₦airaland Forum

lastpage:
Bros, a STAFF LOAN at such ridiculously low rate should never be considered a TRAP!
Its what you did with the Loan that matters.
I used my first staff loan to acquire a piece of land (deposit fr two plots) which l built one and the current value of the other is over 25M now, l am still waiting to either build it for rent or sell when its like 35M!
And you wont believe the loan was 500K!

Some used theirs to buy luxuries like car or even marry wife and did a very expensive wedding!
If l see anybody that would give me a 100M loan today, at 2-5% interest, please contact me immediately, l will take it.

My advice: Collect as much "staff loan" as you can, from your bank. use it wisely afterall, its Capital that is the greatest hindrance to starting/expanding a business!
When they want to sack you, they will "think twice" ... or they have to write-off the loan!


Lastpage!

Breadfruit:
You took wise investment decisions....
But some banks no longer give loans to their staff for now and for existing loans, they don't write them off.
Its almo

st impossible to work in a bank for 10 years nowadays...without being frustrated or tsunamied out.

lastpage:
Was a banker for close to a decade in the late 90's to early 2000's.

Left when l had enough savings and was already aware that "nothing lasts forever".
I must confess, the pay was incredibly good! Though, with two Masters and an MBA, the pay has got to merit the amount of Educational Investment l made to get those awards.

Luckily l started in a Dept. where your services are indispensable to every member of the organisation and the fever of Internet banking and Online transactions were just catching-on so l was like "all over the place" with foreign trainings and technical/change-over committees here and there.
I travel a lot, being to every state in Nigeria and actually lived in most while working there

But my health suffered a bit as l get home late, eat late and hardly have time for my kids! Even Saturday was a work day because we were always working to a Deadline, most of the time.

I remember that December 25, 1999, to January 2000 period!
For those seven days, l worked and slept in the bank because some Eediots predicted that Systems where going to collapse due to the double-zero (1999 => 99, 2000 => 00 ) date-management anomaly that would occur when we crossed over to the new year.
I was checking every line of code, re-configuring systems, setting up backUps Systems, assigning folks to various duties for "Emergency Rollback" incase there was a major crash but alas, NOTHING HAPPENED!

Never enjoyed my Christmas or New year, only to take ill immediately after!
Resigned a few years after that, got my pay-off and setup myself in business.
Now, l have time for myself and family ..... even spare-time to mess around on Nairaland!

My advice:
*Know that nothing lasts forever.... that employee will eventually become "ex-employee" one day! You will get the boot one day!

*Save as much of your income as you can ... all those 'forming bigger Boys with pristine designer suits from italy, shiny cars, expensive accessories", e.t.c are nothing but liabilities, what you need is assets!

*Develop yourself (Most bankers cant make out time to study...I couldn't but luckily studying was part of my Job and l have done quite a bit in the past!) Remember that when you leave the banking industry, most of the things you did there are "proprietary" and may not be needed elsewhere... what value then can you bring to a non-banking organisation, to get employed?

*Form solid but "legal" relationships with some of your clients .... by offering good service, being honest to a penny and going the extra-length to solve their issues. Treat them with respect and l tell you, when the time comes, some of them will remember you and speak on your behalf.

*If possible, BUILD your own house, as soon as possible! Even if it is a small Room and Parlour!
House rent becomes the greatest threat to survival, within the first one year, to bankers who lose their job!
You wont get that Upfront that you just splash on your rent anymore, without even thinking about it. (My landlord loves me so much because of the way l just bring Wads of Naira to him (for rent), in the first week of January.... when everyone else is complaining of being broke!

*Finally get married quickly!


Lastpage!

BTW: I hope most "Operation Staff" know they will always be out of job as their processes get automated and branch numbers get reduced.
There are even "staff-less" branches now where same services are rendered using "voice activated automated service" systems !
Marketing staff too, to a smaller extent.

boneruns:
Let me add my 2 and half years of experience working in a bank.

I work in one of the Risk Management sections of the Bank (Risk Management can either be Credit, Market or Operational). I can understand what people in branch, most especially the Marketers go through; it isn't an easy stuff. The ATM Custodians have their own ; they must ensure ATMs are up and paying.

