At Time Finance, we are committed to the development of the next generation of talent as they establish themselves in the finance sector. Our core values of being bold, flexible, genuine, and putting people first are perfectly aligned with the utilization of our own expertise to enhance the skillsets of tomorrow's salespeople, analysts, executives, and other professional finance roles.
That's why we’re investing in bringing new people into the industry. We sat down for a chat with Tom Chambers, our 19-year-old Business Development Executive, to see how he has settled in at Time Finance, what he thinks of his first 6 months in the industry and his new LinkedIn group, ‘The Future of Invoice Finance’, that will help other young people like him.
What attracted you to a career in Finance?
I was brought up around conversations about finance – a few people in my family are already in the industry, so hearing all the terminology from an early age definitely sparked my interest.
How do you feel your skillset has developed compared to your first few days in the office?
I knew absolutely nothing about invoice finance when I first started. Everything I have learned has been whilst working in the Time Finance Reading office. For the first 4 months of the role, I sat with the Operations team learning all about the day-to-day processes of looking after and managing clients, before moving over to Sales. It’s been great to spend time across most roles in both teams and from that I feel like I’ve got a fairly well-rounded experience compared to my first few days and there is more to learn.
What have Time Finance done to make the transition from college a smooth experience?
They offered an entry-level position, and they were aware that I had zero experience in the industry. They were willing to show me everything I needed to know from day one, and that meant the transition was seamless for me – I was part of the team. They signed me up for an Invoice Finance exam which would massively boost my credibility to clients, and it made me feel much more confident and less like an imposter in the office for sure.
What are your biggest highlights in the industry so far?
Well, I’ve just completed my first two deals! One was a complex facility, so it felt like a milestone achievement to have reached in my first 6 months. I also received the Rising Star award at our annual conference in May – it was amazing to be recognised for my potential by people who are so experienced. Being mentored by Adrian Payne, our Head of Sales in the South is another massive highlight for me – he encouraged me to visit clients in person within my first few weeks, so I was involved in the whole deal process from day one. I’ve also just co-launched ‘The Future of Invoice Finance’, a LinkedIn group aimed at helping other young people starting out in the Invoice Finance to create a community where they can seek advice and create their own network. To be honest, getting those first few deals done has only made me more excited to complete my next!