Corporate banker: job description

What do corporate bankers do? | Salaries in corporate banking | Typical employers of corporate bankers | Qualifications and training | Key skills

Corporate banking is like retail banking , but corporate bankers deal with companies rather than everyday people. Their clients range from small- and medium-sized companies to huge conglomerates.

What do corporate bankers do?

Typical responsibilities include:

• meeting and interviewing customers and their representatives to discuss their financial requirements.
• advising clients about mergers, acquisitions, shares and other large-scale financial activities.
• outlining the impact of products such as treasury services, loans and credit.
• preparing lending agreements.
• promoting the bank's services.
• producing reports and other documents.
• managing and growing relationships with clients.
• training and supervising junior banking staff.

Most jobs are in London and major UK cities. You’ll be expected to work long hours and stay away from home regularly, and high levels of stress are common in this profession. However, in return, there are high levels of responsibility, good promotional prospects and impressive financial rewards for the most successful employees.

Graduate salaries in corporate banking

You’re likely to start out on a banking graduate scheme before you progress into this role. Schemes in this sector tend to pay around £30,000–£33,000 according to employers’ websites. On top of this, you’re likely to be offered other benefits such as private health insurance, gym membership and discounts on financial products as well as bonuses. See our article on graduate salaries and benefits in retail banking for more on these.

Earnings will increase substantially as you progress: salaries in this sector can be around £100,000 excluding bonuses after a few years.

Typical employers of corporate bankers

In the UK, corporate bankers are employed by:

• clearing/commercial banks
• the Bank of England
• investment banks.

Vacancies are advertised on targetjobs and by careers services. You’ll also find them advertised on specialist finance jobs boards.

Qualifications and training required to be a corporate banker

There are routes into this career for both university graduates and school leavers. Graduates will need a good honours degree (at least a 2.1), preferably in a business-related subject such as economics, business studies, maths or management to get onto a bank’s graduate scheme.

This is a highly competitive sector and work experience is essential. Look for internships, vacation placements and insights events as these form part of the recruitment ‘pipeline’ for many employers.

Informal work experience can also be valuable, especially when it highlights skills needed in this profession. Seek out leadership or financial roles in university societies, as well as entrepreneurship schemes, to help you build this experience.

You’ll find plenty of advice on work experience in banking and how to write it up on your CV in the targetjobs finance sector .

There are also opportunities in banking for school leavers, who can enter the profession via apprenticeships and school leaver schemes. For more information, see the finance sector of TARGETcareers, our website aimed at school leavers.

Key skills for corporate bankers

• Analytical ability
• Numeracy skills
• Verbal and written communication skills
• Very good interpersonal skills
• Negotiation skills
• Discretion
• Attention to detail
• The ability to prioritise, manage time and work under pressure
• Willingness to work long and unsocial hours.