CRS says it can! Our market intelligence, industry surveys and fantastic client relationships reveal a heightened degree of certainty emerging in the Asset Finance marketplace. The question everyone is asking right now is “Where is the new ‘talent’ joining the industry?”

We know the banks are now far more able and willing to give their best talent experience and exposure to a variety of markets and sectors within their businesses. But how do they entice their best talent to remain in Asset Finance and not trade, cash, or corporate?

We firmly believe that Asset Finance offers a broad and diverse range of career opportunities for its most successful staff and the sort of challenging sales environment that good people thrive in. It’s going to be progressively more important in the future that this is communicated really strongly to new recruits and that a greater degree of succession planning can be achieved. At some point the industry will run out of experienced people and then where would we be?

Whilst it’s difficult to compare different years, and in particular the last 3 years, it feels that any contractions in the market have run their course and there will be few, if any surprises, around the corner.

Whilst we have found little movement amongst the bank owned lessors – much of the “product” focus for them has been around building out their working capital and international offerings, there are one or two notable exceptions within the independent sector.

Banks versus Independents is an age old argument that’s worth exploring again when overviewing the Invoice Finance market – do they live in harmony or is one impacting on the other? Where does that leave the market? And for our candidates, where does that leave you?

The opportunities lie with candidates who are prepared to be flexible. For the first time in many years, commercial bankers with ‘sales ability’ are being considered by independents. The main positive thing to come out of this, is that bankers no longer see Invoice Finance and ABL as a second class industry. It’s first class and always has been – it has just taken a few people to wake up to the fact.

5 years ago it was clear the mainstream banks wanted to take up market share in the independent space. Royal Bank of Scotland, Barclays and Lloyds TSB all started to build external sales teams to attack the market dominated by the likes of Bibby Financial Services and Cattle’s to name a few.

Fast forward to 2012 and it’s a completely different story – the major banks have retrenched – safe in their own environment/customers and its now the independents on the charge. Cattles has now become Aldermore Invoice Finance and they ARE a bank, Bibby Financial Services is international and the new entrants in the market are all ‘independents’ – seizing the opportunity the banks have left behind.

And breathe!!! At the start of the month the race to the title seemed all but finished as Man City lost to Arsenal and the red half of Manchester moved 8 points clear. However, after a series of unexpected slip-ups from the champions and a strong run of results from the new boys including a 6-1 away win at Norwich and a narrow win in the derby, the league is now left to be decided by just two nervy games.

Further down the table, the battle for 4^th and champion’s league qualification is still wide open, and in the relegation fight, any two of 5 clubs could still accompany Wolves back to the championship. The topsy-turvy nature of the league as of late has meant choosing a solid team for fantasy football has become increasingly difficult; even bankers such as RVP and Rooney have failed to deliver points in recent weeks.

One person who has been able to deliver is this month’s winner Lee Broome, who has bagged the ‘Manager Month’ prize with his imaginatively named ‘Broomey’s Boys’! The managerial masterstroke appears to have been making man of the moment Papiss Cisse his captain for April – congratulations, the vouchers are on the way!

There are huge amounts at stake for the remaining May fixtures so choose players wisely as this season has demonstrated nothing is for certain! Best of luck…

Well after another month of football with a number of twist and turns, the Premier League finds itself with a new leader. Arsenal continued their good form throughout but Manchester United have their noses in front and Liverpool must be looking forward to the start of the next month!

The CRS Manager of the Month for March has been awarded to Sizeable War Chests, accumulating a monthly score of 259 providing clear daylight at the top of the league. Strong performances from Rooney and Van Persie secured the current leader with the award, so congratulations, £50 of vouchers is on its way to you.

Looking into next month we have some mouth-watering fixtures to enjoy, Arsenal v Man City, a midlands derby and a potential title decider between the two Manchester clubs!

Who will have a performance similar to Arsene Wenger’s and secure the top spot for April, or who will follow in the footsteps of King Kenny and find themselves collecting the wooden spoon?

And finally a quote to inspire us all for the final push of the season….

“I’ve missed more than 9,000 shots in my career. I’ve lost almost 300 games. Twenty-six times I’ve been trusted to take the game-winning shot and missed. I’ve failed over and over and over again in my life. And that is why I succeed” – Michael Jordan

We are currently are looking at various Cash Management opportunities in London, and Trade Finance roles that span the UK with major UK domestic, as well as global banks. I’d like to speak to anyone with a desire to move into one of these specialisms. CRS is a preferred supplier for these clients, so we’re best placed to make any formal introduction on your behalf.

With the population of these specialist individuals in the UK limited, my clients are looking for candidates that have an understanding of either Cash Management or Trade Finance, and a desire to develop themselves in this space. They should have excellent credit skills and proven business development ability, preferably have a corporate background or have some international experience.

Developing a niche in either trade finance or cash management will undoubtedly bring its rewards. With all the investment currently being placed here, not just in sales teams, but in product and implementation, this is the most exciting time to join an organisation. The size and quality of the organisations we deal with allows great training, secondments overseas, and the opportunity to develop further into other areas of the bank should you have the desire.

