Answers from the expert: Brian McLaren, regional HR director, Asia, RBS

Last month, we asked you to submit questions to Brian McLaren, regional HR director, Asia, RBS. You responded enthusiastically. Today we publish his answers.

Q: What is it like working at RBS in Asia Pacific? What's the culture like?

A: It's a very supportive and performance-driven culture where there are objectives to recognise individual potential - whether that's revenue generation or support functions. It's a supportive career environment where there is work life balance. We are also mindful of diversity.

Q: The bank has been through a lot of restructuring since it was first affected by the financial crisis. To what extent is this still affecting your ability to recruit and retain?

A: Restructuring has had a worrying effect for some. But the bank remains attractive for people to work in. Banking functions are expanding in Asia. We have remained relatively strong in Asia Pacific and have strong growth ambitions in the region. Retention numbers have been static; it's still an attractive organisation to come to work for.

Q: Why should I apply to the RBS graduate programme when they are so many other banks to choose from?

A: The RBS graduate programme recently won awards for innovation and the way it is structured. In the APAC office we have many training opportunities, whether it's on the job or off it. It's an open, collaborative work environment. Our graduates get involved in meaty roles early on and work closely with senior managers and clients. It's a very real graduate experience.

Q: For your lateral recruitment, how willing is RBS to hiring candidates who don't have experience in the banking sector? What kind of alternative backgrounds would you consider? And what type of roles are you most open to candidates who lack experience?

A: To start with we need people with the right skills. This may not necessarily be in banking, so we look at the skill sets required in the position. This could be in accounting, IT, human resource and operations - skills which can be transferred from, say, a MNC to a bank. Clearly for front-office roles, you do require someone who has more banking experience.

Q: How important is a Masters degree as a stepping stone into banking? And what are your views on specialist Masters degrees, such as in IT business finance?

A: Taking a Masters or specialist Masters degree depends on the role the candidate wants to move into. If you are taking a Masters degree in IT, you could consider front-office IT development for instance. Qualifications also have to be balanced with years of work experience, especially when it comes to front office roles, not necessarily for back office work.

Q: To what extent are unemployed candidates disadvantaged in the current job market compared with those already in work?

A: People do take time off from the financial industry for various reasons like child care or travel. It's more common these days, so employers are more understanding. Of course we take time to understand the reasons why the candidate took a break. It also depends on how long the break was and which area of banking the candidate works in -

is it a fast-moving area like IT? Generally employers are quite flexible and open minded, so taking a break isn't perceived as a black mark.

Q: How would you advise candidates to prepare themselves if they want to find work in another country within Asia Pacific? For example, moving from Australia to Singapore or from Singapore to Hong Kong?

A: I think candidates need to be very thorough and clear about the reasons why they want to move. They need to do comprehensive research on these countries, looking at the financial implications, taxation, accommodation and logistics. We find more often that not when moves don't work it's because family issues have not been settled. Also be clear on what are the skill sets you are bringing - some skills may be country-specific and not as transferable. At RBS we believe in mobility and move our staff out of the country for short periods at a time.

Q: I have 20 years' US experience in securitisation and structured finance. Is a lack of local market knowledge a major drawback if I want to move to Asia?

A: I guess it depends. We would never close the possibility down completely. We would first look at if the candidate has knowledge of skill sets that are transferable. How easy is it to transfer 20 years of specialised knowledge to a different market? Generally though, having Asian experience will be preferred.

Q: To what extent is a lack of Mandarin proficiency really a turn-off for positions, firstly in China and secondly in Hong Kong?

A: That's a very topical question. China is a focus for RBS, and Mandarin speakers are certainly at an advantage. Mandarin proficiency is almost mandatory when you are looking at some support functions - where you are dealing with regulators for instance. In Hong Kong, there's perhaps more flexibility because English is used quite widely, but in China, it's definitely a big, big advantage.