What do Corporate Bankers do?

A Corporate Banker would typically need to:

• Provide financial advice and promote appropriate financial services/products to assist personal and corporate clients in running their businesses.
• Meet with clients, learn about their financial needs, and provide suitable financial advice.
• Advise corporate clients on mergers, acquisitions, and capital markets; manage the company’s banking data.
• Provide corporate clients with loans and credit products; establish lending agreements with clients; and promote the bank’s financial services.
• Create loans and leases to enable client companies to purchase necessary equipment.
• Create and implement plans to address a client company’s financial issues.
• Write frequent reports on the financial activities of the client company; keep the company’s corporate documents tidy and up to date.
• Using the company’s treasury resources, manage corporate projects and working capital.
• Manage client firms’ healthcare and retirement plans.
• Train and oversee junior bank employees

Standard Work Environment

Corporate bankers work in an office setting. They may need to travel overnight to attend conferences and seminars in order to meet new people and do business. When employed by global banks or corporations, transferring to and working in multiple countries is a possible alternative.

Work Schedule

To meet the needs of their clients, corporate bankers sometimes work more than forty hours each week, including evenings and weekends.

Employers

Finding a new job may appear difficult. Corporate bankers can improve their job search by soliciting referrals from their network, contacting firms directly, using job search platforms, attending job fairs, leveraging social media, and contacting staffing agencies.

Corporate Bankers are generally employed by: 

• Clearing & Commercial Banks
• National Banks
• Financial Service Companies
• Investment Banks & Funds
• Private Equity Firms
• Banking Sector Firms

Unions / Professional Organizations

Professional organisations and groups, such as the American Bankers Association, are essential for Corporate Bankers who want to further their professional growth or network with other professionals in their industry or sector.

Membership in one or more of these organisations adds value to your CV while strengthening your credentials and qualifications.

Workplace Challenges

• Technological innovation may make traditional manual processes obsolete
• The use of antiquated business applications may make it difficult for banking organisations to keep up with the level of innovation needed for success
• Changing regulations may cause strain on banking resources and increase risks and accountability for security breaches
• It may be challenging to manage the increase in customers’ knowledge and expectations of banking systems, making it challenging to attain customer loyalty
• Stress due to long work hours and regular travel requirements may lead you to be away from home for extended periods

Suggested Work Experience

Employers want applicants with banking experience, particularly at least three years of experience as a personal banker.

Individuals with customer service expertise may also be considered for entry-level positions with the possibility of advancement to the rank of Corporate Banker.

To demonstrate your devotion to course providers and prospective employers, read about the profession and interview/job shadow specialists working in the banking business.

Recommended Qualifications

Keep in mind that potential Corporate Bankers must meet extremely high academic standards.

Employers frequently want graduates of bachelor’s degree programmes in business, economics, mathematics, finance, or management. Some banks may admit applicants to their graduate programmes with an honours degree in the topics specified above.

Certifications, Licenses and Registration

A Corporate Banker’s proficiency in a skill set is demonstrated through job experience, training, and passing a test.

Voluntary certification in financial analysis/planning/risk management and alternative investment analysis from an independent and reputable institution will help you stand out in a competitive work market and boost your prospects of advancement.

By including a Code of Ethics, successful certification programmes defend the public welfare.

Projected Career Map

Corporate bankers’ careers are driven by performance, experience, and the acquisition of professional certifications. Corporate bankers can aspire to become Professional bankers and take on more supervisory responsibilities.

Employees that continually demonstrate high levels of performance may be eligible for advancement to positions such as Assistant Vice President, Vice President, and Senior Vice President.

Job Prospects

Candidates with honours degrees in business-related subjects have the best job opportunities.

Beneficial Professional Development

CPD will assist an active Corporate Banker in developing personal skills and competency through work-based learning, a professional activity, formal education, or self-directed learning. It enables you to always improve your skills, regardless of your age, employment, or degree of expertise.

Promotions to higher positions would need you to expand your knowledge of banking, customer experience management, and credit risk management. You will obtain industry knowledge, ethical and professional values related to banking, and employment skills such as decision-making, problem-solving, communication, and analytical ability.

Conclusion

With all of the blows to the banking industry over the last decade, Corporate Bankers play an increasingly important role in restoring public trust; now is the moment for them to demonstrate their capacity to meld commercial expertise with ethical work for the greater good.

Advice from the Wise

Never pass up a chance to learn. If a senior professional assigns you a duty that is outside of your comfort zone, don’t be hesitant to give it your all.

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