Crafting a CV that effectively showcases your financial expertise and customer service skills is a significant challenge for a personal banker. Our guide offers tailored advice and robust examples to help you highlight your accomplishments and secure your next role in the banking sector.
- Design and format your professional personal banker CV;
- Curate your key contact information, skills, and achievements throughout your CV sections;
- Ensure your profile stays competitive by studying other industry-leading personal banker CVs;
- Create a great CV even if you happen to have less professional experience, or switching fields.
When writing your personal banker CV, you may need plenty of insights from hiring managers. We have prepared industry-leading advice in the form of our relevant CV guides.
Formatting your personal banker CV to meet the role expectations
Staring at the blank page for hours on end, you still have no idea how you should start your professional personal banker CV. Should you include more colours, two columns, and which sections? What you should remember about your CV format is this - ensure it's minimalistic and doesn't go over the top with fancy fonts and many colours. Instead, focus on writing consistent content that actually answers the job requirements. But, how about the design itself :- Use the reverse chronological order to showcase your experience, starting with your most recent role;
- Include your contact details (email address, phone number, and location) - and potentially your professional photo - in the header;
- Must-have CV sections include summary or objective, experience, education, and skills: curate the ones that fit your profile;
- Your professional personal banker CV should be between one-to-two pages long: select the longer format if you have more experience.
A little bit more about your actual CV design, ensure you're using:
- plenty of serif or sans serif font (e.g. Montserrat, Exo 2, Volkhov) as they are Applicant Tracker System (ATS) compliant. Avoid the likes of Arial and Times New Roman because most candidates' CVs are in this typography.
When submitting your CV, are you still not sure what format it should be? Despite the myth that has been circling around, most modern ATS systems are perfectly capable of reading PDFs. This format is an excellent choice as it keeps all of your information intact.
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Use font size and style strategically to create a visual hierarchy, drawing the reader's eye to the most important information first (like your name and most recent job title).
The top sections on a personal banker CV
- Personal profile states your banking experience, showcasing ability to build customer relationships and manage accounts effectively.
- Key achievements highlight significant milestones or results, proving your success in previous finance roles.
- Professional experience lists your past roles with focus on financial advisory, sales, and client service responsibilities.
- Educational background includes banking or finance-related qualifications, demonstrating industry knowledge and expertise.
- Relevant skills showcase competencies in financial products, IT systems, and client management, vital for a personal banker.
What recruiters value on your CV:
- Highlight your financial literacy by detailing your understanding of banking products and services, showing that you have the essential knowledge needed to advise customers effectively.
- Emphasise your sales skills, providing examples of how you've met or exceeded targets in previous roles, as personal bankers often have goals related to selling financial products.
- Demonstrate your relationship-building capabilities by mentioning customer retention rates or positive feedback, showcasing your talent in cementing client trust and loyalty.
- Showcase your problem-solving skills by describing scenarios where you've helped clients navigate financial difficulties or make sound investment decisions, reflecting your ability to manage complex client needs.
- Include any relevant certifications like Chartered Banker or similar qualifications, signifying your commitment to professional development and adherence to industry standards.
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How to present your contact details and job keywords in your personal banker CV header
Located at the top of your personal banker CV, the header presents recruiters with your key personal information, headline, and professional photo. When creating your CV header, include your:
- Contact details - avoid listing your work email or telephone number and, also, email addresses that sound unprofessional (e.g. koolKittyCat$3@gmail.com is definitely a big no);
- Headline - it should be relevant, concise, and specific to the role you're applying for, integrating keywords and action verbs;
- Photo - instead of including a photograph from your family reunion, select one that shows you in a more professional light. It's also good to note that in some countries (e.g. the UK and US), it's best to avoid photos on your CV as they may serve as bias.
What do other industry professionals include in their CV header? Make sure to check out the next bit of your guide to see real-life examples:
Examples of good CV headlines for personal banker:
- Personal Banker | Expert in Wealth Management | Certified Financial Planner | 8+ Years of Experience
- Senior Personal Banker | Mortgage Solutions Specialist | Delivering Customer Excellence | 10-Year Track Record
- Personal Banking Advisor | Investment Portfolio Strategist | Engaging Retail Banking Professional | 5 Years Experience
- Client Relationship Manager | Retail Banking & Savings Expert | CIFD Accredited | 12 Years Dedicated Service
- Financial Services Consultant | Personal Banking & Lending | Anti-Money Laundering Authority | 7+ Years Expertise
- Junior Personal Banker | Aspiring Wealth Advisor | Focused on Customer Success | Chartered Banker In-Training
Your personal banker CV introduction: selecting between a summary and an objective
personal banker candidates often wonder how to start writing their resumes. More specifically, how exactly can they use their opening statements to build a connection with recruiters, showcase their relevant skills, and spotlight job alignment. A tricky situation, we know. When crafting you personal banker CV select between:
- A summary - to show an overview of your career so far, including your most significant achievements.
