Giving advice: anything but a routine job!

Alexandre has been a Banking and Insurance Adviser at BNP Paribas Fortis since March 2019 in the Bascule office (Brussels). He says he likes his job a little more every day.

The key? A willingness to listen and empathy

“In my job, I am the first contact for every (potential) customer who walks into the office or wants an appointment, on site or online,” Alexandre explains. “80% of my time is spent advising customer. Responding to their problems, needs and wishes. Both for their daily banking needs and for their insurances or investments. The key is empathy, being able to understand their situation and listening carefully so that you can propose a solution that really works for them. That fascinates me enormously.”

Daring is doing

Yet Alexandre was not predestined for a job as a banker. With degrees in political science and another in public relations in his pocket, he began his career as a communications consultant. But after almost a year and a half, he still hadn’t received a permanent contract. “So I tried a different approach,” he says. “I applied to several companies and BNP Paribas Fortis gave me a chance. I had no commercial experience at all and didn’t know much about banking, but I went for it anyway.”

Excellent training

Alexandre has no regrets about his choice. “The coaching is first class. I followed training for two months with a small group of newcomers; it was a mix of theory and practice. We received regular feedback from three experienced colleagues who followed our course. I learned a lot in a short time. In total, the training lasted a year that included additional coaching that gave me both extra confidence and the chance to grow in my new job.”

Many opportunities

In other words, you do not necessarily need an economic or financial education to become a bank and insurance adviser. According to Alexandre, the job also offers a lot of career opportunities. “In this job you get to deal with many different topics. So you build up a lot of experience, with the possibility of developing into an insurance or investment specialist, for example. Or you can take a completely different path. BNP Paribas Fortis is very large and encourages internal mobility. After a job as an adviser, it is quite possible to move on to communications, data management, business consulting, etc. There are plenty of opportunities,” Alexandre says.

A digital boom

Nowadays, conversations with customers are increasingly taking place online, in large part because of corona. But according to Alexandre, this is just fine for everyone. “One in three appointments is now done via video conferencing, and two in three are done remotely,” he explains. “Personally, I appreciate the face-to-face contacts. But the digital tools work well and the online meetings run very smoothly. And a lot of customers are asking for them. This also allows me to work from home one day a week - a plus for a balanced life.”

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