Banks call non-graduates for back-office roles

Things are looking up if you don't have a degree, but aspire to joining the army of sharp-suited professionals working London's Square Mile. Recruiters say investment banks are increasingly opening their doors to non-graduates.

Naturally, you can't leave school or college and become a top corporate financier or derivatives structurer, but you can work in the back office.

Mike Hartwell, managing director of operations-focused search firm Hartwell Buck says, "The recruitment market is so busy at the moment that for many roles there is not a large enough pool of candidates." As a result, he says organizations that wouldn't previously have considered non-graduates, now do.

Dresdner Kleinwort Wasserstein this week advertised for 'graduate calibre candidates' to work in its operations team. The bank is looking for people to fill roles in cash securities, settlements and trade support, asset services, risk analysis management information, OTC equity derivatives and transaction solutions.

JPMorgan Chase is also looking for graduate calibre candidates to work in its rates middle office area.

Andrew Hanson, operations director at recruitment firm Robert Walters, says there's significant demand for non-graduates across the board: "Having a degree doesn't necessarily translate into a candidate who is suited to certain roles. Graduate calibre candidates, both without and without experience, are not only in demand but also perform very well."