In a recent Careers Talk podcast John Morewood, head of graduate recruitment at HSBC, noted a surprisingly positive effect the credit crunch has had on graduate recruitment in the banking sector.
He said banks which managed to weather the recent financial storm are viewed by graduates as being particularly appealing to work for — due to the fact they managed to emerge safe the other side of the darkest times of the credit crunch.
It appears their confidence is being felt across the UK, as there has been a surge in interest in working in the banking sector — after all, Metro Bank, the first bank to open on Britain’s high streets for more than a century, received a whopping 5,000 applications for 150 initial positions — and recent High Fliers research discovered a 36% increase in applications for graduate vacancies in investment banks.
Those looking to break into the sector will be encouraged to hear that several banks have been making the headlines for the right reasons recently, with many creating new positions; Barclays is creating 600 new jobs in Glasgow, Virgin Money is also creating 200 jobs north of the border and Metro Bank is preparing to double its staff numbers.
And there is good news for graduates looking for a banking job too — The Telegraph recently reported how an Association of Graduate Recruiters (AGR) survey suggests there has been a revival in the sector, with graduate vacancies in banking and financial services expected to rise by 72%.
So, if you want a career in banking, and you want to know more about what opportunities are on offer and the skills and qualifications you’ll need to get them, join our panel of experts on 16 September between 1pm—4pm.
