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What will I be doing?
There are a variety of roles at American Express. Your specific role will depend upon both your own aspirations and the needs of the business. Take a look at some of what our current Graduates are doing.
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Chris Taylor
Project Management
View Chris's Profile
Tell me about yourself.
After graduating from the University of Manchester with an honours degree in History, I worked for a Management Consultancy in the Financial Services industry, and then moved on to help manage a small engineering firm. In September 2006, and already a resident of Brighton, I began work at American Express on the Project Management Graduate Scheme.
What do you do in your job?
In my first rotation I was based in Global Product Development, within Global Commercial Card. My department was responsible for project managing the design and release of all new AmEx Corporate Card products in Europe, Middle East & Africa (EMEA) liaising with associated departments worldwide. During my placement I was given responsibility for a project based in the German market. During the project I learnt a great deal about the different products offered by American Express and gained strong exposure to the local market heads. I was also taught the departmental project management methodology and honed my general project management skills. My second project involved the launch of a major new card product in five markets across Europe. During this project I was responsible for process mapping the current method of applying for a Corporate Card through to activation and use of the card. Once this was completed, I redesigned the process to improve the experience for future Card Members. On a day to day basis my role is to coordinate my project teams, manage sponsor expectations, deliver my project on time and on budget, and develop my own skill set.
What do you enjoy about your job?
The most exciting aspect of my role is the responsibility that I am given to deliver my projects from the first moment I arrived at American Express. I was trusted to deliver my goals independently but also offered all the support I needed to succeed. The company places a lot of emphasis on teamwork, but also recognizes the individual contribution. One of my favourite aspects of project management is the variation of the role depending on the project. One minute you might be engineering a process change or implementing a technical fix, the next you are launching a new product onto the market. The feeling of achievement when you sign off a successfully completed project makes all the hard work worthwhile.
What is the most challenging part of your job?
The most challenging aspect of my job is influencing the members of my project teams. The teams are made up of a wide variety of resources from various departments all with different priorities. Getting everyone in a room together, managing expectations and ensuring harmony amongst the team is critical to project success and requires strong communication skills and the ability to adapt to changing circumstances.
What advice do you have for people considering a career in Project Management?
To be a successful Project Manager you need to be organised, patient and be a strong judge of character. The skills that you will acquire as a Project Manager on the Graduate Scheme are easily transferable across most departments together with the ability to lead teams at a very early stage is both enjoyable and beneficial in terms of career progression. If you can produce drive, quality and innovation on a consistent basis then Project Management could be the career for you.
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Lucy Hart
Customer Service
View Lucy's Profile
Tell me about yourself.
I graduated from the University of Salford in July 2005 with a First Class BA Honours degree in French, Spanish and Portuguese and started at Amex in the September. I moved down to Brighton from Hull to start the programme and found both American Express and Brighton to be incredibly friendly places where I was quickly made to feel very welcome.
What do you do in your job?
In my first rotation I was based in the UK Customer Service Centre where I was involved in project work. I focused mainly on process improvement, employee engagement and marketing. During my placement I developed a good understanding of the different business drivers and key metrics while building an extensive network of contacts which I am sure will prove invaluable. I was delighted to have the opportunity to get involved in significant initiatives which have driven Cardmember and employee satisfaction, such as devising and rolling out a tool to provide marketing information to our customer service representatives. During my placement I was responsible for managing my own workload and balancing my priorities and deadlines and thoroughly enjoyed working in such a fast-paced environment where there's never a spare moment to look at the clock and before you know it another day has passed!
I have now moved to Merchant Services which is extremely interesting for me as I am learning about a completely different side of the Business. I am currently undertaking the call centre training and will then be spending some time managing a small team who deal with collecting debit balances from Merchants. People leadership experience is essential for anybody wishing to progress within the company so it's great that the Graduate Programme allows you to gain this experience so I'm looking forward to beginning this soon.
What do you enjoy about your job?
