Most people who’ve studied our courses, professional qualifications or degree programmes enjoy rewarding careers in banking and finance. For National Careers Week, we share what they’ve told us about their jobs and what they love about working in the sector.
Retail banking
Jackson Li, Customer Service Representative, Monzo
“I love the variety – I encounter many different queries from customers, all of which require different approaches for resolving the issue at hand. This stops the job from becoming monotonous and keeps it exciting.
“The constant human interaction also makes it worthwhile.”
Auditing
Daniel Heger, Internal Auditor, Barclays
“The best thing about my job is all the opportunities. Before working in finance, my career options felt limited.
“The work environment is very supportive at Barclays. When I first started, I had the choice to either stay in my first role and become an expert in that field or upskill and explore other areas.
“I started as an auditor in operational risk, then moved into markets, and now I’m specialising in electronic trading. Working in finance, there’s always that motivation to keep progressing and deliver on your goals.
Fintech
Toni Mitchell, investment banker turned chief operations officer at a fintech startup
“It’s great fun! Because it’s a startup, I get to have a go at everything.
“That might be admin, accounts, branding research, digital strategy and marketing videos, web design or building an investor deck. We’re just about to start pitching for funding which is something I’ve never done before!
“In a startup, things are always changing and pivoting, so you need to be constantly thinking ahead.”
Commercial banking
Ranny Wei, Commercial Banker Relationship Manager, HSBC
“No two days are the same. That’s the excitement which makes commercial banking fun and meaningful.
“I’ve been in client-facing roles throughout my career at HSBC, always with large businesses who have a breadth of banking needs. The interaction and feedback makes all the work behind a desk worthwhile.”
Trade finance
Sneha Gupta, Vice President, Trade Client Management
“I’m still learning new things about different trade solutions every day. I also appreciate the impact trade finance has on our world. Look at the global supply chain of vaccines and PPE for example.
“As finance providers, we play a key role in optimising credit flows for the exporter and the importer. This allows our clients to focus on manufacturing and distribution – making the supply chain robust and agile.
“That kind of impact makes me love what I do for a living!”
Financial advice
Dawn Patrick, financial adviser who works to support other women in financial services.
“We change people’s lives. You change clients’ outcomes from where they are to where they want to be. You get to be part of that journey and build those relationships.”
This year, Dawn plans to support other women in regulated advice by providing a mentoring programme covering the essentials to laying strong foundations for business. If you’re ready to take the next step and you are interested in working with Dawn, email dawn.patrick@burlington-financial.uk.
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