Why do we provide flexible career paths?

Why do we provide flexible career paths?

In the next chapter of our ongoing blog series, we hear from Nicholas Sutton, Client Account Manager, who has experienced first-hand the pathways available in the collections industry, including making a recent internal career move at Credit Style.

Over to Nick…

After two years of cutting my teeth in the debt industry, I started my career at Credit Style and spent the first four years or so as a collector on the phones.  I then took the next logical career step and progressed into management. As a team manager, I found myself doing more meetings with clients, understanding what they do and looking for ways the business could best support them, this was the most enjoyable aspect of the job and made the best use of my skills and interests.

I feel very fortunate that at Credit Style, the business recognises that happy people make productive employees. They understood what I found enjoyable and what contributions I could make focusing less on internal management and more on external client solutions. In many industries, often if you want to climb the career ladder, this can only be achieved by increasing team management aspects and responsibilities over the performance of others. But after over a decade of contributing to the business, I am proof that you can make a change and still earn promotions into areas without this being the fundamental purpose. Achievements at a senior level still cascade down and I am pleased to have an impact on the success of the wider Credit Style team, even if this does not mean intensive levels of direct people management.

New opportunities

My focus since I became a Client Account Manager 9 months ago is liaising with current and potential customers who are interested in debt management, analysing ways they can improve what they currently do and explaining the strategy and reporting that goes into a successful service and solution. No two clients are the same and significant time is invested into understanding specific needs and translating this into increased performance. I was able to earn this promotion in part thanks to the expanded opportunities Credit Style has offered since becoming part of the Bristow & Sutor Group. Progression has always been encouraged at the business, but the investment and structure that this merger brought have accelerated the possibilities and flexibility of career pathways available both to current and new staff joining the business.

My long-term aspiration in my role within the business today is to help grow and expand the team and work with the sister companies to Credit Style even further. The business always strives to achieve at the highest level and this is motivated by employees who want to do the same.

Advice and guidance

If there is one thing, I have learned in my 12 years at Credit Style it is that positivity breeds opportunity. If there are aspects to your role that you enjoy more than others, it is okay to focus on these and being honest about what you enjoy will encourage you to perform to the best of your ability.

My advice to anyone joining or considering a role at Credit Style is to take the opportunity seriously and do your best from day one by getting involved, listening to advice, and working hard, you will be ready when the time comes to make an upwards step that suits your skills and interests.  Forming relationships is key to success both with colleagues and with customers, so this should always be a priority whatever your current role. A willingness to go beyond what is expected will always pay off in future and can open doors to flexible career moves you might not have ever thought possible.