What are your strengths: Here, you can just enumerate the different skills you have that is most appropriate for the job you are applying for.

Photo taken from http://pike.extension.psu.edu

Before going to an interview, the best thing you can do is to study the ins and outs of the bank you are applying to. Do your homework, as they say. If you know the nitty gritty details of the bank, your employer will then have a positive first impression on you. He or she knows that you are really interested in the bank position that you are applying for. Research the organizational chart if possible. If you will find the need to address the people in the company, you won’t find yourself calling them “the president”, “the HR manager” and so on and so forth.

Photo taken from http://www.jobs-in-mallorca.com

Karien van Gennip has been appointed as the new director of the European and International Affairs Committee of Dutch Bank. The person whom she owes the position is Violeta Ciurel, who will be assigned to a new department, and will become the new regional chief executive officer of Central Europe affairs. Van Gennip is expected to manage and promote European interest in cooperation with the different international organizations and other national government departments. She is currently a member of the Christian Democratic Party in the parliamentary of Netherlands. She has served as Secretary of State Economic Affairs among others for the Dutch government.

Photo taken from http://www.oecd.org