Well, I'm actually enjoying where I am, there is career development and advancement, I can switch to other industries and apply my experience. I've seen colleagues who left to non-banking industries.

Some people here have said working in the Head Office is better, but they forgot that staff in HOs pass through different work stress. Almost all banks in Nigeria have their HO on the island. Traffic is a serious issue on the island. Imagine staying in the traffic for over 2hours before home. This is almost a daily occurrence. One has to leave home before 6am to avert traffic. People stay behind in the office till 9pm before leaving.

Banking is actually challenging, people who left banking to other industries didn't find hard to blend.

I'm passively searching for non-banking jobs even though I'm comfortable where I am. I've had an exit plan since I joined banking. I have period of time to stay.

lastpage:
Was a banker for close to a decade in the late 90's to early 2000's.

Left when l had enough savings and was already aware that "nothing lasts forever".
I must confess, the pay was incredibly good! Though, with two Masters and an MBA, the pay has got to merit the amount of Educational Investment l made to get those awards.

Luckily l started in a Dept. where your services are indispensable to every member of the organisation and the fever of Internet banking and Online transactions were just catching-on so l was like "all over the place" with foreign trainings and technical/change-over committees here and there.
I travel a lot, being to every state in Nigeria and actually lived in most while working there

But my health suffered a bit as l get home late, eat late and hardly have time for my kids! Even Saturday was a work day because we were always working to a Deadline, most of the time.

I remember that December 25, 1999, to January 2000 period!
For those seven days, l worked and slept in the bank because some Eediots predicted that Systems where going to collapse due to the double-zero (1999 => 99, 2000 => 00 ) date-management anomaly that would occur when we crossed over to the new year.
I was checking every line of code, re-configuring systems, setting up backUps Systems, assigning folks to various duties for "Emergency Rollback" incase there was a major crash but alas, NOTHING HAPPENED!

Never enjoyed my Christmas or New year, only to take ill immediately after!
Resigned a few years after that, got my pay-off and setup myself in business.
Now, l have time for myself and family ..... even spare-time to mess around on Nairaland!

My advice:
*Know that nothing lasts forever.... that employee will eventually become "ex-employee" one day! You will get the boot one day!

*Save as much of your income as you can ... all those 'forming bigger Boys with pristine designer suits from italy, shiny cars, expensive accessories", e.t.c are nothing but liabilities, what you need is assets!

*Develop yourself (Most bankers cant make out time to study...I couldn't but luckily studying was part of my Job and l have done quite a bit in the past!) Remember that when you leave the banking industry, most of the things you did there are "proprietary" and may not be needed elsewhere... what value then can you bring to a non-banking organisation, to get employed?

*Form solid but "legal" relationships with some of your clients .... by offering good service, being honest to a penny and going the extra-length to solve their issues. Treat them with respect and l tell you, when the time comes, some of them will remember you and speak on your behalf.

*If possible, BUILD your own house, as soon as possible! Even if it is a small Room and Parlour!
House rent becomes the greatest threat to survival, within the first one year, to bankers who lose their job!
You wont get that Upfront that you just splash on your rent anymore, without even thinking about it. (My landlord loves me so much because of the way l just bring Wads of Naira to him (for rent), in the first week of January.... when everyone else is complaining of being broke!

*Finally get married quickly!


Lastpage!

BTW: I hope most "Operation Staff" know they will always be out of job as their processes get automated and branch numbers get reduced.
There are even "staff-less" branches now where same services are rendered using "voice activated automated service" systems !
Marketing staff too, to a smaller extent.

musco4me:
Am a banker but i hate banking work so much. U cant even have time for urself and ur family. I never wanted to be a banker but unemployment pushed me to banking because i needed to survive. Am still thinking of other biz i will engage myself in and also lookn for a non banking job. Within the 2 and half years in bankn, i hv worked as funds transfer officer, customer service officer, headteller/Atm custodian. Keeping watch over the atm is the most stressful thing u can do if ur bank is a leading bank in nigeria and if ur branch has 3 to 6 atms that need serious attention due to so much traffics on them. I leave my house b4 6.30am so that i attend to atms and put them in order b4 8am wen monitoring starts. I still go home late cos u still have to wait till 6pm wen monitoring ends. Banking is not a job ooooooo. No weekend for u, no public holidays, u just work! Work! Work! I hate bankn and planning to quit very soon.

