Commercial banking is quite a popular career in India, considering the lucrative salary and a stable career which it offers. However, it is a challenging role indeed, and requires a penchant for dealing with clients, plus, a liking for banking products.
Let’s see what an expert has to say about commercial banking in India –
Interview with Shreya Telang, who is an RM with an MNC bank
Proschool : Please tell us about your background and qualifications
Shreya : I completed my MBA in marketing and finance (equal credits) from the Department of Management Studies, IIT Madras. Prior to that, I did my engineering in Electronics from Pune University.
Proschool : Why did you decide to pursue this career and how did you get into this role?
Shreya : I was interested in the financial domain and even more interested in a client-facing role. The idea of marketing financial products and services very much appealed to my interest in financial products as well as meeting new people. I was recruited for an internship initially, post which I was offered a full time position based on my performance.
Proschool : Your current role and a typical day?
Shreya : My current role is maintaining an effective and efficient relationship with the existing client base as well as working to build new relationships. A typical day would see me meeting /interacting with clients and coordinating with internal teams to service my client requests.
Proschool : High points in your career so far?
Shreya : I work in the corporate sub-division of retail assets within my bank, and I have interacted with some top names in the industry. I would say these meetings were definitely a some of the high points in my career.
Proschool : Challenges faced?
Shreya : Since banking is highly regulated, some client requests do not get fulfilled. In such cases, pressure from the clients as well as your own internal teams needs to be managed well. Also, sometimes the targets become difficult to meet especially when there is stiff competition for a particular product from other banks.
Proschool : Outlook for the industry?
Shreya : As more and more customers are becoming internet and technology savvy, fewer of them are coming in to the branch, This means that an RM needs to be extremely proactive and inventive and use technology to his/her advantage to generate new business.
Proschool : Career opportunities for aspirants in India (and elsewhere)?
Shreya : All banks need RMs to service their clients and hence the career options are unlimited.
Proschool : Word of advice for aspirants?
Shreya : This field is very competitive. You must have a pleasing yet assertive personality, strong communication skills and raw smarts to survive and do well in this field.
