In 2001 I started working at a State Financial Institution and was chosen to be part of a group of Analysts to help decentralize the Agency's operations. We were three Credit Analysts, with two Business Officers supervising us.
Our Department had the authority and autonomy, after discussion with the Agency Managers, to present to a Credit Committee and approve or deny transactions that we Analysts presented.
I, previously worked in a Private Financial Institution, where I held a position of higher rank than that of Credit Analyst, but in this case and due to economic problems I had to accept it, which does not mean at any time that I did not consider this job as worthy, besides the socio-economic benefits were very good.
I cannot deny that my views often clashed with those of my supervisors who criticized my analysis for being too conservative and not favoring the applicant in many cases. However, with time I learned that depending on the type of client and more so being a social welfare oriented institution, I had to be a little more flexible in the conditions and the way I analyzed the operations.
I never received offensive treatment from my superiors, although at the beginning I perceived a certain distrust from them. Although this situation arose, I must say that I learned a lot from them since they had more experience in banking and finance than I did.
Occasionally I felt pressured and noticed that I was assigned more cases than the other Credit Analysts. This fact never bothered me because I considered that I was gaining more skills in the analysis of cases, and also allowed me to measure in some way how the market was in areas such as: agriculture, formal trade, informal trade, services, technology, and many others.
Little by little I perceived how the attitude of my supervisors was changing to a less hostile one, with more camaraderie, and I believe that my performance at work helped this.
In our Department we did a good job of analysis, both on my part and on the part of my other Credit Analyst colleagues, and this was reflected in the low delinquency rate of the cases approved by us and settled by the Institution.
The bank, being a State Institution, is susceptible to changes and after three years a new President arrived and my supervisors, being trusted personnel, left the institution, our Department was eliminated and the Credit Analysts were reassigned.
In my case, I believe that as fate would have it, I was lucky that the new Vice-President of the Credit Area was one of my bosses in the private bank where I worked. He already knew my performance and asked me to collaborate with him in the Agricultural Area before assigning me to another Department that was being created: Vehicles.
I spent approximately six months in an area in which, although I learned some things, it was not my forte, and then I moved to a Vehicle Department in formation, (my previous experience in the private bank in addition to analyzing commercial credits was based on presenting operations before a credit committee related to Major Plan and Minor Plan of Vehicles and Vehicle Financing to natural and legal persons).
I helped in the drafting of the structure of the Department and in the elaboration of a Rules and Procedures Manual, everything was going very well, until again there was a change in the Presidency of the Bank and I was relocated to the Credit Portfolio Collection Department, there I had to learn one of the most difficult things I have ever done, to collect from delinquent customers, and try to give them solutions to amortize their debts, get them up to date and pay them on time.
Additionally, I had to restructure a lot of amortization tables that were misapplied to clients.
After six months I requested a change to the Credit Area, and I was reassigned to a new department, Mortgage and Vehicle Loans. In this department I reported to an Army Colonel, who treated the staff with a lot of respect, and was very receptive to everyone.
There I did everything: I analyzed mortgage loans, vehicle loans, made financial statistics of the departments, participated in the development of standards and procedures manuals, I was a product exhibitor, I helped other analysts in their analysis of operations.
Exhausted, and determined to resign, I was given the good news that I was chosen to head a new department: Consumer Credit. I had to present the project before the General Superintendence of Banks and Other Financial Institutions until they gave the bank the authorization for the new product to be established, they gave me the opportunity to choose the personnel in my charge, I met with other departments such as Audit, Organization and Methods, Liquidation and Collections, as well as with the Analysts that I chose, all with the purpose that the service to be offered would be the most beneficial for the public as well as for the Institution.
Credits were granted for the purchase of goods and services: dentistry, artificial inseminations, medical expenses, purchase of insurance policies, purchase of white, black and brown goods and other types of articles.
This Consumer Credit Department stood out for being the one with the lowest amount of morosity within the bank.
Again, the Bank's Board of Directors was changed, my understanding military chief was reassigned to another entity, this institution became too politicized and given the intransigence of the people in charge of the bank, I decided to resign.
My stay in this institution brought me both joys and disappointments, I managed to finance my main house, I managed to establish a new product within the institution, I helped many people to obtain a decent home and useful means of transportation to work and enjoy with their families, I made new friends.
On the negative side I must say that I faced very envious people, sabotage within the work area, I stopped enjoying quality family time and I had to deal with bipolar employees. The stress at work combined with an unbalanced diet and some unpleasantness contributed to my being diagnosed with type II diabetes mellitus and I suffered from something I would not wish on anyone because of the intensity of the pain; a nephritic colic.
Years later, after working for other companies, I was called from Panama City to join a company that buys and sells commercial securities and provides financial support to small traders. My surprise came when I identified the voices of my former bosses that I met at the state bank in 2001. In addition, the company markets high quality cleaning products and is very well received in my country Venezuela.
Currently I am Assistant Business Manager, and although the country is going through a high level of inflation that influences the payment of our loans, we have a portfolio of customers that allows all employees of the company to enjoy a good economic stability, and spend more quality time with the family.
The boss-employee relationship is excellent, very empathetic. We have time to share and even have some celebrations.
We always try to share with each other and if there is any disagreement, we discuss the origin of the disagreement to solve it.
The other person to whom I have a lot to thank is my military boss who went from the rank of Colonel to Major-General, then he asked to be discharged and now he is a recognized businessman in the State of Zulia, I keep in touch with him and although he has offered me a job, I have not accepted because it means moving to the interior of the country, and besides I feel very well where I am.
If you were to ask me what is the best thing that has happened to me in this government job, I would say that I have met people who have given me the opportunity to demonstrate my skills, attitudes and aptitudes, and who are now great friends. Additionally, the Institution allowed me to have access to a house through a loan that I have already paid off, this being my house and my family's house, the home that gives us shelter and security.
I believe that it is very important to generate trust through our work and actions to our supervisors and coworkers, so we will be people with a high level of credibility, and therefore we will achieve support and trust in the work environment.
My name is Nelson Barrios (nbarrios67), I am a Business Administrator, Financial and Accounting Auditor, with knowledge in Organization and Methods, I have worked in supermarkets, warehouses, amusement parks, medical equipment companies, banks, city halls and commercialization of cleaning products.
I hope to share thought-provoking work experiences with the community that can somehow be applied to our jobs. I would be very happy to exchange ideas through comments. Thanks for stopping by.
