They’re in the money ...business
Fun and flexible
- Name:
- Julian Richards
- Job title:
- Loan Consultant
- Employer:
- Picture Financial
- Route in:
- Sales manager, then underwriter for two years before joining Picture.
“I’m so glad I took the chance with this company. The job itself is great, as you have the opportunity to build a really good relationship with your customers. From the first enquiry to the issue of the cheque, it’s my job to make the process straightforward for them, taking details, working out their credit score and discussing their loan requirements. We offer a really personal service and spend as much time with each customer as they need.
“It’s a bit like being self-employed. We all know what we have to get done over a week, and it’s up to us to achieve it. This makes it flexible, and a lot of fun. We manage our workload in teams of two, which takes the pressure off a bit and reassures customers that there is always somebody here who knows about their loan. And the salary is uncapped, so the earning potential is excellent. I look forward to coming in to work now.”
Best bits...
“The amount of trust and ownership we’re given over our work, and being encouraged to get involved in decision making”
Worst bits...
“There are none. I’m supported, respected and well rewarded!”
Credible career
- Name:
- Dean Collins
- Age:
- 18
- Job title:
- Administrative Assistant
- Employer:
- Cardiff Credit Union
- Route in:
- Joined after school. Working towards NVQ level 2 in Business Administration
“Careers Wales were very helpful and put me in contact with the Credit Union once I’d left school. I’d not really thought about office work before, but it’s working out well. I’ve gained a lot of confidence since working here, particularly when dealing with customers, and as the office is reasonably small, the work is very varied so there’s no chance of getting bored.
“Work-based training is great experience. I’m earning a wage, getting structured and supported training and valuable experience. Working in financial services, I’m learning so much that could prove really useful as I go through my career.”
Best bits...
“The atmosphere in the office is very friendly, and earning a wage while you’re training’s got to be good, hasn’t it?”
Worst bits...
“Does anyone really like filing?!”
Investing in people
- Name:
- Leisha Vaughan Humphreys
- Age:
- 28
- Job title:
- Underwriting Manager
- Employer:
- FIRSTPLUS
- Route in:
- Graduated with a BA (Hons) in History, then worked in recruitment before moving to FIRSTPLUS in 2002.
“I moved to FIRSTPLUS from recruitment because of the excellent opportunities for progression it seemed to offer. In the finance industry, there are so many different avenues available to staff, as I discovered when I had summer jobs with a couple of financial institutions while at university. The underwriting department is an interesting place to work as it involves you with so many other parts of the company.
FIRSTPLUS really invests in its people. We all spend time in other departments to get an understanding of what our colleagues do, and training is a priority here. They also run a scheme for employees with high potential to progress, something I’m involved with at the moment. We attend courses in self-development and management skills, and work as a team to implement a project, which we then present to the senior managers. The experience is invaluable, and a great chance to work closely with the senior team.
Best bits...
“I really enjoy the investigative nature of my work, and the level of responsibility it brings, safeguarding the company and our customers from risk.”
Worst bits...
“It can be a little monotonous sometimes, but since we’re such a busy department, time flies, and the team spirit keeps me really motivated.”
And there’s more
This isn’t just call centre based work, you’ll find plenty of time to interact with customers face-to-face as well, solving debt problems and helping people to restructure their credit. Smaller credit unions (or mutual co-ops as they are known) are big in Wales. Working within a small team you can build an intimate with local people in your community. Like an old-fashioned building society, credit unions serve the interests of savers, with all profits being ploughed back to members. You may also move into business development, liaising with other finance providers, maintaining relationships and getting brokers on board. These growing opportunities are all credit to people like you.
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