After studying the BA Politics at Birkbeck, University of London, John joined the Financial Ombudsman Service (FOS) as an investigator, where he handles financial business complaints for consumers
How did you find and get your job as a financial investigator?
I searched for the job on the FOS website as I was familiar with the organisation through previous work.
The application process involved an initial application with a cover letter and CV. I then had to do a telephone interview. Following that, I participated in a competency-based assessment in which I was given an example case and had to reach a reasonable outcome.
Finally, I had a virtual interview with two hiring managers, during which we went through skills and competency-based questions. Two weeks later, I was offered the role.
What interested you in applying for this role?
Following graduation, I worked in a call centre but was seeking a role where I could make a difference.
Looking at the core way of how FOS investigates complaints, which is on a fair and reasonable basis in a completely objective manner, really appealed to me. I've also always been very inquisitive, so trying to get to the core of an issue really helped.
How did you find the six-month training programme at the academy?
The training programme was really interesting. At the time, I didn't have a specific financial product I worked on; I could be investigating a complaint about a failed supermarket transaction one day, and a mis-sold motor insurance policy the next.
So, getting to spend time in the academy was very useful, and I benefited from being mentored by highly experienced investigators with a wide breadth of knowledge.
It also helped me learn how to manage a large caseload, as I had never really had to do that before, and how to deal with consumers who may be facing a variety of issues in their lives.
What are your day-to-day tasks?
Workdays as an investigator can be quite varied. There is a lot of admin involved in managing cases, whether that's answering calls and emails from consumers and businesses, ensuring we have all the information needed for each case, or conducting research using our central information repository.
Other tasks may involve going to case chats to seek advice or running them to help others get the answers they need to their cases.
What are the top three skills you need as an investigator?
organisation
patience
resilience.
What do you enjoy most about your job?
I enjoy getting to the crux of an issue and finding out where things may have gone wrong. And while I'm not able to help every consumer who comes to our service, where and when I can, it is highly rewarding.
What are the challenges?
There are times when you encounter consumers or businesses who won't accept your answer, which can be quite challenging, and you need to be prepared to have open and honest conversations with them.
How has your role developed, and what are your career ambitions?
I've recently helped with intakes in our academy, training new starters in insurance areas. I've found this incredibly rewarding and am looking to further develop my skills in this area to work there on a permanent basis.
What advice would you give to others who are interested in pursuing a career in this area of finance?
I would recommend building relevant skills such as:
analytical thinking
communication
empathy.
You don't necessarily need a background in financial products, but having a basic understanding of complaints regulation would be helpful for entering this profession.