Breadfruit:
You took wise investment decisions....
But some banks no longer give loans to their staff for now and for existing loans, they don't write them off.
Its almost impossible to work in a bank for 10 years nowadays...without being frustrated or tsunamied out.

isobayor:
@Lastpage, ou worth to be a mentor Sir.

Achiles:
God bless you for this lovely piece

Xcozee:
best wishes

lastpage:

Bros, l be small Boyz just chilling around me corner o!
cant you see that l sometimes engage in abusing on nairaland .... which adult does that!
But if you have a question you want to share or discuss, l will oblige as long as you dont ask me to or try to "identify myself" in real life! :oMy My My Children think l am a truant and dont want others to know that it is their Dad playing truancy online at times!



Lastpage!

dkby:
@Musco4me, From your complain I can guess your bank, if you have 5 Atms to manage, I think you should have an Atm support staff to assist, and for weekend duty, you should have a weekend roaster where all core staff are suppose to rotate duty. Moreso as an Atm custodian you are expected to rotate that role after 6 months, where rotation is not practice, write your H..D for clarification. My2Cents.

isobayor:
Well, I worked in the banking sector for 6 years. specifically with defunct Bank PHB(Now keystone bank) and Stanbic IBTC Bank. I worked in ban banking operations for 5 years at different time Customer service person, Fund transfer Officer, Cash Officer, ATM custodian and my last 1 year in the sector was at the head office`s global market unit. While I was there, I have seen myself not going to be in that sector for long,therefore all my income was to develop myself academically and skill acquisition. Eventually, I became Chartered Accountant and Chartered Tax Practitioner while I was still in the sector. It was after this my achievements I experienced the greatest disappointment and frustration as several interview I attended always being turned down simply because they believe I don't really have good working experience being a banker.Everyone believe the banking experience is dogmatic and therefore I was not employable being an accountant by profession. Thanks to almighty God that I eventually broke the jinx and now working as a senior accountant with a top rated manufacturing company in the country. My advice to everyone is that ,don just stay too long in the sector no matter what your profession is. Always see the sector as a ladder to another opportunities.

lastpage:
I agree with you but l think the loan is being restricted to Middle/top level Mgt ... which is very unfair!

What l am saying is this: There will be situations where a Bank wants to retrench workers.
Let say one of these workers have spent three years and his/her severance package is worth #1mill but he has taken a loan of #3Mill.
The best they can do is to hold-on to his severance package but since they are the ones letting him go, where would they get the remaining 2Mill?
In such situations (and l have seen a few), the bank will postpone that staff for "future" retrenchment knowing that they would suffer a 'huge' loss if they include that staff in the exercise or write it off. They have to make a choice, its their move.
.... except in case of gross 'criminal' misbehaviour in which case the staff can be open to criminal prosecutions.



Lastpage!

dkby:
@Musco4me, From your complain I can guess your bank, if you have 5 Atms to manage, I think you should have an Atm support staff to assist, and for weekend duty, you should have a weekend roaster where all core staff are suppose to rotate duty. Moreso as an Atm custodian you are expected to rotate that role after 6 months, where rotation is not practice, write your H..D for clarification. My2Cents.

lastpage:
I agree with you but l think the loan is being restricted to Middle/top level Mgt ... which is very unfair!

What l am saying is this: There will be situations where a Bank wants to retrench workers.
Let say one of these workers have spent three years and his/her severance package is worth #1mill but he has taken a loan of #3Mil
The best they can do is to hold-on to his severance package but since they are the ones letting him go, where would they get the remaining 2Mill?
In such situations (and l have seen a few), the bank will postpone that staff for "future" retrenchment knowing that they would suffer a 'huge' loss if they include that staff in the exercise or write it off. They have to make a choice, its their move.
.... except in case of gross 'criminal' misbehaviour in which case the staff can be open to criminal prosecutions.



