Numerical skills will certainly help, but there are a wide range of roles on offer that require different skills and abilities. Consider, for example, the skills required by a trainee actuary working in life assurance and pensions (analytical skills and proven numerical ability) and those required in insurance (management potential and the ability to deal with strategic issues). John Morewood, senior graduate recruitment and development manager at HSBC, explains: ‘Organisations want to recruit graduates with the right interpersonal skills and attitude. The world of financial services is about people – leading them if they are employees or meeting their needs if they are customers – so these skills are the most important thing and not the subject matter of a candidate’s degree.’ The skills and knowledge you need will therefore depend entirely on where you want to work and the specific role that appeals to you – and in financial services your options are far from limited so there’s bound to be a role to suit.

Sell yourself

Graduates from a non-numerical degree background often think of themselves as being at a disadvantage when it comes to applications and assessment centres but the trick is to see your degree as a selling point when it comes to recruitment. If nothing else it’s a good talking point.

You don't have to have a finance degree to work in this industry. Much more important are the life skills you have.

However, if you can explain your reasons for choosing your degree and, most importantly, the skills and abilities you have developed that will help in you chosen career, you’ll really stand out from the crowd. It’s well known that recruiters look for more than just academic qualifications, so a candidate who can demonstrate that they have a wide range of skills including teamwork, interpersonal and communication skills will be very attractive – especially for roles where interaction with clients and customers is necessary.
As John says, ‘I find it really sad when graduates believe that you need to have a finance degree to work in this industry. In 2006, only 36 per cent of applicants who successfully gained a place on one of the HSBC graduate training schemes (excluding investment banking) were from a business, accountancy or economics background. Much more important to us are the life skills our graduates have.’ It’s also important to remember that employers are keen to recruit a balanced workforce that reflects the diverse nature of the clients and customers they serve. There isn’t any set blueprint for the ideal candidate so it’s up to you to prove why they should hire you and what you can bring to the business.

Make your experience count

If all this has whetted your appetite, the first step on your road to employment is to find out which area interests you, do some research to find out who the main employers are in that area and then match your skills and abilities to the ones required. Look carefully at the training and induction on offer. If you’re new to the area, a longer induction period could be useful to allow you to get up to speed on any technical issues before getting stuck in to the job at hand. Make the effort to meet recruiters at careers fairs or on-campus events and ask them if they accept people with your degree background and/or how best you can highlight your skills.

Match your skills and abilities to the ones required

Next, get some work experience if you possibly can. There is no better way to demonstrate your interest an a sector than to get some experience of actually doing the job. When it comes to interviews and assessment centres you’ll then have a bank of experiences to draw on and will truly be able to say why you are interested in a career in financial services. You’ll also be able prove that you are capable of applying the skills and knowledge that you learned during your degree to a work environment. ‘I would really encourage graduates to get some work experience in a customer-facing environment,’ agrees John. ‘They should also seize every opportunity to develop leadership skills both at school and at university.’ Go the extra mile and you’ll not only impress potential employers, you’ll also make sure that your dream job is all it’s cracked up to be. 

Find out more

• Carla Leonard studied English and Spanish. She is now a branch manager for Barclays.
• Steven Dick studied anatomy. He is now graudate trainee on the HBOS Corporate Banking scheme.

More advice to help you find out about financial services careers and working life

• Careers in financial services explained
• Applications and interview advice for insurance, actuarial, retail banking and other financial services jobs
• Get an internship or work experience placement in finance
• Choosing the finance employer that will suit you best
• Will postgraduate study help you get a financial services job? 
• Read case studies of the projects graduates in financial services work on
• How to get to the top in a financial services career: an interview with the CEO of the Financial Services Authority
• The professional qualifications available in financial services roles
• How to get a graduate job in financial services
• Find graduate employers, immediate jobs and work experience in financial services