Moving into Banking

by: Cherry

This is a perfect example of a situation where you need to put yourself very firmly in the shoes of the recruiter. You may have your own idea of what you consider to be your achievements, but what impresses you may not be what impresses a future banking employer.

Start by researching the job you are applying for very carefully. Read the job description and person specification and tease out as much detail as you can of the kind of skills and qualities they are looking for. Also review the company website for any details that give you an idea of the company ethos. It may even be worth doing some wider research by looking at general careers information about the role of a bank manager to fill out the picture.

Take a look at the following for more general information:

O*Net (US site)

Prospects (UK site)

My Future (Australian site)

This research will give you an idea of what kind of achievements will impress them. They need to be things you have done that demonstrate that you have relevant skills and experience.

Now you can trawl through what you have achieved in the different jobs you have done so far and find examples that show you match their needs. You can tweak the examples a little if you need to – and this may be particularly necessary if you are making a significant change of career direction.

It is essential that you show confidence and self belief in the way you present yourself, demonstrating that the skills you have gained elsewhere can easily be transferred to the new role.