Libby Sherratt
Relationship Management Graduate
Birmingham, UK
I studied Biology at university, but I knew a lab-based scientific career wasn’t for me. I much prefer working with people. That’s why the Relationship management programme jumped out – it was all about working in teams to help customers. Plus, the fact that HSBC is such a global business was exciting.
International Wealth and Premier Banking is so much more than the branches on the high street. There’s ‘Distribution’ which covers the branches, the website, and all the ways customers contact HSBC. Then you also have ‘Product’, which is everything the bank offers – from mortgages to credit cards and savings accounts. Then, you have ‘Business Management’ functions like the Strategy team, who help this part of the business perform at its best. Then, of course, there’s the ‘Wealth’ part, which focuses on high-net worth customers.
HSBC has felt the right place for me since the beginning. I love the Birmingham office. It’s nice and light and full of amazing colleagues..
Playing to my strengths
Going into a banking job without any knowledge of finance was a little daunting. No one in my family works in finance and I didn’t have any contacts in the industry to talk to about it. But since my first day, I’ve been encouraged to focus on the skills and perspectives that I do bring, rather than what I lack. For example, I’ve got strong data analysis skills from my science degree and I can build an argument based on statistics, which is great for making business cases. With everything else, I got up to speed quickly. All the technical knowledge you need, you learn on the job.
HSBC has felt the right place for me since the beginning. I love the Birmingham office. It’s nice and light and full of amazing colleagues. I’m also part of Strive, an employee resource group committed to supporting socio-economic diversity in the workplace. It’s a cause that’s close to my heart because I grew up in a lower socio-economic area. The group’s existence is testament to the way HSBC is inclusive and the many different opportunities you can embrace here.
Learn more about opportunities for students and graduates in relationship management.