Degree: BSc Mathematics Sports Science, 2018
Job Title: Analyst, Mid Corporate Sales, Commercial Banking Markets
Current Role: Working with existing customers and prospect customers to help manage their financial risks, including Interest Rate Hedging, Foreign Currency Exchange Hedging and Commodity Pricing Hedging. We offer customers fixed prices which creates certainty, to enable them to effectively budget and reduce the risk to their business and profits. As a graduate, I am responsible for researching clients and identifying what risks they may face. I then put together pricing information using various spreadsheets to determine how they could save money, or which strategy may be suitable to them which the Financial Risk Managers in my team then use in their discussions with clients.
What’s the biggest mistake you have made since graduating and what have you learnt from it?
I think initially I tried to take on too much, get involved with everything and say yes to help everyone that asked me! I really wanted to make a good impression, however it wasn’t really sustainable and I ended up having too much on my plate and couldn’t actually get anything done to the standard I wanted to. I’ve learned now that although I will still try and help everybody that asks me to do something for them, I will now manage their expectations and explain to them what other work I have on currently and let them know when realistically I’ll be able to help with their task. This works much better and it’s made me become more organised and learn how to prioritise the most important tasks.
What is the best piece of advice you have been given?
To ask lots of questions initially, and write down the answers in a notebook so that you can refer back to them. At the start of any new role, there is a lot of information to try and take in and it’s hard to remember everything. This way, you won’t annoy your team by asking the same question twice and hopefully by writing down the answers it will make it easier to remember things.
What have you learned since graduating that could be helpful to other graduates like you?
To trust myself a bit more!! When I first started my graduate job, I didn’t have much confidence in my ability to do the job, and would always rely on other people to check that I was doing the right thing or ask them for the answer. My first line manager told me to have more faith in myself, and it’s been so much better for not only myself but the people I work with too as I have more individual responsibility and it takes me a lot quicker to do the job as I’m not waiting for reassurance from others. Also, the best way to learn is by making mistakes because you will definitely not make the same mistake twice!!
Can you recommend us something?
I signed up to the 4 week financial time’s trial (for £1) as in my current role I have to be aware of what is going on in market news! I’ve found it quite a useful tool and it has made me read up on financial matters and market sentiment first thing in the morning! It’s helped me for my day to day role but also to have more intellectual chats with the people in my office.