Being a banker means having a complex job. There are numerous products, and customers’ profiles and requirements are extremely varied. And, more than that, it’s a constantly-evolving job. Before joining Societe Generale, I was a business school student. Because I wanted to be able to provide better answers to my customers regarding finance matters, and with the backing of my superiors, I headed back to college to follow a Masters in market and business finance.

For almost two years now, I have been using my old calculator and pencil case again. A number of evenings a month, I go to university after work to attend my lectures. The pace is frenetic, but two years goes quickly…!

As well as doing this Masters course, I was also invited to experiment the market players’ professional certification test made mandatory by the AMF French stock market authorities since July 1 for all new bank staff who provide information and advice or who carry out operations on financial instruments. I jumped at the opportunity to asses my level of knowledge.

So how did it go? I obtained my certification on June 22, so France’s first certified branch manager bears the Group’s red and black logo!

I feel that this certification is accessible (with a little studying, of course!), and lets you learn (or revise) some fundamental points about providing customers with advice on financial investments. It thus enabled me to further increase my knowledge on topics such as financial instruments, risks, compliance or rules and regulations.

In practice, I am now in better shape to give advice to my customers. Because they pay more and more attention to what their bank can provide, and because products are often very complex, I feel that continuous training is essential.

I’d advise all bank staff to take the test. Although it is only mandatory for new staff, and people already in their jobs before July 1 2010 aren’t obliged to take it, I’d encourage everyone to become certified because it’s a real plus in our daily work and when advising customers. It’s also a guarantee of professionalism vis-à-vis our customers.
If you have any questions regarding this certification, feel free to leave a comment; I’ll do my best to reply in order to share my experience of this exam in more detail.