It sounds like a cliché, but it really is the people here that make Amex such an excellent place to work. The atmosphere is fantastic and there's a real team spirit. I also love that you get out what you put in, so if you work hard you get to reap the rewards and see the benefits of your efforts. You have a great support network too and there's a real focus on your personal development, with everybody having a development plan and being encouraged to progress, in whatever way's appropriate for each individual. Finally, in my new role I am based in a European team, so I am excited about the exposure to the different markets we operate in across International, particularly given my language degree.
What is the most challenging part of your job?
I think the most challenging part of my work so far has been learning to say no! When I started the programme I was so keen to get involved in many different initiatives that it was important for me to improve on my ability to prioritise, delegate and push back where appropriate, and this has been a useful learning experience for me.
What advice do you have for people considering a career in Customer Services?
If you feel passionate about great Customer Service then a career in this field really can open up a host of opportunities. Within Customer Services International at Amex there is an enormous variety of job functions, and American Express is a great place to develop and hone your skills and abilities. The Graduate Scheme gives you the chance to gain experience in several areas of the Business while you find out where your preferences lie, and I guess I'd have to say my one piece of advice would be "never say never", as you really never know where a career in Customer Service may take you!
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Lola Adeshigbin
Customer Service
View Lola's Profile
Tell me about yourself.
I graduated from King’s College, University of London in July 2006 with a 2:1 BA Honours in French with Applied Computing and started at American Express in the September. I commute daily from London to Brighton and do not regret a day of it as I find American Express to be a wonderful Company to work for!
What do you do your your job?
In my first rotation, I worked in the Risk Optimisation Department of International Risk Management. My role was focused on the UK Credit market and the main aim was to enhance the customer’s experience. As part of my placement I had a complete overview of the Risk department and was delighted to have the opportunity to closely view a cardmember’s possible life cycle and work on strategies to enhance it. My main task included extensive analysis of Credit CSSM results, I contributed to the pinpointing of the effects of sub-prime initiatives on UK CSSM scores. I was also involved in a project on Direct Debits and Technical Returns, analysing the end-to-end process, and developing methods to improve it. As a result of the project, several new processes were introduced, I was also able to introduce the project to the UK Customer Service Centre.
In my new role, I work mainly on Process Improvement, Marketing Communications, and Employee Engagement. It is a very diverse role that allows me to work with various other departments. As a result, I have developed a good understanding of the different business areas whilst building an extensive network of people. I have gained the ability to influence other people outside of my authority. Additionally, I oversee the management of two Marketing and Process Improvement focus groups of over 40 people within the call centre. My varied projects include working with other departments to augment processes that impact the call centre, enhancing the cardmember communications and making key improvements to the systems used to service our cardmembers.
I am responsible for managing my workload and initiating the projects I take part in, giving me the flexibility and opportunity to effect changes. It is a fast-paced, unpredictable environment and I enjoy every moment of it! The graduate programme is a wonderful opportunity to develop one’s talent as it rotates you to different areas, challenging you each time. My next placement sees me managing a team and I am looking forward to gaining people leadership experience.
What do you enjoy about your job?
Coming straight from university to work for a Company as big as American Express can seem a bit daunting, but my experience here has proven that it is anything but that! I enjoy working with the people and their passion to make American Express as successful as it can be. There is a great support network, ranging from mentors to Managers and the focus is very much on developing the individual, who will in turn continue with the development of the Company. I also appreciate the ethos of the Company, I see the blue box values applied at each level within the Company.
What is the most challenging part of your job?
The most challenging part of my role is being able to prioritise the needs of the department against the available workforce, whilst working within a budget. I am very keen to get involved in several areas, it can be challenging to push back sometimes but my role requires me to prioritise effectively and gauge the effect on the department. It has been a very useful learning experience for me that will serve me well in the future.
What advice do you have for people considering a career in Customer Services?