Lastpage!

airsaylongcon:
I tell you the way you have described this atm custodian so I'm now tempted to apply for the opening at the south African bank operating in Nigeria.

I used to work in Supply chain for a firm that provided IT services to a big manufacturing multinational. Banks own still good at least operations completely ceases for a few hours na. Manufacturing is 24hours non stop operations. I've been called at 2am to resolve a problem having left the office at 11pm when my official closing time was 5pm. I've been in a different state and had a 2hour phone call to resolve a bottle neck with emails flying from US to Switzerland with my name as the reason for delays in d supply chain. It got to a point I no dey fear feedback (really brutal tongue lashing) from my immediate manager and his immediate manager. Grew a thick skin so if na just jam or cash out that one na play. I enjoyed the pressure and the pace. Thrived on it sef.

Funny thing is when interviewing for the job we all swiftly answer Yes! when asked "Can you work under pressure?" even claiming to be pressure cooker sef

Breadfruit:
I think the bankers of your era (05-09) were the ones who really enjoyed banking. They were not overworked, and money was so surplus. That was before the credit crunch, right?

Its not easy doing the degrees alongside banking. One has to give way for the other. To get sick leave now self is not a joke as some bankers would rather die than take a sick leave(pun intended). Not to talk of study leave....

lastpage:
Bros, your head dey there no be small!
I use to say apart from I.T ... anyoen can do a banking job with a weeks training! So, nothing special!
The job is also regimented and the experience is not much to write home about.... in the wider scheme of things.
Its like being a Non-Commisioned soldier... what else can you do after retiring if nor be security man?
(okay, that was a bad joke, l respect our gallant officers pass that).

But there is a big conflict here: You need to study and develop yourself as a banker but the job itself prevents you from doing this (Early resumption, every minute pressure and late closing hours .... l wont mention that some folks still manage to enter one correct Beer parlour on their way home at 9pm, after the hectic hold-Ups!)!
How can you get home and read after that kind of day?

So, how do you cope? Very string self-determination and a strong focus on your future!
Online and weekend courses, use your annual leave to write exams as well.

The sky is your limit Bruvda, l love what you did. keep it up.



lly Lastpage!

lastpage:
Bros, your head dey there no be small!
I use to say apart from I.T ... anyoen can do a banking job with a weeks training! So, nothing special!
The job is also regimented and the experience is not much to write home about.... in the wider scheme of things.
Its like being a Non-Commisioned soldier... what else can you do after retiring if nor be security man?
(okay, that was a bad joke, l respect our gallant officers pass that).

But there is a big conflict here: You need to study and develop yourself as a banker but the job itself prevents you from doing this (Early resumption, every minute pressure and late closing hours .... l wont mention that some folks still manage to enter one correct Beer parlour on their way home at 9pm, after the hectic hold-Ups!)!
How can you get home and read after that kind of day?

So, how do you cope? Very string self-determination and a strong focus on your future!
Online and weekend courses, use your annual leave to write exams as well.

The sky is your limit Bruvda, l love what you did. keep it up.



Lastpage!

musco4me:
hahahhahahhaa. Guy its like u work same place. Am just trying to put in my best though I have given myself target to end bankn career by January nxt year.

scobaba:
Yea i worked there between 2007 and 2009. As an entry level officer, I was taking home 232k monthly. It was good cash for a 22yr old fresher den.

smasher1:
I don't know if any bank would give you a loan up to your severance package. But I know my bank won't.

Cultured:
Bro! Take it easy. From your ill-thought suggestion to present bank workers to secure larger quantity of loan from their banks to give them cover from being retrenched easily (a professional banker present/ex ought to know better that no bank will genuinely give you loan above your severance package without supporting collateral) to your lame claim of owning a plot of land you bought for 500k that now has worth estimate of 25m (I don't care when you buy the imaginary land since you said worked in the bank btw late 90's to earlier 2000), I am in doubt if truly you have experienced bank work.