How to get hired at American Express
For our latest dive into what financial services leaders are looking for in their new hires, Finextra spoke to VP of Colleague Experience Group (Human Resources) at American Express UK, Ben Lane.
If you’re looking for a new position in the fintech industry, check out our conversations with top companies in the sector for hot tips on how to land a job.
What top tips can you offer candidates looking to join the industry?
Lane stresses a key word when searching for jobs: research. It is important to be informed about both the role’s tasks and the company to which the candidates are applying.
“When choosing which company to join, it’s important to invest time in finding the right fit. Ask yourself, do you feel passionate and genuinely interested in the organization? Does the company culture match your own values? For example, are you looking for a company that serves the local community it operates in. Or one that has a strong set of sustainability principles? These factors will also affect the experience you have and the career journey you take,” advises Lane.
Be aware of key trends and relevant developments in the sector related to the position you are applying for; consider market leaders and challenges that you can help businesses address as a new addition to the team. Lane notes that putting yourself in the shoes of a customer will allow you to visualize consumers’ needs and vocalize what they’re looking for from the company, which is relevant to interviews.
What is American Express looking for in their ideal candidates?
Lane states that American Express is looking for candidates who offer the best of their abilities and share the company’s values.
“‘We win as a team,”We respect people and’We support our customers are some of the Amex ‘Blue Box Values’ that describe how we work together to provide the world’s best customer experience every day. We also stand by a set of Amex leadership behaviors that help define the way we work for all colleagues globally, these include the expectation to ‘build a diverse and inclusive team’ and to ‘demonstrate courageous and authentic leadership,’” explains Lane .
“Ultimately, the goal is to create an environment that is collaborative, communicative and team-centric. In addition to looking for potential colleagues who adhere to these values, they must have curiosity and a career-long hunger to learn; a learning mindset is key. »
What roles is American Express currently hiring for?
American Express is currently hiring across multiple fields, including technology, marketing, customer service, finance and product. Take a look at specific positions you can apply for here.
Why work at American Express?
Lane emphasizes that American Express prides itself on its colleague-first culture, and that it is compelled to value growth, inclusion and innovation.
“As an indication of the welcoming culture we enjoy, we have 14 peer networks across the UK that bring together people who share common experiences, interests and backgrounds – including disability, ethnicity, faith, gender identity and sexual orientation. In addition, more than half of our global workforce is female, and the number of women in senior management positions in the UK is now 48%,” says Lane.
He adds that the payments company offers competitive pay and physical, financial and mental wellness support to colleagues by offering wellness resources and counselors.
What can American Express do for you?
Lane states that American Express is strongly focused on its employees’ growth journey, with formal career performance and development interviews held with each employee twice a year – in addition to ongoing check-ins with managers – to ensure personal and career development.
Training programs offered by the company include LinkedIn Learning for industry-focused courses, Harvard Business Publishing for leadership development training, Own My Career learning activities for individual development, and Project Marketplace for short-term assignments and goals, among other targeted development initiatives.
American Express also offers the ‘Amex Flex’ flexible working model which includes both a completely remote working model and a hybrid working model for employees.
Lane describes the comprehensive childcare initiatives offered by American Express: “In addition to our flexible working policy, we also support parents with supportive family leave schemes, including our competitive 20-week maternity leave, inclusive healthcare and back-up childcare assistance. In addition to personal support and resources for fertility, pregnancy and early parenthood, we also provide free and confidential support on menopause, men’s health and women’s health to colleagues and their household members.”
Tell us the success stories of employees who have risen through the ranks of American Express.
“Internal mobility and career growth are characteristics of our culture, and therefore it is not unusual for colleagues to have been with the company for longer periods. Amex places great emphasis on continuous learning and offers so many opportunities for colleagues to develop their skills and advance their careers.
“I myself have worked at Amex for almost 15 years, both in Australia and the UK, taking on roles of increasing responsibility, receiving promotions into new areas and leading teams across multiple markets. In fact, moving across the business was one of the best things I ever did for my career development. As well as learning a lot about myself, my transferable skills and what I was capable of, it gave me wider business experience which has been invaluable.”
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