Go for it! It is a very diverse area that liaises with all other areas of American Express, giving you the opportunity to understand the entire Company. In addition, the graduate scheme is wide-ranging, allowing you to work in different roles across Customer Services. American Express is a great Company to work for and if you want to work in a place that is thoroughly enjoyable and challenging, then start filling in the application!
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Jay Wissema
Marketing
View Jay's Profile
Tell me about yourself.
I have a Bachelors degree in International Business from the Manchester Metropolitan University and a Master’s degree in Marketing from the Manchester Business School. Following a stint as a Junior Consultant in Ecorys Research & Consulting in the Netherlands I joined Amex in 2005.
Tell me about your work during the programme?
Within International Consumer Card and Small Business Services (ICSS), our consumer and small business cards and services operation outside of the USA, I have had the opportunity to work on a pan-European level as part of the Regional Team as well as experience a function at a local market level within the UK, Europe’s largest market.
My experiences at American Express kicked-off within Customer Acquisition at regional and then at market level. The former rotation focused on the development of new channels of acquisition while the latter involved acquisition campaign management and customer satisfaction projects. I finalised the programme in a regional role focusing on product strategy and development. In a nutshell, this position looked at how our products should be constructed and positioned in the market place by considering a number of internal and external factors.
What did you enjoy about your Marketing roles?
As a Marketer I was exposed to a wide range of external and internal information and regularly cooperated with other parts of the business. This is not uncommon when part of the Marketing team and you will be in a position to grasp the behaviour of the external environment and understand the operations which drive the business internally. I find the Card business fascinating and enjoy the opportunity to understand it in detail.
Another aspect of the work which is appealing is the blend of analytics and creativity which form a core part of the work. Combined with a high level of inter-personal interaction these attributes make this a fantastic and unique position.
What was the most challenging part of your programme?
The programme put me on a steep learning curve. The Card business is complicated and there has been a lot to learn. As part of ICSS Marketing, it is not unlikely that you will work with Operations, Finance, Merchant Services and more. To be able to cooperate with these teams effectively I have had to learn about their operations as well as those of ICSS Marketing. The bottom line is that there is a lot to learn and quickly.
What is your advice for people considering a role on the Marketing programme?
The assessment process will require preparation on your behalf. Have a clear idea of what your competencies are before being assessed.
Once inside, the rotation will put you in an ideal position to quickly develop a portfolio of diverse projects and to build a network of colleagues across Amex. While the programme comes with a number of great training seminars and meetings with key members of Amex, the degree of success which you will achieve will fall largely upon you. You will be provided with plenty of support from your line manager, graduate coordinator, buddy and other colleagues but ultimately you will be expected to deliver results on your projects. I recommend that you treat each of your rotations as a permanent position and each team as a permanent team rather than consider the eighteen months simply as an introduction period. In my experience, you will have a say in your work and I suggest that you proactively engage your line manager regarding projects in which you would like to get involved so as to drive the direction of your expertise. I also strongly recommend that you continuously make introduction appointments with colleagues across all parts of Amex. This will be highly beneficial to your work and to your future development in the company.
Tell me about your time at Amex after the programme?
In 2007 I joined GNS, our business unit that manages the Company’s relationships with card-issuing business partners around the world. Within my Team, which focuses specifically on partnerships in the emerging markets of Central/Eastern Europe and Russia, I currently manage our issuing business in Bulgaria. Focusing on the development of our card related activities in the market, my responsibilities can be broadly categorised as Product Development, Customer Acquisition, Engagement and Retention. The role combines elements of marketing, consulting and negotiations as I work hand-in-hand with Bulgarian Postbank, our local partner, to develop the Amex issuing business in the country. The position is highly client orientated and requires intensive travel for up to 90% of my time.
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John Easton
Sales
View John's Profile
Tell me about yourself.
My name is John Easton and I graduated from Oxford Brookes University with a 1st in Business & Management. My university degree was a four year modular course that comprised of a sandwich placement which I completed at Compaq. Having graduated in 2003, I joined American Express on the Sales stream of the Graduate Programme.
