Q&A: Tips on how to make it into this fiercely competitive area of financial services

Jobs in financial services communication are fiercely fought over. Graeme McEwan, director of group communications and brand at Edinburgh-based savings and investment group Standard Life, explains what he looks for in candidates and why sustainability is increasingly mentioned in interviews.

How long have you been in financial services?

Twenty four years. I started as a marketing and communications graduate trainee with Royal Sun Alliance after my Aberdeen economics degree. I was attracted by the quality of the graduate training programme. It's important to you future career to pick a good employer from the start. I went on to work for Scottish Amicable and Prudential before coming to Standard Life.

Has you career path been conventional or capricious?

Fairly conventional. I moved around six different marketing teams during my graduate programme so luckily I was exposed to all parts of the communications mix. My first real role was as a copywriter and I've used the skills I learned in that role every day since. As my career progressed I worked in advertising, internal communications, media relations, public affairs, customer communications and branding.

What matters most, talent or hard work?

GM: Both in equal measure. You need talent but you have to know your strengths and play to them. It's amazing how many graduates we see who don't know what their strengths or even their skills are. If you don't know what they are you can't play to them or talk about them in interviews.

What would you advise people to do before they step into an interview with you?

Relax and be yourself - don't assume you have to play a part. It helps if you have already met people from the organisation. Try asking someone for a coffee. If anyone asked me to meet for a chat about their forthcoming interview I'd definitely try to go.

What advice do you have for graduates wanting to get in to financial services?

Only apply for roles for which you have a real passion and where you can add value. It's tempting to be less discriminating in the present market but if you are not fully committed to the role it comes across.

Express your vision and ideas in interviews. It will help because as well as recruiting for a particular role I am looking for future leaders.

What do you now know about working in financial services that you wish you had known 15 years ago?

The role that sustainability issues would play in financial services and the improvements that focusing on sustainability brings. As group head of sustainability I pull together all our sustainability efforts.

It's about listening to customers, developing and engaging with our people, contributing to communities, protecting the environment and operating and growing responsibly, which includes reducing and managing risk.

It's about good governance, which may be why people are increasingly asking about our sustainability policy at interviews.

You are only allowed to recruit one person over the next six months. Can you describe their ideal profile?

They would be customer-focused, social media-savvy and have a strong understanding of the Standard Life brand. They would be able to create an impact in the marketplace, communicate with customers and stakeholders and be flexible, because the world changes daily in communications. Knowing how to use social media effectively is vital because it has changed the way we connect with people, broken down old barriers and effectively made the world smaller.

In no more than three sentences can you say what your business area will look like in 2015?

Communications platforms, similar to Facebook, will increasingly replace email as a way to communicate with customers and potential customers.

The global nature of communications will mean that regional teams will be superseded by virtual teams made up of people from around the world.

Communications staff will increasingly have to understand all parts of the communications mix, including PR, public affairs, corporate social responsibility,  sponsorships, events, and creative and design activities so that communications will be more integrated.Q&A:

I want to work for you. What will persuade you to hire me?

It will be a big point in your favour if you have spotted an opportunity for the business that I have overlooked.