Company Profile

What We Offer

We offer a personal working relationship for both candidate and client offering a complete recruitment service.

At Banking Support we recruit quality support staff for the Investment Banking and Financial Services sector. Our vacancies range from Executive Assistants and Chairman PAs to Junior Secretaries and Administrators. We also cover the following areas : Human Resources, Accounts, IT and Facilities. We recruit for temporary, contract and permanent positions.

Our clients include high profiled Investment Banks, Financial Houses and small boutique Asset Management firms in the City, Canary Wharf and West End of London.

With our in depth interview techniques, testing and assessment facilities we are able to understand the needs and career aspirations of our candidates so we ensure that no time is wasted with pre selection and the "best match" match is found immediately.

For a more detailed overview on what we offer please see below:

Candidate Sourcing

Our initial source of candidates is our substantial database developed over the last nine years (over 18,000 candidates registered). This, by default, continues to grow as we consistently maintain our quality of service and increasingly receive recommendations and referrals, generating a steady flow of candidates.

Everyone in the company shares information and we all have access to every client and candidate record. We cross reference every vacancy by using the resources of each division when a new vacancy is taken so optimising the process of finding the right people.

Proactive Advertising

We undertake regular advertising campaigns in response to fluctuations in the market, through the press (national and regional), trade shows and via the Internet which has become more widely available and accepted with over 1700 candidates registered from web adverts this year alone. We will select the media depending on the nature of the vacancy, the time of year, the urgency and indeed the size of response required.

The Internet / Website

• For our internet advertising we use our own site, and also a number of other sites depending on the nature of the vacancy (SecsintheCity and Office Recruit).
• New vacancies are immediately registered on the internet and the content is regularly updated.
• Internet ads are also refreshed daily to ensure continuous response.

Recommend a Friend

• We operate a “recommend a friend” scheme whereby our candidates are rewarded for introducing people to us.

Recruitment Fairs

• We participate in recruitment fairs which not only enhance our presence in the market but also allow us to advertise your vacancies direct to a “live audience” and allow us to have immediate face-to-face contact with potential candidates.

Types of Candidates Considered

We are obviously keen to attract candidates with banking experience, indeed over 90% of our candidates come from investment banking and financial services. However, we do recognise the transferable skills other sectors can offer:

• Legal
• Accountancy
• Surveying / Property
• Insurance
• Management Consultancy
• Company Secretariat
• Compliance & Regulatory
• In-House legal from Blue Chip organisations

Selection Procedure

Candidates go through several stages of screening, starting with an initial detailed telephone conversation to establish experience, requirements and communication skills. Pre-selected candidates are then invited to attend our offices for a formal interview as soon as possible. We regard the interview as probably the most vital stage of the whole process, where parameters are set, requirements confirmed and a course of action agreed between Consultant and Candidate.

The Interview

Applicants are interviewed face to face by an experienced consultant in one of our dedicated interview rooms. This consultant will thereafter be responsible for the ongoing care of that candidate. Our statistics show a high degree of repeat business and loyalty, thus increasing candidate numbers. As a matter of course the candidate will meet other members of the team to ensure that they are all aware of the candidate’s requirements and are also able to act on their behalf.

We insist on interviewing in this way as it optimises the opportunity to build rapport and trust with the candidate. Getting them to talk in-depth about themselves allows us to build a full picture of their requirements and suitability for a role, and thus enables consistent candidate management. It also allows the opportunity to assess a candidate in terms of presentation, communication skills, capability and attitude – assessing their suitability for certain roles and also helping us to manage their different expectations.

Towards the end of the interview, we will emphasise the importance of informing us of any other interview activity so that we can manage candidates in relation to our clients’ needs, and vice versa and to avoid any duplication.

The interview lasts around an hour in total and the candidate will leave knowing exactly what the next step is, our proposed actions, any action they should be taking and what level of contact they can expect from us. Great emphasis is placed on managing peoples’ expectations.

Testing of Candidates

Relevant tests are conducted at the end of the interview. Whilst tests are being undertaken, the consultant will return to their desk and put together a shortlist of suitable opportunities to discuss immediately.

All secretarial and support candidates are tested using our Prove It system which enables tests to be taken either in-house or online. We have devised our own tests to avoid repetition from other agencies and artificially manipulating the results. These are completed at interview.

We also have the option to develop other tailor-made tests for clients which can include Microsoft Word, Excel, Power Point, copy typing, audio typing, spelling, proof reading or an in-tray exercise. Applications assessments are also available, including the full Microsoft Suite, WordPerfect and Lotus applications. We have the facility to produce a library of tests for an individual client, incorporating all tests which may be required by you, including your own bespoke tests.

Back Office Functions

Pre-employment Screening Checks

Referencing

Part of the selection process for Temporary and Contract candidates includes referencing. References are taken up immediately after the initial interview in writing and cover the past five years if available. These references are taken up with previous employers as well as with the agencies concerned.

Our dedicated referencing team are also responsible for carrying out the following checks for all candidates:

• Bankruptcy & Credit Checks
• Criminal Record Checks
• Sanctions Check Lists
• Company Checks
• Proof of Residence
• Employment/Academic History

Payroll

We have a dedicated team onsite who process our candidates’ timesheets. Our experts can also accommodate all queries such as timesheet signing, pay, holidays and sickness.

Our honest and efficient approach will ensure that you always have the best possible advice and service at the end of the telephone. We value our candidates and clients and we will ensure that you receive the highest level of consultancy at all times.

Do not hesitate to call and arrange an immediate interview with our consultants or you may just miss out on your ideal job.