- An objective - to show a conscise overview of your career dreams and aspirations.
Find out more examples and ultimately, decide which type of opening statement will fit your profile in the next section of our guide:
CV summaries for a personal banker job:
- Seasoned personal banker with over 7 years of experience administering financial services to a diverse portfolio, successfully managing assets worth £5 million. Demonstrated expertise in investment strategies, adept in risk assessment, with a proven record of enhancing client satisfaction and retention through customised financial planning.
- Dynamic professional with 10 years in the retail sector, eager to transfer a wealth of customer service experience into the personal banking industry. Commended for exceptional sales performance and client relationship building, bringing strategic financial product knowledge to forge robust client partnerships in banking.
- Accomplished educator looking to apply 8 years of communication and analytical skills to personal banking, driven by the ambition to facilitate clients’ financial growth. Excelled in developing and implementing educational programmes, primed to translate these skills into crafting tailored financial advice for banking clientele.
- Former healthcare manager transitioning into personal banking, bringing forth strong organisational abilities and a detail-oriented approach from 12 years of experience managing patient care services. Adept at financial administration and eager to leverage these competencies to empower clients in achieving their financial objectives.
- As a recent finance graduate, my objective is to utilise my theoretical knowledge of banking and finance, coupled with my interning experience at a local branch, to support clients in their financial journeys while fostering a robust understanding of market dynamics and customer service excellence.
- Aiming to integrate a passion for numbers and people-centric service as an entrant in personal banking. With a degree in business administration and hands-on experience through academic projects, I am highly motivated to develop practical skills and contribute to client financial success.
The best formula for your personal banker CV experience section
The CV experience section is the space where many candidates go wrong by merely listing their work history and duties. Don't do that. Instead, use the job description to better understand what matters most for the role and integrate these keywords across your CV. Thus, you should focus on:
- showcasing your accomplishments to hint that you're results-oriented;
- highlighting your skill set by integrating job keywords, technologies, and transferrable skills in your experience bullets;
- listing your roles in reverse chronological order, starting with the latest and most senior, to hint at how you have grown your career;
- featuring metrics, in the form of percentage, numbers, etc. to make your success more tangible.
When writing each experience bullet, start with a strong, actionable verb, then follow it up with a skill, accomplishment, or metric. Use these professional examples to perfect your CV experience section:
Best practices for your CV's work experience section
- Developed a comprehensive understanding of the bank's financial products and services to offer personalised solutions, resulting in a 20% uptick in client portfolio growth.
- Managed personal client portfolios with high attention to detail, ensuring financial advice and services were in line with individual client's goals and risk tolerance.
- Utilised CRM software to track client interactions and transactions, leading to an improvement in customer service and a 15% increase in client retention rates.
- Collaborated effectively with the credit team to facilitate the approval process for loans and lines of credit, accelerating turnaround time by 25%.
- Continuously met and exceeded quarterly sales targets by at least 10% through strategic planning and a customer-centric approach to banking solutions.
- Implemented financial workshops for clients on topics such as investment strategies, retirement planning, and debt management, enhancing client financial literacy.
- Regularly reviewed and adhered to all financial regulations and policies, ensuring full compliance and zero infractions during routine audits.
- Provided exceptional customer service, consistently receiving positive feedback in client surveys, with a 95% satisfaction rate.
- Pioneered a referral initiative with the wealth management department, generating a 30% increase in cross-selling opportunities.
- Managed a portfolio of 200+ high-net-worth clients, consistently achieving a 95% satisfaction rating through personalised financial guidance and prudent investment advice.
- Successfully oversaw £25m in client assets, implementing strategies that generated an average return of 8% year-over-year.
- Led a cross-functional team on the 'Future Investments Initiative', a project intended to inform and guide clients towards sustainable and ethical investment, resulting in a 20% uptake in such products.
- Introduced and promoted digital banking services to over 1,000 customers, significantly enhancing client engagement and reducing in-branch traffic by 30%.
- Developed and executed financial plans for clients, directly contributing to a 40% increase in investment portfolio sign-ups within my first year.
- Conducted regular financial seminars and workshops for clients, focusing on retirement planning and wealth management, contributing to a 25% uplift in client knowledge and empowerment.
- Single-handedly revitalised a client book that had been stagnant for two years, resulting in a 15% increase in revenue through strategic relationship management.
- Implemented a risk assessment protocol for reviewing personal loan applications, leading to a 10% reduction in defaults.
- Orchestrated the branch’s end-to-end mortgage offering, directly facilitating over £50m in approved mortgage loans.
- Instrumental in driving the branch's customer acquisition strategy, signing up an average of 50 new accounts per month.
- Enhanced branch performance through the introduction of a targeted customer service training programme, which raised the customer service index by 12 points.
- Negotiated with third-party financial service providers to broaden our product suite, bringing in two new insurance products that increased overall sales by 18%.
