Guernsey Press

Make it the right step for you: I’m searching for a new role within the financial services industry. What should I look for in a potential employer?

Sarah Savident, HR manager at Estera, replies:

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Sarah Savident, HR manager at Estera. (25998616)

TAKING the next step on your career path can be both exciting and daunting. With so many leading businesses in the island, it can be difficult to work out which one is going to be the right fit for you.

So maybe the question shouldn’t be whether the company is ‘a good place to work’, but rather if it will give you everything you need, both professionally and personally. And that means being clear about what you expect from your new employer.

Firstly, if career development is high on your agenda, how will your employer support this? Larger firms, such as Estera, offer a wide range of development opportunities.

The best places to work should support employees with both internal and external training. This will include financial support with professional qualifications, in-house development and training programmes, as well as offering study leave.

If you are looking for a role that gives you broad experience, will your new position offer exposure to a wide range of functions and sectors, so that you don’t end up pigeon-holed?

And is work culture important to you? We all spend a large proportion of our lives at work, so it’s vital that you choose to work in a place where you feel valued, happy and motivated. So, does your employer have a commitment to work-life balance, a genuine belief in corporate social responsibility and a lively social events calendar – all of which matter to us here at Estera.

While a competitive salary, benefits and holiday package is a key factor when considering your next step, it shouldn’t be more important than finding a role where the requirements closely match your skills, experience and ambition. And where the company’s culture aligns with your own personal beliefs and expectations.