Frank
Job title
Technical Service Associate
Company and location
Citibank, London
Industry sector
Finance
Background
Degree in Spanish, Catalan and Portuguese.
Lived in Spain for a year
Gained work experience in market research, project management and teaching, before joining Citibank
Describe your job
I work in a team of computer software technical advisers. My job is to help Spanish and Portuguese-speaking customers to use our banking software. Most queries are to do with access or communications difficulties. We receive calls from the UK, Europe and Asia, so we have teams that deal with a range of different languages. The computer system automatically recognizes calls from English, Spanish and Portuguese speaking countries and routes those calls to our team.
What’s a typical day for you?
In order to cover European time differences our team works staggered shifts on a rota basis. I start work at 7.30, 8.30 or 9.30 a.m. and work a seven-hour day. Typically I’ll deal with 40-50 calls in a day. Most calls are dealt with quickly and last only a few minutes. Others can take longer to sort out, depending on the software package and how much help the customer needs.
What challenges are involved?
Being able to speak a foreign language is one thing, but you also have to build a technical vocabulary. That’s something that you can only really learn on the job. Also when I started as a Technical Adviser, I knew very little about computers, but Citibank provided me with excellent training on the various packages. In some ways it was just like learning another language, and with a bit of hard work I soon became more confident in the job.
Did you always want a career using languages?
Definitely. I did Spanish at school and enjoyed using the language on family holidays in Spain. At university I did a five-year degree course in Spanish, Catalan and Portuguese. The course included a year in Spain, where I lived with five Spanish students. I really immersed myself in the language and culture of Spain, so my skills progressed very quickly and by the end of my course I was fluent in Spanish.
What skills and qualities are important in your job?
An excellent command of the languages you’re working in, as well as a wide technical vocabulary
A good understanding of the cultures of the countries you deal with
To be patient and diplomatic
Good listening skills
To be able to work methodically and keep accurate records of every call.
Any tips?
In addition to your languages, try to gain other skills or qualifications in business or management studies. These will enhance your employment prospects.
Frank has since moved on to work in the Foreign Exchange section for Citibank, where he still enjoys using his languages.
Source: Paul Kingston Associates / Connexions