The exponential growth in the banking industry in Kenya has seen a steady increase in establishment of new banks and growth of new branches in different parts of the country. For job seekers looking for banking jobs in Kenya, this is a welcome relief.
However, the entire job market is imbalanced with a job-seeker base that is four times larger than the available opportunities. This means that competition for these jobs is high and candidates must work hard to stand out in their applications. This article shows highlights areas to work on when looking for banking jobs in Kenya.
Banks officers handle thousands of shillings on a daily basis. Sensitive processes like transfers, deposits, withdrawals, loans payments contribute to a bank’s success in maintaining customer relationships. This means that bank officers need to be accurate, detail oriented, honest, and excellent interpersonal skills to handle customers as expected.
So how do you prepare for interviews in banking jobs in Kenya? The points highlighted below can provide the tips you need to ace these interviews.
Basic interview etiquette:
- Keep time- banking jobs in Kenya require punctuality
- Dress in a professional manner – First impressions matter
- Carry your CV and all required documents – Banking jobs in Kenya require full documentation and thorough background checks.
- Conduct a prior research on the bank you are interviewing with
- Prepare a list of questions for the interviewer
- Put your phone on silent mode. It is rude to have phones ringing during an interview session
- Conduct market research and be ready for latest developments in the market
Possible questions to expect in an interview
- Tell us about yourself
- What are your strengths /weaknesses?
- What do you consider your greatest achievement so far?
- Why a career in banking?
- Why did you apply to this particular bank?
- Why do you think you are the best candidate for this job?
- Have you ever handled an irate client? Tell us about that experience
- What changes have taken place in the banking industry in the past 1/3/5 years?
- Where do you see yourself in the next 2/5/7 years?
- What do you know about our bank? Our vision/mission/values etc
How to gather general information on the industry
Become knowledgeable in a particular industry requires continuous effort and exposure to the aspects of that particular industry. This means that you have to begin learning about the industry of your industry as early as while still studying. Being familiar with happenings in the industry means you understand when changes happen, the impact of these changes and the ripple effect expected on the larger economy or other industries with indirect contact.
If you haven’t been doing this and you are called for an interview, you might not be as strong as the individual who has been keeping tabs on developments of the banking industry in Kenya. This does not mean that you can’t learn fast. Here is what to do;
- Research on the latest technology used in the banking industry
- Names of the chairman, managing director and branch manager of the bank you are interviewing
- Basic terms and technologies used in the banking industry
- The existing money instruments e.g ATM, cheques, credit cards, debit cards etc. and how each is used
- General information e.g relevant government bodies and authorities related to finance and banking
- Recent news of relevance
When conducting this research, ensure you take notes to ensure you don’t forget anything important.
