What it does: business, Islamic and personal banking services.
Best known for: Allied Bank is the fifth-largest bank in Pakistan.
Staff stats: More than 4,400 employees.
The good bits: Allied Bank hires employees on a permanent basis, so job security won’t be an issue for recent graduates. Company benefits include thrice-a-year bonuses for management trainee officers, 15 mandatory leave days per year, healthcare and insurance coverage.
The not so good bits: You should be willing to earn below-average compensation at Allied Bank. Median salaries for some roles are lower when compared with the average figure from rival banks.
Hiring grads with top marks in: accounting, banking and finance; business and marketing; commerce and economics; communications and media; information technology; human resources and law
Allied Bank was known as the Australasia Bank before Pakistan’s independence in 1942 before it became Allied Bank of Pakistan two years later. Ibrahim Group acquired the company in 2004 through capital reconstruction, which subsequently renamed the bank as Allied Bank Ltd in 2005.
The bank has expanded into a network of more than 1,250 ATMs and online branches since then. Allied Bank has one subsidiary to date, ABL Asset Management Company, and several associates by common directorship Among its strategic objectives include a consistent goal of being the top employer of choice for the brightest professionals and a culture of ethics and responsibility.
The hiring stages can last from a few days up to several months. Applicants must only submit their resumes online unless the job listing indicates otherwise. Allied Bank automatically rejects those who submit their CVs through other means.
The company may process your application within two days to four weeks on average. You should expect a series of interviews and tests whether for entry-level or management roles. The interviewers may include three different managers other than the usual HR recruiters.
Applicants for management trainee positions may also answer questions about joining the company and their career goals. Allied Bank imposes strict rules on verifying documents, which means it may not be advisable to apply if you are still in the process of graduation. The bank has chosen other candidates if you haven’t received an update after four weeks.
Tellers belong to the management-grade level at the company’s hierarchy. Graduates with IT skills and qualifications will have an advantage and possibly more opportunities for promotion, including managers for the information security department. Some of the upper-level management roles at Allied Bank are group heads for the corporate and investment banking department, unit heads for the central trade department, and group heads for the engineering department.
These roles require at least ten years of experience in the relevant fields. Allied Bank prefers to hire individuals who are not more than 45 years old for corporate group heads and unit heads, and not more than 49 years old for engineering group heads.
Entry-level salaries vary based on the position. A teller’s monthly salary at Allied Bank ranges from PKR 20,000 and PKR 25,000 on average. Management trainee officers earn between PKR 22,000 and PKR 26,000 on average per month. The minimum average monthly salary for general banking officers is PKR 20,000.
The company’s median salaries for management trainee officers are lower when compared with other banks. For instance, Habib Bank Ltd pays between PKR 43,000 and PKR 47,000 for the same position. A bank officer at MCB Bank earns a monthly average from PKR 23,000 and PKR 27,000.
Allied Bank hires women, minorities and people with disabilities as part of being an equal opportunity and affirmative action employer. In 2013, the company increased the ratio of female employees by 13 per cent.
Some employees recognise this diversity along with work-life balance because of good working hours, less bureaucracy than Allied Bank’s peers, and cross-functional training for them to develop their careers. You should, however, anticipate a conservative management style at the company.
The company’s primary competitors are the other members of the Big Five group: Habib Bank, MCB Bank Ltd, National Bank of Pakistan and United Bank.
Allied Bank’s corporate social responsibility projects include education and healthcare. The National Management Foundation and Institute of Business Administration are the bank’s two key beneficiaries. The company has also donated over the years to several healthcare groups including Al Mustafa Trust, Bakhtawar Amin Memorial Trust, Tameer Welfare Organization and Shaukat Khanum Memorial Cancer Hospital.
You can’t likely join Allied Bank as an intern because of its strict policies on document verification. There’s also an age limit for certain roles, which limits opportunities for graduates who finished their degrees at a later age. However, the company is a good fit for young individuals who prioritise job security, lateral opportunities for promotion and work-life balance more than other employment aspects.