What it does: A bank that provides personal financial services, investment banking, and corporate finance.
Best known for: Launching a student-designed bank managed by students from Singapore Polytechnic.
Staff stats: More than 26,000 employees all over the world from its headquarters in Singapore to its offices in Europe, North America, and the rest of the Asia Pacific region.
The good bits: Permanent and regular employees of United Overseas Bank (UOB) are entitled to the medical plans offered by the company. They can also avail of maternity, paternity, and annual sick leave.
The not so good bits: Employees often find themselves working under immense pressure to meet quotas and deadlines.
Founded by Hokkien businessman Datuk Wee Kheng Chiang, the United Overseas Bank was incorporated in August 1935 as the United Chinese Bank, with the name change not taking effect until three decades after. Through the years, UOB has acquired many businesses and established banking subsidiaries all over Asia.
UOB is a market leader in Singapore's personal and corporate banking industry, providing credit cards, residential loans, venture capital management, and stockbroking services, to name a few. Today, the UOB Group has over 500 offices in 19 countries in Asia Pacific, Europe, and North America.
When UOB started its operations in 1935, the company primarily served Fujian families in Singapore. The family-oriented work culture has always been standard in UOB. Team leaders and managers are trained to make employees feel like the workplace is their second family. Newly-hired employees are even grouped with their contemporaries to streamline performance between departments.
UOB's corporate social responsibility focuses on children, education, and the arts. The company has been organising its signature Painting of the Year Competition since 2011. It also supports charity organisations like P.S The Children, and the StART Society.
Everything from the software systems, product knowledge, and operational standards within the company are ‘united’. The leadership is responsive and straightforward. When there are practices among employees that need to be corrected, expect the management to point it out almost immediately.
Those who wish to work for UOB have several application options to choose from.
Applicants can submit their application online by sending their CVs to the HR department's email address. The entire process can take two weeks. Applicants chosen by the company will be called into the UOB offices for two interviews—one with the hiring manager and the other with a senior vice president. Those who pass both interviews will get a job offer from HR.
Applicants can also apply through the company's employee referral program. Existing employees can submit CVs of aspiring candidates to the HR office. Chosen candidates will be called in for two interviews where the job details and the applicant's professional experience will be discussed. The entire process may take a week.
Aspiring applicants may also apply through a recruitment agency, and the process can be as short as a day. Chosen individuals take part in two over-the-phone interviews where their professional history is discussed. As soon as the company and the applicant agree, a job offer will be brought up.
UOB also participates in job fairs in universities. Internship applicants will go through a one-hour examination where their technical and verbal proficiency will be tested. Individuals that pass the exams will be called in for an interview with a supervisor and a department manager where the applicant's expectations and the realities of the job will be discussed. Applicants are encouraged to prepare and ask meaningful questions to the managers as it is one of the metrics of the interviewers in qualifying candidates.
Each employee has a relatively different professional journey in UOB. Those with a good banking background may get promotions easier compared to those who only finished a business major. Nevertheless, UOB offers international exposure for its employees.
Interns and entry-level employees earn at least SGD 1,300 per month. As employees rise through the ranks as an associate officer, the pay goes up at least SGD 2,200 per month. Employees on the managerial level earn at least SGD 5,000 per month. As an inspiration for those looking for a lifetime career in UOB, the top positions in the company earn at least SGD 120,000 every month.