Tell me about your current role.
My current role in American Express is Business Development Manager, working across 50 of the largest global clients in the American Express corporate portfolio. The job requires interaction directly with the client base when expanding the current relationships with new products/services or across more markets and internally with the Account Development Manager base and Senior Management to identify the areas of focus for future expansion opportunities - and at a more strategic level - help develop the long-term business roadmaps.
The wide scope of my job enables me to become involved in a number of different projects meaning that two days work are rarely the same! The role works across a number of American Express business units allowing me to widen my network of contacts and identify areas of interest for future positions within the Company - including opportunities across the globe. However, one of the most enjoyable parts of the job is the people I get to work with - colleagues are always eager to help and inspire you to a different way of thinking which really helps your own personal development. There is also a very active social scene which means after a hard days work you won’t be drinking alone!
What is the most challenging part of your job?
The most challenging part of my job is the multiple deadlines - particularly in a matrix organisation where is not a single reporting line and you are completing projects for a number of different stakeholders. It is very necessary to set people's expectations up front and ensure your time management skills are up to scratch!
What is your advice for people considering a role in the Sales programme?
The Graduate Scheme allowed me to undertake a number of roles within the sales organisation. My first placement was with the UK Corporate Card team and this provided me with a solid foundation of the products and services being sold to the corporate client base. This initial grounding helped with my second placement as I worked on a multi-market implementation of one of American Express' 50 global clients. This involved travelling to client locations across EMEA and 'selling in' the product at a local market level. My final rotation was with our Purchasing Card department which completed my knowledge of the corporate product set.
What is your role after the Scheme?
Since completing the Graduate Scheme in February 2005, I have been a local market Account Development Manager with a portfolio of seven of the global clients. Having completed a year in this role I was successful in obtaining a promotion to my current role and I am now looking at a further move to another geographic region to further my knowledge of American Express.
Do not be scared to ask questions and build up a network of colleagues as quickly as possible. As cliched as it may sound networking will help you get on - there is no chance you will ever know everything about everything, but as long as you can call upon someone who does have a certain level of expertise you will be in pretty good shape!
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Ali Taher
Sales
View Ali's Profile
Tell me about yourself.
I graduated from The University of Sussex with a 2:1 degree in Politics in 2004. Following University, I spent 10 months working for American Express Bank in a temporary role as a telephone sales agent and teller. It was this experience of the Company that inspired me to become involved in greater depth and apply for the graduate sales programme starting in 2006.
What did you expect from the sales programme & why did you apply for it?
During and after my time at university I had gained some sales related experience through running music and entertainment events and working in a telephone sales role. These experiences as well as the strong interpersonal and relationship building skills I felt I had lead me to apply for the sales graduate scheme.
It was difficult to know what to expect. I imagined I may have some basic sales training then perhaps split my time between doing some telephone based sales work, and develop towards face to face sales. In reality, this would have been a relatively insular approach, given the complexity of American Express’ sales organisation. Your training is much broader, and based on business needs at the time. The great thing is that once you join, there is the flexibility to get experience in the areas that interest you.
What do you do in your job?
My first rotation was in the National Account Development team where I worked closely with Relationship Managers who typically managed and developed portfolios of between 10 and 20 mid-market corporate accounts. I was assigned 3 or 4 major accounts to work closely with, which gave me a feel for the range of products and services American Express provides to its corporate clients. I was client facing almost straight away, but in these situations would usually be accompanying the relevant Account Manager. The role helped me build my overall understanding of how to balance building, and developing a relationship while selling in new products and services according to individual client needs. I also gained a good understanding of the life cycle clients move through internally at American Express - from the initial “sell in” stage, through to being assigned a Relationship Manager. Day to day, I would be involved in a range of activities, from visiting clients to working on account related pieces like reporting, forecasting and internal meetings. In addition to account related work, I also got involved in team related activities, which really helped me develop my relationships with other team members.
