Job opportunities within back-office banking aren't growing as quickly as in the front-office, but there are signs of life, so it’s important to note what potential employers are looking for in their future recruits.

One of the most sought after credentials is in fact, hands-on experience. Support staff should therefore think twice about investing their money in an expensive post-graduate academic qualification, which might not provide much of a boost to their careers.

The back office is the engine room of any bank, responsible for settling billions of dollars in transactions every day, so when trouble arises the potential financial risks are huge.

It’s difficult to prepare for this kind of responsibility via an MBA or even CFA qualification because it requires practical working knowledge of end-to-end trade lifecycle processes, something which can only be developed over time.

Typically associates and analysts spend between two and three years focusing on one functional area or product within operations before being considered for a significant promotion.

During this time, you can expect to be involved in the training and mentoring of new staff, in addition to taking on extra responsibilities, such as covering for a colleague on annual leave. The best way to be considered invaluable by your manager is to become the most experienced member of your team.

When banks recruit leaders at AVP-level, they usually want candidates with a minimum of five years’ experience covering a specific product or function in the back office.

You will be expected to have a detailed knowledge of your product via solid career traction, in addition to possessing a strong sense of client service and a sound understanding of operational processes.

This can only be achieved through hands-on working experience. There are no short cuts! Rarely does an MBA or CFA qualification appear on a job spec as a pre-requisite at this level.

The selection criteria will typically include: a degree in finance, business or accounting; strong communication skills; a "can do" attitude; client service skills; and most importantly of all, a record as a positive and professional team player. With one obvious exception, all these attributes are developed outside of university and none call for a second degree or diploma.

At a junior level in the back-office, you actually risk being over qualified (and/or wrongly qualified) if you do an MBA/CFA. So don’t commit to a particular course too early in your career and find that it isn’t right for you. That could be a costly and time-consuming mistake.

As you further develop your career, you will have plenty of time to decide whether a post-graduate course is worthwhile and which one is suited to your long-term goals. Once you have established yourself in your field, speak to your manager about post-graduate study and look at the available options in the market.

If you are interested in project management, a professional qualification in that area might be a good investment. If you see yourself moving towards a career within the middle office, an advanced Excel and even Visual Basic course would be worth considering, as would post-graduate studies in accounting. The MBA and CFA are not always the best bets in the back office.

How to develop your back-office career

Just like their counterparts in finance, risk and even the front office, operations staff are expected to continue developing themselves, if they want to be promoted longer term.

In most cases, your manager will be happy to give you more responsibility once you have proven yourself as a reliable and knowledgeable team member. This will normally result in a promotion in the near future and possibly a move into a new product or functional area.

Career stability is quite often overlooked by aspiring young employees, however it’s very important to show a level of it throughout your career, if you are to be considered management material.

Don't be in too much of a hurry to be promoted. Career ambition is important, however, it's equally vital to develop your knowledge of your specific product/function within the back office.

Craig Brewer is the manager of core banking at Hudson.