Banking is one of the most secure, well-paid and satisfying career pursued by graduates in commerce as well as other streams. The emergence of technology-driven new private banks and Financial Institutions have broadened the range of banking services and has opened up vast avenues for young graduates. Openings are available in banks at various levels, from Bank Clerical to Probationary Officers (PO). There are front office personnel in all banks, and then there are supervisors who handle most back office operations like completion of transactions, general ledger work, overall supervision. Banks are now offering good salary packages.

Most Public sector officers can begin in the Rs 6000-8000 per month scale. The annual entry level salary ranges from 2.65 lakhs per annum to about 45- 48 lakhs for people with relevant skills and with about 13-14 years of experience. MBA graduates recruited by private and foreign banks are given more plausible packages to the extent of about Rs 25000-30000 a month.

Generally, banks look for good communication skills, good interpersonal skills, the etiquette to handle customers, problem solving skills, ability to listen to details and a basic knowledge of the industry. Some areas of the jobs, however, lean towards one set of skill than another. For example, brokers need to be mainly sales people and as such requires marketing skills, while a person responsible for foreign exchange transactions needs to have a sharp, quick and analytical mind. Good computer knowledge is always preferred.

The maiden step towards a banking career is graduation, preferably, in commerce or math or even other streams. Many institutes offer post graduate diplomas in banking and finance through distance learning. A first class bachelor’s degree with a minimum of 60% marks or an equivalent grade is all you require to get employed in a reputed organization. Though the public sector banks are now appointing management graduates, CAs and CFAs, bright graduates from any subject can get entry in the public sector banks through an All India Examination conducted by them. However, to join foreign or private sector banks at higher than entry level, one needs specialization in some specific areas. For instance, one can develop expertise in project analysis, credit appraisal skills, managing huge loan portfolios, general & foreign exchange etc.

Outside India, an individual who has undergone the rigors of a banking course can get lucrative jobs like that of a Project Finance Manager, Equity and Fixed Income Settlements Specialists, Commercial Finance Manager, Compliance Officer, Corporate Banking Trade Analyst, Cash Management Operator and Consumer Banking Asset Operator. One can also look for various other job profiles like Business Analyst, Market Risk Analyst, Corporate Banking Credit Analyst, Consumer Banking Asset Operation Manager, Forex Head and Corporate Banking Branch Head, in banks like ABN AMRO, Deutsche Bank, Barclays Plc, HSBC, Citi Bank N.A. Dresdner Bank, Goldman Sachs, Lehman Brothers, Standard Chartered Bank, Royal Bank of Scotland and others.

The Reserve Bank of India as well as all the other nationalized banks in its fold recruits personnel in the following grades:

• Clerical Grade
• Grade A Officers
• Grade B Officers

A candidate can also be recruited in nationalized banks as Probationary Officers. Banking jobs are also available in the Treasury and Forex Department,Merchant Banking Department and Foreign Exchange Departments of various banks. Banks in the private sector employ personnel as Credit Control Manager,Corporate Banking Executive, Relationship Managers and Customer Care Executives.

The various subjects covered by the industry based curriculum are Operations mangement, Micro and Development Finance, Marketing, Human Resource Management, International Finance Strategic Planning and Information Technology. A good banking course will equip an individual with immense knowledge about monetary control, foreign exchange, currency values, treasury management and other allied fields of study.