The Career in the Barclays Bank - Essay Example

?List of Contents Curriculum vitae 2. Job 3. Personal Specification 4. Interview preparation 5. Summary of Organisation 6. Interview analysis/ planning 7. Personal Career Development- Analysis/ Planning 8. Personal Career development- Reflection Evaluation 9. References 1.0 Curriculum vitae (Attached) 2.0 Job Description Location: Greater Manchester area Qualification: A college degree preferably in business or finance Experience required: 1-2 years, fresh graduates may also apply Nature of job: Permanent Timings: 9-5, Monday-Friday Salary and benefits: : ? 18,700 per annum, On Target Earnings (OTE), monthly incentive scheme plus benefits. 3.0 Personal Specification Barclays Bank plc requires the services of a permanent banker in the Greater Manchester area. The position needs young, energetic minds with a college degree in management or business. The person must hold excellent communication and analytical skills and should be willing to work full time. The person should also be a quick learner as the job entails learning about new products, services and processes. It will be highly preferred if he is already exposed to a banking background but fresh graduates are also encouraged to apply. The applicant must possess obvious leadership qualities and the ability to deliver under stringent deadlines. The job will greatly challenge the diligence, analysis and the intelligence of the person as it requires understanding the customer's needs, recommending products and processing the required paperwork. The person must be confident in his abilities and highly motivated to improve the financial condition of their clients. Last but not the least, possession of adequate computer skills is a prerequisite for the job. 4.0 Interview preparation The first step towards interview preparation is the company and job research. I should find more on the company background and the job skills required. The second step is my personal self assessment and evaluation and finding out about my own strengths and weaknesses. The last step is relating my skills, personality and qualifications with those required by the employer. Thus my CV and resume should match with the job description and personal specifications. 5.0 Summary of Organisation Barclays is a premier international bank which provides a range of financial services. Its main strategy for growth is to achieve growth by both diversification and market penetration. Since its basic aim is to be a global leader in the provision of financial services by helping customers and turning them into satisfied clients, it needs the service of highly motivated and committed individuals who are efficient in both working as teams and individually. The four main priorities of the Barclay group are Build the best bank in the UK Accelerate the growth of global businesses Develop retail and commercial banking activities in selected countries outside the UK For these services Barclay needs both collective and individual success which can be achieved by developing talented colleagues to reach their full potential. It is also achieved by clear customer focus and the pioneering of new ideas and the adding of diverse skills to its portfolio. . Key Competitors: In the UK market, the key competitors of Barclays PLC are HSBC Bank, Royal Bank of Scotland (RBS) and Deutsche Bank AG. According to Yahoo Finance research the direct competitor comparison is given in below table. Table 1.0 Competitors Source: Yahoo Finance Stakeholders: Barclays accepts that listening, learning, responding and working in partnership with their stakeholders is important to the way they do business. Its stakeholders include both its shareholders and investors but those of primary importance are its customers. This is so because without developing a loyal and large customer base, Barclays cannot generate revenues to satisfy its investors and shareholders. Thus the need of communication and analytical skills is of primary importance for any Barclay's employee since it is essential for getting and retaining customers. Company analysis The current economic condition all over the world has ensured a credit crunch and job cuts in the past. Though the condition is less gloomy currently but companies have cut down on hiring and are only hiring people who promise great returns and are highly motivated. A decrease in the number of new positions and intense competition between commercial and retail banks also means that banks are only hiring people who are willing to work at a competitive pay or even before that. This is done to ensure that the financial conditions of the company are not worsened by these pays. Since the competition in the job market is intense, one can easily expect the interview to be very rigorous and I will have to present myself in the best way I can. For these an initial self assessment session will be followed by structured answers to frequently asked interview questions. 6.0 Interview analysis/ planning Self assessment My main strength will be reflected by the fact that I am a single mother coming from an extremely conservative background and yet my will power and motivation has led me to leave my home country and pursue a Masters degree in the UK. Another key strength is that I don’t view age, gender and background as a barrier for achievements and since I have defied a lot of norms for my personal achievements and satisfactions, I am not hindered by anything which directly signifies that I can contribute greatly to the company I am working for. Another great strength which I will want to capitalize on is my communication and linguistic skills. Coming from Saudia Arabia, I was always taught English as a second language but I have developed my proficiency in the language with my personal commitment and hard work and now I am completing my Masters degree in that language. This gives an insight into both my linguistic and communication skills and my high commitment levels. I am also appropriate for the job position because of my qualifications as I am pursuing a Masters degree in management which gives me an advantage over college graduates. The greatest weakness which I think I possess is my lack of work background and job experience. But this condition has a valid justification. Firstly I come from a country where women are not allowed to work so there was no question of doing internships while in school and college and university at Masters level is my first venture outside my country. Secondly I have two children and as a single mother of two, I am greatly responsible for their day to day needs. Though I don’t have any formal work experience, but motherhood is a full time job and I have already made it obvious that I can multi task well as I am currently juggling my studies with my family and a social life. Motherhood is often under estimated but it is a very good reflection of what a woman can do. As a mother, I haven’t slept all night attending to a sick child yet attending university in the morning and taking an exam a very next day, then buying groceries on my way back to cook soup for my child. This is a premium example of working under stress and meeting deadlines. This also shows the level of commitment