I now work within the central team managing a remote account management function across 7 European markets. Approximately 18,000 smaller accounts are managed through this channel. In this role, I have mainly been involved in a diverse set of projects which focus on the strategic development of this rapidly growing business. I own a set of projects, and this allows me to have contact with people in a vast range of business functions – from product development and technologies through to compliance and legal teams across American Express, globally. It is an exciting role, where everyday is different, and I am given the flexibility and independence to reach my final goal through using my own initiative and creativity.
What do you enjoy about your job?
When I joined American Express, one of the first things that struck me was the level of help and support that was available to me. Having so many friendly faces around really helped me settle in to what seemed like a complex new role where there was a lot to take in.
My current role allows for a lot of creative thinking. Ideas are often discussed with a close-knit team of people who all share a vision of how the business should grow in the future. If an idea is put forward, and agreed upon, it is likely it will be implemented as a project stream for you to manage – You really get a sense of involvement and achievement.
I like the diversity I have in my working life. Days tend not to be the same. One day I could be at my desk working on part of a project, the next could be occupied by meetings and the one after; I could be off site seeing clients or suppliers.
What is the most challenging part of your job?
On the sales graduate scheme, you won’t necessarily be working in a direct sales role. You may be placed somewhere within one of American Express’ broader sales functions, which really helps you develop the wide ranging knowledge and skills which are crucial in preparing you for the next steps in a career in sales at American Express. For this reason though, there is so much to take in. At first, I’d say the biggest challenge was to develop a firm understanding of the numerous different products on offer, as well as how each component or department fits into the bigger picture. Things can be confusing to start off with, but there’s lots of support there to help you!
What advice do you have for people considering a career in Sales?
There are numerous suggestions of what it takes to be successful in sales. From my point of view, sales people often have a combination of both inherent and acquired skills, a strong knowledge of their product and diverse experience. The graduate programme at American Express really does help you develop yourself broadly, giving you wide ranging skills and great experience that will benefit you in anything you go on to do. I think one piece of advice would be – Get involved...The more diverse and extensive your experience, the better!
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Rob Jameson
Finance
View Rob's Profile
Tell me about yourself.
I graduated from the University of Wales, Aberystwyth in July 2004 with an Upper Second Class BSc Honours degree in Economics. I initially worked for Vauxhall Motors as a Financial Analyst before joining American Express in September 2005 as part of the Enterprise Risk and Assurance Services (ERAS) Internal Audit team. ERAS is a global group, with teams based in New York, Salt Lake City, Phoenix, Singapore and the UK.
What do you do in your job?
As an internal auditor for the EMEA region I act as a risk consultant for American Express. The role of the team is to provide assurance to the Board of Directors and Shareholders over the processes in all business areas within American Express. Part of my role is to identify control gaps within these processes and discuss them with senior management of the business area. I also have to gather and analyse information given to us during audits and ensure that processes and procedures are being followed and are in compliance with local laws and regulations. As a team we also provide recommendations to close identified control gaps in order to add value and improve the business' operations
In this particular role there is a lot of travel involved, and since joining the company I have worked in locations such as New York, Geneva, Paris and Brussels. Other members of the team have worked as far a field as Bahrain, Salt Lake City and Miami!
What do you enjoy about your job?
The best aspect of the job is that you get to learn so much about American Express. Since I have joined the company I have been involved in projects and audits that have spanned across all the business lines and functional departments that Amex operate in. These include the Bank, Customer Service, Corporate Card, Consumer Card, Foreign Exchange Services, Joint Ventures and many more. This provides a great insight that no other role can really offer you as to what it is the business does. Most people, when asked about American Express, will talk about the Credit Card business, but there is so much more to see and learn than that. This role has given me the opportunities to develop and learn about other areas and provided me with a great grounding for a future within the business.
In addition to this the travel aspect of the job has given me a wonderful opportunity to meet senior management from all over the business and see some wonderful places. The team has made to feel welcome from my very first day.
What is the most challenging part of your job?
