Financial Professionals and Accountancy

Jose Mourinho, the self-proclaimed “special one”, recently stormed out of an interview that begun to question his skillset as a manager of one of the UK's best-performing football teams. Very few can fault his track record of success. It does highlight, however, the important qualities that a leader needs to be successful.

An interview for a job in Financial Services can be challenging, whether it's your first or fiftieth interview. Due to the importance of the tasks, an interviewer will test your abilities to ensure you’re the right person for the job.

The Financial Services sector is always evolving however there are certain career skills which lay the foundations to propelling your success in the role. Knowing which qualities are most in-demand is helpful in driving your career.

We specialise in jobs within the Financial Services Sector and you’ve probably noticed, when applying for these roles, that they have an endnote stating that the successful candidate will need a DBS and Credit Check.

We are delighted to partner with CV Writer Sue Edwards at Premium CVs. Here she answers some common CV questions...

The probation period is standard protocol after getting the job, usually it is around 3 months but can always be extended. The whole point of this is that you need to impress your managers and colleagues. Whilst you want to solidify that you’re an excellent employee remember that no one expects you to just know exactly what you’re doing. Especially not in your first few weeks.

Depending on the role and the company, you could have several different interviews and they can all involve using different skills. We’ve got a list below with 10 of the most common types of interview, what you should expect and what your interviewer requires from you.

“The football’s on tonight”

Growing gulf between pay of younger and older people, says TUC A recent article in the Guardian has identified a ‘growing gulf between pay of younger and older people.’ Whilst young people in the UK are already struggling to save enough money to leave home and get a mortgage, we question whether it is differing attitudes of these generations towards work that is creating this gap? Marketing expert Simon Sinek thinks yes and has given his take on the difference in attitude of millennials: ‘[Millennials are] thrust in the real world and in an instant they find out they’re not special, their mums can’t get them a promotion, that you get nothing for coming in last - and by the way, you can’t just have it because you want it.’ According to Simon, it is possible that a this it could be the lack of altruism which is leading to millennial’s reduced dedication to their jobs. As a millennial myself, I do take comfort in Simon blaming parents for the cultivation of this attitude. Maybe I really can blame my parents for the reason I don’t earn as much money as older generations… We are a generation, according to Simon, used to ‘winning medals for coming last’ and this is a primary perpetrator in encouraging this attitude in comparison to older generations. They didn’t have access to instant gratification: parents couldn’t buy replacements phones straight away, they had to work for their money and if they wanted to communicate with someone it wouldn’t be as simple as sending a WhatsApp. Is it really the “taking part that counts” attitude, for being able to access anyone at any time and having instant recognition for achievements through social media engagements that has made some of the younger generation entitled and therefore unworthy of higher pay? Are workplace benefits the reason for the pay of younger and older people? Employers are asked quite often from millennials about flexible working hours and the ability to work from home. These have become common requests, with as many as 70% of millennials wanting flexible working hours. Research by RIAS has also found 44 per cent of younger people were found to have feigned illness to avoid coming into work, compared to just 12 per cent of over-50s. And almost a third of 20 to 39-year-olds also see sick leave as an ‘additional holiday’ that they deserve and are entitled to. If we put these statistics to an older generation we might hear “back in my day we were happy to have a job and did whatever we had to do to keep it.” Perhaps this is where the millennial generation are having a shortfall in drive. Perhaps it’s lack of gratitude for having a job that makes employers resentful in giving the same payslip to both the millennials and their older, more grateful counterpart. That said, looking at the CVs of millennials you’ll find a vast number of free or low paid internships, work experience and charity work, alongside a Saturday job, university and outside skills. Many millennials perhaps feel “entitled” not because they’re “self-absorbed” but because they work very hard, for very little, and feel they deserve a job which reflects that. Millennials, starting out at work have such an array of skills, qualifications and experience that perhaps they feel empowered to find the right job which warrants their hard work. An attitude which encourages self-worth but could also hinder career growth and getting that first foot onto the ladder. It’s the shared understanding between self-worth and the desire to progress which is what will make a successful candidate. What we think We are finding experience in a specific role or industry is key these days and pay will generally go in line with relevant knowledge and the right attitude, no matter what age or generation you belong to.

Similar to finding a new house or maybe even a holiday, if you find someone who is an expert in their field, you can free up your time rather than spending painstaking hours trawling through pages of online search results. Aside from time saving, whether you are looking for a new role or keen to hire someone for your team, using the right agency and Recruiter, will offer you greater clarity and someone who will support you throughout your journey.

Archaic in nature, the CV doesn’t quite do people justice these days does it? Here are the issues we have with it.

Without exception, at the end of every interview you will be asked, 'Do you have any questions for us?' The answer to this question can say as much about you as the entire interview itself. It illustrates how engaged and interested you are, and whether you’ve been listening to the interviewer. Plus it’s the last chance to leave them with a good impression of who you are. As Jems Recruitment's Managing Director, Jo Samuels, explains: ‘We find it really telling when a candidate doesn’t ask any questions. Do they believe they know everything?’ But there are some important things to remember about this minefield of a question too. If you could answer your question simply by googling it, then don’t ask it. You should know it by now. Examples of this are: What’s the name of the CEO (Check their company LinkedIn page) What products do you sell? (Check their website) Do you have any other offices? (Again, check their website) What social media profiles do you have? (Check Facebook, Twitter, Instagram etc) So what are great questions to ask? Here are some perfect examples, just make sure they weren’t answered during the interview already before you ask them. What does a typical day look like in this role? What are the key things that need to be achieved by this person in the first three months? What’s the rest of the team like? Could you talk to me about the company culture? Of course, as you know you won’t ask about salary or holiday allowance. This can all be discussed at offer stage, but showing an interest in the position and how the company team works is a sure fire way to leave the interview on a very positive note, and bag you that offer of employment.