Rabobank in business

Yes, the traineeship is excellent preparation for a career in banking. The programme, which includes assignments in various parts of the bank as well as tailored training and development, and the positions I have held since completing it, have given me the opportunity to learn the full spectrum of the banking profession.

I started as an Associate Director at Rabo Private Equity, then in 2007 I took the role of Assistant to a Member of the Managing Board of Rabobank International (MBRI). Then in 2008 I moved to my present job, which is Associate Director of Corporate Loans, working in the Large Corporates department.

I am responsible for credit lending to Dutch large corporate companies (as from EUR 250 million revenue), most of them listed. I am part of a team of nine professionals who collectively serve a portfolio of clients operating in the construction, offshore, chemical industries, high tech, metals and machines sectors.

Finalising a successful deal! Even if it requires a big effort to bring about a deal, it is always very motivating to join forces to make the difference for a client. But you also have to accept disappointments along the way. After all, you can not always succeed. If a competitor performs better, the client will choose them for the deal and not Rabobank.

I would say it is the contact with clients. It is quite exciting to meet a client for the first time, and if you ultimately succeed in developing a good working relationship, it really satisfies to be able to achieve successes together. There will, however, be clients that you don not ‘click’ with as well and that is something that you also have to deal with. As someone who is still a relative newcomer to the profession I also enjoy working on complex transactions with experienced bankers. It gives me an opportunity to participate in their different thought processes, experience I can then incorporate into my own development.

It is all about combining a commercial mindset – really wanting to make the deal, for the client as well as the bank – and coping with the complex content, which includes building your knowledge of companies and markets, financial analysis, credit structures, etc. It is also about having a sense of responsibility – I have learned from experience that if you accept and live up to your responsibility, you will gradually be given more of it and your added value to the bank will grow accordingly. Nothing is easier than throwing in the towel when it comes to tough issues, but it feels better solving them and then being given the credit for your accomplishment. I have also experienced that you can achieve a lot by demonstrating individual initiative and perseverance.

I believe that we are all independently responsible for the course of our careers, and if we take the initiative, Rabobank will offer numerous opportunities as well as supporting us through learning and development. But equally, if you don not think about what your ambitions are, then you can not expect other people within the bank to do it for you.

While it might seem kind of a reversed way of thinking, I actually like the idea that if I eventually would like to work in another area of specialisation Rabobank can offer a lot alternatives – a position abroad, at a local member bank, in retail or private banking perhaps. And while you might not always enter a new division at the same level, it is nice to know that you have got the possibility to make a career switch if that is what you want.

From a customer’s point of view we can offer a full range of services from high-quality international corporate banking to local servicing by member banks. We are one of the largest Dutch organisations and as such we are involved with countless companies and private individuals. 
For employees, the fact that we are not a publicly listed company means we can focus on sustainable business instead of short-term profit. Rabobank has a pleasant culture and a healthy balance between the drive to achieve commercial success, with an attitude of keeping both feet on the ground. At the same time I feel it is perfectly acceptable to hold employees fully accountable for their performance.  Rabobank is extremely ‘nice’ to its own employees, and while it is a very comfortable feeling, I believe we could perform even better as employees with more personal accountability for achieving results – both qualitative and quantitative.

Pretty healthy I think. I am at a stage in my career when I am willing to put a lot aside for my job and work flexibly if required for a deal. Meanwhile, I feel my private life does not suffer at all from this attitude. But I also see women in my department who have children preferring to work flexibly, for example four days each week. While I do not yet have any children of my own it is good to see that this flexibility is generally accepted within the bank.