I have to my career and studies and my family and that I can already manage to balance the two. This can also be turned into a great advantage that since I am already done with family and have already learnt to balance family with career and studies, I will face fewer adjustment problems and have an advantage over those candidates who will start a family later and develop problems later. Key points to tell the interviewer. Also used in Talentview Matrix 1) Change management My life has changed magnanimously throughout its span and the greatest change so far has been living in the UK independently. All my early life in Saudia Arabia, I lived in an extremely protective environment where women cannot work and drive and life in UK was extremely different where I was completely responsible for myself and my children. This great change in lifestyle and perspective has been managed efficiently. Besides that there is a vast difference in the education system in Saudia Arabia and UK and a smooth transition was made. 2) Communication skills I am flexible and have my communication and linguistic skills can be depicted by the fact that I have gained proficiency in English and currently pursuing a degree in that language. Being a female gives me an inherent advantage of being more analytical and understanding which I can put to use during my job. I was brought up in an environment where being a female required tolerance and since this quality is imbibed in me from childhood, I can use this to be an effective communicator and patient leader. 3) Leadership I was often a leader when doing school projects and was also the group leader in a university project. My leadership qualities are innate which are further developed by being solely responsible from being a single parent. This is so because responsibility brings leadership and leadership requires responsibility. 4) Facing challenges I belong to a country where gender bias is common and that was the biggest challenge while growing up. As a female who was adamant to gain higher education, I had to face a lot of barriers including criticism. The other great challenge that I have faced is coping with the responsibility of being a single mother and studies in an environment which is very different from my home country. Another challenge is learning in a language which is not my mother tongue and yet managing a decent grade. Last but not the least, the biggest current challenge is finding the right job without relevant experience in a job market which is full of unemployed people with lots of experience and I plan to overcome that too. 5) Ability and willingness to learn It is my extreme ability and willingness to learn which has motivated me to leave my home country and come to a foreign land to learn. My ability to learn can be depicted from a fact that I am currently learning in a language which is not my mother tongue and responsibilities of to children have not deterred me from acquiring knowledge. 6) Computer literacy As a Maters level student, I use computer a lot which has given me computer proficiency. Besides that I have taken a course in the Management information system which has increased my knowledge in the relevant area. I have also take courses in Project Management, Networks and Microsoft Exchange 2000 Server. 7) Energy and passion I have got high energy levels which are obvious from taking care of two young children and studying simultaneously. My energy levels can also be made evident from the fact that besides being completely responsible for my two children, I have managed to get decent grades and have a social life and a friends circle. 8) Self awareness My self evaluation and assessment, and the 27 years of my life have given me clear insights on the way I function and what I want from my life. It was a realization of my dream which has brought me to England to pursue a degree and a career. 9) Team work and cooperation I have worked both in teams and individually. My group work project in college and the subsequent presentation was judged the best. My masters study also requires me to often work in groups and I am a group leader when it comes to working in groups. This leadership is natural which comes from being completely responsible for myself and my family currently. I will answer all interview questions in the light of this self assessment and the company knowledge. 7.0 Personal Career Development- Analysis/ Planning The biggest barrier to my career is the lack of any work experience or exposure to a work environment. Though I have valid reasons for not having done any work but they can be reasons why I might not be granted the job. My current plan entails that after completing my Masters degree, I will apply to all jobs of my choice but will simultaneously apply for internships and part time voluntary work. I will also work voluntarily work at a different places without any pay in the mean time. Though this will not be very rewarding financially but will add work experience to my CV which will be very beneficial in the long run. I will also ensure that I tell all prospective employers about the responsibilities of motherhood in succinctly which will make my ability to multitask and meet challenges evident. Another great barrier is the current downsizing and the economic crisis. This has led to job and pay cuts and less jobs are available. To survive this dilemma, I will ensure that I do not quote a very high expectant salary so it is more feasible for my employers to hire me than any other person. 8.0 Personal Carrier development- Reflection Evaluation: This dissertation has helped me achieve my career aims by giving me an insight into myself. It has provided me awareness about what the UK job market needs and how I can fill in the gaps that exist in my resume. The dissertation has also taught me how to answer interview questions which is one of the most crucial part of the job search process. The research process has given me the opportunity to learn the latest and the most updated concepts related to the job profile and allows me to develop myself further in the specific direction of my chosen career as I now know the job specifications and my own strengths and weaknesses. The best thing I liked about this dissertation was that it allowed me to capitalize on my strengths and has taught me to present myself in a better way. The knowledge that my shortcomings can be overcome with some hard work provided hope and optimism. Not only was it very important career wise but also provided a much needed boost to my morale and self esteem. References Monster (UK), (2011), Job Search Results, Banking, Manchester, UK; Accessed: 04/01/11; Source: Online; http://jobview.monster.co.uk/Personal-Banker-Job-Manchester-North-West-UK-95245745.aspx Barclays (2011); Our strategies and guiding Principles; assessed; 04/01/11, source: online; http://group.barclays.com/About-us/Who-we-are-and-what-we-do/Our-vision-and-strategy Barclays (2010); Stakeholder Engagement; accessed 06/01/11; source: Online; http://group.barclays.com/Sustainability/Our-approach-/Stakeholder-engagement Yahoo Finance, (2011); Barclays finance; Competitors; assessed; 07/01/11; source: Online; http://in.finance.yahoo.com/q/co?s=BCS Read More