Why would a private bank want to recruit an air-hostess or an actor? Reena Badlani worked as an air-hostess with Jet Airways for two years. But soon she realised that her job wasn't giving her satisfaction any more. | |
| The fallout: she quit her job and joined the financial services industry and finally landed up as a private banker with SG Private banking "� the private wealth management arm of the international French financial services group Societe Generale. |
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| "The career switch was well thought out. I preferred private banking, which offers an opportunity to nurture long-term relationships to being a stewardess," says Badlani. |
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| Badlani is not alone in this endless quest to seek something more meaningful in a career. Meet Shweta Bhatia a model and a TV actress for popular programmes such as Kahani Ghar Ghar Ki and Kesar on Star Plus, Meher and Akhrosh on Doordarshan and Malini Iyer on Star One, for close to two-and-a-half years. |
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| Now Bhatia has bid adieu to the glamorous world of acting and like Badlani has joined the league of private bankers with the same financial services firm. |
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| Her rationale? "The entertainment industry did not seem as a viable long-term career option and therefore, I decided to pursue private banking instead which offers enormous growth potential. Last year saw the rapid expansion of the private banking market in the Asia-Pacific region and in India in particular", she says. |
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| In fact, the tale is not just about people from non-business backgrounds shifting to corporate careers. It's also about the fact that corporates like SG Private Banking for instance, are willing to hire these people for financial services jobs, that have always been the fiefdom of MBAs and those who have worked with blue blooded consulting firms. |
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| And there is an underlying HR thinking, that is driving such hiring decisions amongst companies. |
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| Says Sandeep Sharma, Head, SG Private Banking India, "The professionals were selected due to their ability to connect and empathise with people. Besides, the "can do" attitude, the ability to think laterally and a strong conviction which spurs success made them exceptional candidates for the firm." |
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| Apart from a model-cum-actress and a stewardess, the firm also has an entrepreneur who was into exports in the Sri Lankan markets, on their rolls. |
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| All these professionals are employed in the capacity of private bankers for clients who are high net worth individuals (HNIs) with an investible surplus of Rs 250,00,000 or more. |
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| Adds Sharma: "Private banks require bankers who posses three skill sets - expertise in the financial sector including equities, debt, mutual funds, real estate and alternative investment classes, consulting ability and other soft skills. This winning combination is making private banking an extremely sought after profession in India". |
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| The fact is such uncommon hiring doesn't seem to backfire on the company. Sharma says that their aptitude for managing relationships does give them an edge over the plain vanilla financial advisors. |
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| However, there is an emphasis on financial expertise and to bridge this gap, the firm provides training for team members from non-financial industries.The bank has also launched other HR programmes to keep these people enthused in their jobs. |
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| All employees are eligible for the group's 'Global Employee Share Ownership Program' for 2006 where they will partake in the corresponding share capital increase and the firm will also allocate a matching contribution. Time will tell whether it's worth banking on soft skills. |
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