The role has presented me with a number of challenges that have required me to raise the bar. However, I think that the hardest part of the job can be discussing your findings with the senior management of the area your are auditing. It can often be difficult to convince management that a point raised is significant and requires discussion about the risk exposure to the business of the control gap found. It does however allow you to improve a number of skills, including presentational, and provides you with the opportunity to interact with senior management throughout the company.
What is your advice for people considering a career in Finance?
My advice to people considering a career in Finance is to always keep an open mind. Finance in American Express is very complex and is much more than number crunching. The Graduate Programme will allow you to see all of the different areas and aspects of the business and the role that Finance has to play in these functions. Once you have completed the programme you will have the choice of either continuing as auditor or moving on into another area of the business. The skills and knowledge that you have learned whilst on the programme will prove invaluable at this stage and open up a lot of opportunities to progress into.
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Laura Seymour
Finance
View Laura's Profile
Tell me about yourself.
I graduated from Cardiff University in July 2006 with an Upper Second Class BSc Econ Honours degree in Accounting and Management. Before starting University I spent two years travelling, including a year living and working in Sydney. I joined American Express in September 2006 as part of the Finance Graduate Scheme, where I am based in Enterprise Risk and Assurance Services (ERAS), the Corporate Audit team.
What do you do in your job?
The role of the team is to provide assurance to the Board of Directors, Shareholders and Management that a good internal control system operates within all business areas throughout American Express. Part of my role as an Internal Auditor is to identify risks within the business units and determine whether controls exist to mitigate these risks.
More specifically we aim to provide assurance that policies and procedures are being followed and that we are in compliance with laws and regulations. We also make recommendations of how to conduct Company business in a more efficient and effective manner, and investigate unusual or irregular activities, including suspected and actual cases of internal fraud, theft or other impropriety.
ERAS is a global group, with teams based in New York, Salt Lake City, Phoenix, Singapore and the UK. Our team in the UK focuses on all business areas throughout the whole of the EMEA (Europe, Middle East and Africa) region so there is a lot of travel involved in the role.
What do you enjoy about your job?
The sheer diversity of the role. Working within ERAS gives you the opportunity to experience and learn about many different areas of American Express, as well as working with a wide range of people at all levels of the Company. Since joining I have been involved in audits of the Bank, Foreign Exchange Services, Joint Ventures, as well as the Card Business. The insight you gain into the business as a whole gives you a good grounding for your future within the Company.
The travel aspect is also a big plus to this job. Since joining the Company I have worked in locations such as New York, Paris, Rome and Brussels. Experiencing different cultures and work practices is an interesting and exciting experience.
However, what makes the job really enjoyable is the people I work with. The team is vibrant and talented. There is a strong team atmosphere and everyone is extremely helpful and welcoming.
What is the most challenging part of your job?
The most challenging part of the job is delivering difficult messages related to control gaps or weaknesses to senior management. It is definitely a skill that takes time to develop. When you have to tell people in charge of a business unit that control weaknesses exist in their area it can be tricky, especially if they believe their area is working well.
On the plus side, this does allow you to improve your communication and presentation skills as well as providing you with the opportunity to interact with senior management throughout the company.
The fact that this job is challenging makes it even more worthwhile and enjoyable. The feeling you get when you know you have worked hard to add value to the company is priceless.
What is your advice for people considering a career in Finance?
This is your career and you are in charge of it. At American Express there will be a lot of opportunities made available to you, from gaining professional qualifications to improving your skills through training to networking with colleagues. Make sure you make the most of these. If you remain positive and motivated a lot more opportunities will present themselves.
Don’t be scared to ask questions. There is a lot of information to learn about the Company and people will never expect you to know everything. You will be provided with a lot of support from your colleagues and mentors so utilise their experience and knowledge.
Finally, remain open minded. The Finance division in American Express is complex; gaining experience in different areas of the business through the Graduate Scheme will help you decide where you intend to focus your career in the future.
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