WE’RE HIRING NOW within this field. Please contact me directly on 0161 495 3636, or email your details to eduncan@crsltd.info to be kept informed of current and future opportunities.

The big internationals are recruiting and they mirror UK banks in the way they ‘face off’ to customers i.e. teams for SME, commercial and corporate customers. There are also a number of active ‘independents’ (non-bank owned institutions, some of which are quarterly global companies) where great career progression beckons for new recruits.

There are excellent opportunities for candidates in related areas – most merchant services companies provide excellent product knowledge training – you just need to bring excellent business development skills. The market is competitive so it’s about winning market share – shrinking violets need not apply.

And the bonuses……. whisper it quietly but they are lucrative!

Growth? Come and have a conversation with me – I’ll show you a growth industry and growth in your pay packet with a bit of luck.

As always CRS will guarantee confidentiality and access to the best opportunities in the marketplace – that’s because in a recent survey 100% of our clients said CRS is the first recruiter they choose when they have a vacancy.

WE’RE HIRING NOW within this field. Please contact me directly on 0161 495 3632 or email your details to rjackson@crsltd.info to be kept informed of current and future opportunities.

In my field of expertise, Credit and Risk, some banks have implemented cost-cutting measures or restructures, however, in general, our clients maintain a strong appetite for lending. Clients will be hiring in greater numbers throughout 2012, as market share increases through organic growth and acquisition.

Underpinning a successful growth strategy, is the ability to attract customers through the provision of credit in a timely fashion. Our successful clients have structured their credit sanctioning departments to reflect this, maximising new customer acquisition, whilst not losing sight of existing relationships. This is achieved through either dedicated “new business” teams or by strict SLA’s, to turn prospective clients’ credit applications around in a short space of time.

Within Corporate & Commercial banking, the emphasis has certainly shifted from a traditional philosophy of “arm’s length” credit to a much more collaborative, joined-up approach with the front line. Rather than being a preventative department looking for a way to say “no”, the credit functions within our key clients really add value by providing innovative solutions to say “yes” within the confines of risk policy and appetite.

And it is here that progressive, external recruits will be necessary to strengthen and up-skill current departments.

So, what profiles of individual are such organisations asking to meet with? What type of person do they feel would thrive within their business?

Naturally, our clients will be looking for banking professionals with strong credit skills, ideally gained in a corporate/commercial sanctioning team and individuals currently operating with a delegated authority are certainly in demand.

However, the key is the ability to understand when a deal becomes “commercially acceptable” and in that regard, Relationship Managers with excellent credit skills (or formal credit training) and a natural leaning towards credit are also highly sought-after.

The technical knowledge and oversight a career in credit sanctioning provides, offers a challenging and highly rewarding environment for the more analytical. Progression is not limited to the credit teams’ hierarchy and instead can lead on to other Risk functions within the group or a return to a Relationship role where strong credit skills are increasingly desirable in today’s market.

WE’RE HIRING NOW within Credit & Risk. Please contact me direct on 0161 495 3649 or email your details to rseddon@crsltd.info to be kept informed of current and future opportunities.

Fair to say it’s becoming a two horse race in the Premier League now as we reach the final months. Red or Blue? That’s the question, and maybe the next few weeks will be telling.

Turn to the CRS fantasy league – are we in danger of becoming a one horse race as Whatty’s Wonderers pull 18 points ahead of Jr Athletics and 28 clear of Multiple Scorgasms, to be crowned Manager of the Month for the second time?

As Whatty’s Wonderers is a CRS employee we will be appealing to the FA in light of complaints made – by CRS itself. In our defence we don’t want one of our own winning either! No camaraderie here!

Down at the bottom of the Premier league it’s any 3 from 5 and the managerial changes at QPR are yet to pay dividends. Wigan have stuck with their man, Rovers fans don’t want to be stuck to their man and Wolves fans are now stuck with their no.2!

CRS’ relegation fight again mirrors reality and whilst The Real Madrid are cut adrift at the bottom on 68 points – just 24 points separates the next four  – including Jonaldo, Hammers Down (how appropriate), Statto 1966 and We’re Not Really Here (that’s mine……..oh dear!)

SO best of luck everyone and remember those of you at the foot of the table – don’t give up your day job!

We wish her all the luck and support to conquer the route on the 25th March and would like to ask if any of our clients or candidates would like to make a donation to such a worthy cause please click on the following link and donate through Maria’s JustGiving page.

http://my.sportrelief.com/sponsor/mariarooneyssportsreliefgivingpage

On behalf of Maria and CRS thank you to everyone who donates, all that’s left to say now is GO MARIA!!!

From a recent Banking & Finance Perception Survey we carried out we can now announce that CRS recruit for what our candidates say are their top 3 choice of employers. With that in mind they have asked us to help them search for individuals who would be interested in the two sectors to help them build their presence in a number of locations.

Sound like you?

• An understanding/ working knowledge of either Trade Finance or Cash Management or just simply an interest to work in one of these sectors?
• Have the ability to originate, engage and close large transactions.

Not sound like you but know someone it does?

• CRS offer a £250 voucher reward for every referral that ends in a successful placement.

To find out more information please call:

Emilie Duncan, Senior Consultant, 0161 495 3636, eduncan@crsltd.info