Employee Stories
Kristen Hui Yan Ho
Kristen shares how colleagues supported her to grow
Kristen interned with us and then went on to join our graduate programme. Here, she shares how her senior colleagues have supported her to grow and learn.
Where did you study, and what subject did you study?
Yale – NUS College, Liberal Arts majoring in Global Affairs.
Did you always know what you wanted to do when you had finished studying?
Yes and no, I knew I wanted to work in International Development but I did not quite expect it to be done from a Financial Institution – my team’s work turned out to be exactly the type of job I had been looking for. My best advice is that one should be open-minded and speak to anyone and everyone about your interests!
What drew you to apply to Standard Chartered? What made the graduate programme stand out to you?
The emerging market footprint and its focus on nurturing young talent.
How has your career progressed since you joined us? Can you tell us about the learning and development you’ve received?
It’s been an extremely fast paced and a steep learning curve, but my team regularly makes time to sit with me to ensure that my conceptual understanding is accurate and provide feedback on the work I have done. As such, I find myself growing in confidence towards creating the client materials myself and they have been roping me in to do client presentations.
Tell us about a project you’ve worked on that has made you proud?
All projects have been rewarding, as it is a rare and valuable opportunity to be able to work hand-in-hand with governments and multilaterals in their credit rating process, strategy and conduct capacity building. It does feel especially rewarding when there is an upgrade rating action.
How would you describe the culture at the Bank?
A word that encapsulates it is “open”. Having been in different parts of the Bank and speaking to friends, I’ve noticed a culture where seniors genuinely want the younger people to speak their mind and openly ask questions. As new joiners to a behemoth organisation, my peers and I do cold email people from other departments just to find out more about what other parts of the Bank do. We almost always get a response, with an informative and warm coffee chat session.
Is working in banking what you expected it to be?
Not quite what I had anticipated, as people I’ve met tend to be open to sharing their advice and experiences – especially helpful since I’m a graduate navigating the start of my career. There are indeed long hours at times but I have an extremely supportive team that sets me up for success. I sometimes joke with my seniors and boss that they make my work “idiot proof” because they make time to explain concepts to me and they have established a culture of asking questions.
What’s the best thing about working for Standard Chartered?
The work that is done across emerging markets and my team culture.
Could you use three words to describe life at Standard Chartered?
Open, dynamic, learning.
What advice would you give to someone looking to work at Standard Chartered?
Own your personal narrative, be confident about your strengths but also honest about your shortcomings.
What sort of person would succeed in your team?
Anyone who is willing to work hard and learn.