Tina Crookston, business relationship manager at The Cumberland Building Society, entered the banking world in 1986 and has worked for the mutual for over a year.
Have you always wanted to work in the finance sector? (if not, what job did you picture yourself doing?)
TC: At school, I wanted to be a midwife – quite a change to what I do now.
How did you get into the industry?
TC: I started at the bottom and worked my way up. Starting out I worked in a local bank sorting cheques into pigeonholes (not inboxes!) and working the cash desks.
Have you ever found it quite hard to fit in as a woman?
TC: I think a lot of women can find that it is difficult for their voice to be heard. Historically, when challenging someone’s viewpoint or a policy, you could be made to feel like you’re pestering or meddling in something that you don’t know anything about. I found that I developed confidence to speak up with age and experience and know now that my opinion is credible and valued. Everyone has a voice at The Cumberland, and that’s what I like most about my workplace now.
Have you noticed a change in the number of women in the field since you’ve worked in it?
TC: It’s less of a change in the number of women in banking and more the greater opportunities within senior positions that are on offer.
I remember a senior colleague in my first job telling me about a woman who wanted to obtain her first mortgage. As she was single, she couldn’t get the mortgage in her own name alone – she had to be married or be over 23 years old. That’s how much this industry has changed in my working life. It’s a stark contrast to what it’s like today, with lots of women in senior leadership roles and on the board.
In fact, a lot of my customers are single female business operators, successfully running their own businesses so it’s industry-wide, the positive changes that can now be seen.
What would you say to encourage other women to join the finance sector?
TC: There are numerous different roles here at Cumberland, something for everyone. I would encourage people to explore what other opportunities are available out there in the world and if there’s nothing available at the moment, visit the department, get a feel for what any possible future roles entail.
How does your role fit or benefit your lifestyle?
TC: When I had my daughter, I took a four-year career break. I wanted to spend time with my daughter and concentrate on family life. A good work-life balance wouldn’t have been possible while working the job that I had in banking at that time, so it felt like my only option really. The commute coupled with the long hours and lack of flexible working meant that I wouldn’t be at home as often as I’d like to be, and so I decided it was the best thing for me to do to take some time out with my family.
I probably wouldn’t have taken the break from my career in finance if I had the flexibility that I have now at the Cumberland. That’s a massive difference, and leap forward, that benefits women now in the industry – and with shared paternity, men too. I think that more businesses would benefit from allowing flexible working, especially to parents, and staff retention rates would be potentially much higher.
What are your hobbies?
TC: I love Taekwondo. It helps my mind and body and it’s also a good reason to get out of the house when working remotely. You’re never too old to pick something new up – I’m currently training for my black belt.
Which women in the finance sector or corporate world inspire you most?
TC: I find I am inspired most by determination and achievement in the sporting world. We are seeing females excel in what were once considered male-dominant sports. When I was younger, the founder of Body Shop, Anita Roddick, was inspirational in how she drove her business to change the way we considered our impact on the environment by using natural products and highlighting the need for change.
What is a life lesson or piece of advice that helped to shape who you are today?
TC: Talk to people. We all have interests, places we’ve been and hobbies that we love to talk about. I find it fascinating listening to people’s stories and experiences.
How do you apply that to your working life?
TC: I love hearing about all the different businesses and what people do. There’s so many different job roles, businesses and industries out there and being able to listen to what people do or their aspirations for their business helps us work together to understand what they need from us.
Where do you see yourself in five years?
TC: I’ve a much better work/life balance now and continually look to enhance my knowledge both at work and personally. Training at Taekwondo helps me keep fit physically and mentally. Maybe I’ll have my black belt by then.
