Retail banking: Sepha Brook

Name: Sepha Brook

Job: Retail banking graduate trainee

Employer: Barclays Bank plc

Area of work: Retail banking

Qualifications: BA psychology, University of Nottingham; MA environmental psychology, University of Surrey

The financial sector interested me but I knew I wasn’t an ‘office type’ so retail banking provided the perfect balance. I chose my employer’s graduate scheme because it offered the chance to gain a broad understanding of how a bank works and take an active role in branches.

My job

As part of my training, I’m completing rotations in different business areas and locations. I’m currently based at head office supporting the retail development programme (a scheme which aims to develop leadership and management skills in university students). It’s useful, being part of a similar scheme myself, to see things from the other side of the fence.

I felt most at home during my rotation working in one of the branches and I can’t wait to get back into a customer-facing environment. I enjoyed reviewing targets, checking everyone had the time and resources to do their jobs, motivating staff and maintaining good communication between cashiers, managers and customers.

'A fee-paying current account won’t sell itself like the clothes in Topshop – I have to work hard to form relationships and empathise with customers so they keep coming back.'

The social aspect of working ‘in branch’ also appealed to me and I went out of my way to bond with my colleagues. For instance, I trained as a cashier early on so that I would have more credibility instructing cashiers later down the line. I was worried I wouldn’t be accepted, but the team was pleased I mucked in and even elected me Employee of the Month. I liked getting to know customers too. A fee-paying current account won’t sell itself like the clothes in Topshop – I had to work hard to form relationships and empathise with customers so they’d keep coming back.

My least favourite aspect was the ‘rigour’ – the regulation-related checks I had to complete each week. Of course, I did get the occasional trying customer but that’s to be expected: people often walk into a bank in a bad mood. I’ve cultivated the right level of assertiveness – neither too meek nor too provocative.

Secrets for success

Unreliability is frustrating: those who make promises but don’t deliver bring the whole team down. Those who are consistently level-headed, dependable and approachable will go far.