Recruitment

My name is James and I work in the Collections Department.  I joined the Company in August 2004.  I wasn’t really looking for a job in financial services.  I saw a recruitment ad, applied, got accepted, and it wasn’t long before I was up to speed as a Collections Agent.  To be honest though, I had good training and got lots of support from my team.  In fact, teamwork is one of lots of really great things about the job. We have fun as a group but we get the work done. It’s a great atmosphere to come in to and in some ways I think that reflects in the work that we do - it gives everybody a more positive outlook and it helps when dealing with our customers.

One of the benefits that the Company offers that I enjoy best is flexitime.  It allows me a regular four day week – which is especially good for me as I tend to get in a bit late on Sunday nights!  Of course, other people use their flexi to do a bit of retail therapy – courtesy of another benefit - being located right in the city centre.

There’s a whole screed of benefits like flexitime, final salary pension scheme, free life insurance and training but I don’t think I appreciated them until I saw what other companies were offering.

I work day shifts through the week because that suits my lifestyle but I know it suits others in the department to work evenings and some like the Saturday morning shift. Me? I don’t know what a Saturday morning looks like.

I think if someone was going to apply for a job here they would need to be a good listener - and a good communicator.  In our department you have to help people to meet any outstanding payments they have to their loan so you have to be a good negotiator.  And understanding but assertive.  A lot of that can come with experience and training.

I’d like to be a Team Leader or a Trainer so I did a supervisory skills course.  I hope to follow it up with one or two other training courses to help my cause. I’ve also taken part in a team building exercise -  that was classic.  I’m quite proud, too, of the additional responsibility I’ve been given since I’ve joined.

My team mate, Fraser, has just completed his paralegal studies and he’s currently undertaking his Credit Service Association Diploma.  So there are opportunities for development.

We have targets in our section but unlike some places they’re achievable - and what’s more there’s a bonus scheme if you do.  I never say no to extra cash.

And basically that’s me, as a Collections Agent.  That’s what I do.