- Consistently exceeded quarterly sales targets by 20% through effective client needs analysis and tailored financial solution offerings.
- Played a pivotal role in migrating branch operations to a new banking platform, which streamlined client transactions and reduced processing time by 25%.
- Facilitated financial literacy workshops for over 500 individuals, increasing the community's awareness of personal finance management.
- Spearheaded the development of an innovative credit assessment tool, improving loan qualification efficiency by 35%.
- Collaborated with the marketing department to create a groundbreaking rewards program, attracting 5,000+ new clients to the bank.
- Managed large-scale corporate client transactions, averaging £10m monthly while maintaining regulatory compliance and mitigating risk.
- Designed and implemented a comprehensive wealth management plan, which attracted investments totalling upwards of £30m.
- Monitored and adjusted investments to align with market changes, protecting clients' portfolios during volatile periods and ensuring consistent growth.
- Collaborated closely with high-profile clients to facilitate customised loan solutions, resulting in a 20% growth in loan portfolio.
- Led a team of personal bankers, driving branch performance to top regional sales charts for three consecutive years.
- Innovated a client onboarding process that reduced time-to-first-deposit by 50%, significantly improving client satisfaction and retention.
- Strategically expanded the branch's foreign exchange service offerings, capturing a new market segment and boosting related revenue by 30%.
How to ensure your personal banker CV stands out when you have no experience
This part of our step-by-step guide will help you substitute your experience section by helping you spotlight your skill set. First off, your ability to land your first job will depend on the time you take to assess precisely how you match the job requirements. Whether that's via your relevant education and courses, skill set, or any potential extracurricular activities. Next:
- Systematise your CV so that it spotlights your most relevant experience (whether that's your education or volunteer work) towards the top;
- Focus recruiters' attention to your transferrable skill set and in particular how your personality would be the perfect fit for the role;
- Consider how your current background has helped you build your technological understanding - whether you've created projects in your free time or as part of your uni degree;
- Ensure you've expanded on your teamwork capabilities with any relevant internships, part-time roles, or projects you've participated in the past.
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Describe how each job helped you grow or learn something new, showing a continuous development path in your career.
Mix and match hard and soft skills across your personal banker CV
Your skill set play an equally valid role as your experience to your application. That is because recruiters are looking for both:
- hard skills or your aptitude in applying particular technologies
- soft skills or your ability to work in a team using your personal skills, e.g. leadership, time management, etc.
Are you wondering how you should include both hard and soft skills across your personal banker CV? Use the:
- skills section to list between ten and twelve technologies that are part of the job requirement (and that you're capable to use);
- strengths and achievements section to detail how you've used particular hard and soft skills that led to great results for you at work;
- summary or objective to spotlight up to three skills that are crucial for the role and how they've helped you optimise your work processes.
One final note - when writing about the skills you have, make sure to match them exactly as they are written in the job ad. Take this precautionary measure to ensure your CV passes the Applicant Tracker System (ATS) assessment.
Top skills for your personal banker CV:
Financial Analysis
Credit Analysis
Customer Service
Financial Planning
Regulatory Compliance
Risk Management
Banking Software Proficiency
Loan Processing
Investment Advisory
Sales Techniques
Communication
Problem-Solving
Attention to Detail
Relationship Building
Time Management
Empathy
Adaptability
Teamwork
Negotiation
Customer Orientation
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If there's a noticeable gap in your skillset for the role you're applying for, mention any steps you're taking to acquire these skills, such as online courses or self-study.
Listing your university education and certificates on your personal banker CV
The best proof of your technical capabilities would be your education and certifications sections. Your education should list all of your relevant university degrees, followed up by their start and completion dates. Make sure to also include the name of the university/-ies you graduated from. If you happen to have less professional experience (or you deem it would be impressive and relevant to your application), spotlight in the education section:
- that you were awarded a "First" degree;
- industry-specific coursework and projects;
- extracurricular clubs, societies, and activities.
When selecting your certificates, first ask yourself how applicable they'd be to the role. Ater your initial assessment, write the certificate and institution name. Don't miss out on including the completion date. In the below panel, we've curated relevant examples of industry-leading certificates.
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Focus on describing skills in the context of the outcomes they’ve helped you achieve, linking them directly to tangible results or successes in your career.
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Key takeaways
Your successful job application depends on how you well you have aligned your personal banker CV to the job description and portrayed your best skills and traits. Make sure to:
- Select your CV format, so that it ensures your experience is easy to read and understand;
- Include your professional contact details and a link to your portfolio, so that recruiters can easily get in touch with you and preview your work;
- Write a CV summary if you happen to have more relevant professional experience. Meanwhile, use the objective to showcase your career dreams and ambitions;
- In your CV experience section bullets, back up your individual skills and responsibilities with tangible achievements;
- Have a healthy balance between hard and soft skills to answer the job requirements and hint at your unique professional value.
