Typically, a bank will recruit a batch of MTOs once a year and spend the next year training them before absorbing them as permanent employees; usually as a senior officer or principal officer.

The banks are pretty clear about what they want from MTOs. They recruit MTOs for future leadership positions and they groom them as such. Which means MTOs are the most derisable entry level job at a bank. This makes the competition for MTO positions a very fierce one and only a few hundred people can crack the competition every year. 

Here are a few pieces of advice that can help you prepare for this desirable position, taken from people who have successfully been selected as MTOs and are now thriving at some of the top banks in the country.

Start early but mind the grades

In order to be eligible to apply for a MTO position, one usually requires a masters degree. One should start preparing for such a role before you get your masters result in your hands. One way of doing that is to start applying to other positions that you are eligible for with a bachelor’s degree. These positions are also entry level positions and they follow a similar selection process, albeit a much easier one. 

What this will do is it will take away your fear of exams. If you manage to get as far as the viva, one should go ahead and attend the viva, which is crucial because the viva for MTO positions is much harder and sometimes a bit different. Familiarising yourself with the process will give you a huge advantage. 

But remember, grades matter for an MTO position. In order to be eligible to apply as an MTO, one needs decent grades that usually tend to be on the top side. 

So, while you are preparing for the job market, make sure your grades do not slip in the masters; otherwise, you will not even be eligible to apply for MTO. 

Know the syllabus and question pattern

It goes without saying but you should familiarise yourself with the question pattern and know what the syllabus includes. Regardless of the bank, the syllabus for MTO exams is usually more or less the same with some differences in the mark distributions. Sometimes the circular might give you an outline, sometimes they don’t. What an applicant should do is manage some older questions or just buy a MTO preparation book available in the market. 

It really does not matter which book you buy. One should explore the available options and grab a book that works for them. Then outline the questions and find out which subject you are strongest at and which subject needs the most attention. It is a good idea to give more attention to your weakest point because the mark distributions are usually spread out in such a way that disaster in one subject can make it difficult for one to recover. 

Practice from question bank

This one is pretty straight forward but an important one. While one should definitely study topic by topic, it is imperative that one also solves previous questions from the question bank. Firstly, this will give you a much clearer idea about the question pattern and you will realise yourself which type questions are bound to be repeated. 

Secondly, this will serve as a training for the actual test when time management will be the defining factor and solving questions from previous exams will prepare you for it. You will also understand how to handle the difficult situation when one particular question is troubling you. Overall, the burden of the exam itself overwhelms many people and mock tests like these will help you overcome that. 

Free your hand

One of the types of questions that a lot of people struggle with is the essay section in the written part. There could be one or two essays which can either be about a contemporary topic in the context of business and finance or it could just be an argumentative essay designed to see your writing skills. 

If you are memorising a lot of essays from previous years and hoping that you will get a familiar essay on your exam, you are taking a huge risk and chances are it won’t end well. 

For one thing, these essays hold a lot of marks. It could be anything from 10 marks to as much as 30 or more, depending on how many writing tasks there are. Let’s imagine an average of 20 marks, that’s still a lot of marks and this one section alone can make it or break it for you. A better way to prepare for this task is to develop your free hand writing skill so that no matter whatever the topic is, you can write enough to compete for those 20 marks. 

There are a few ways to develop your free hand writing skills. One should follow English magazines and newspapers, watch English talk shows and TV shows, read books (fiction, non-fiction). I know it sounds like a lot of effort and very time consuming. But it’s easier for people with writing skill, a skill that you should already have developed by the time you finish your masters. 

Prepare for a challenging viva

I want to say that this is the toughest part of the MTO journey but that’s only partially true. Every step in the MTO journey is a tough one but viva feels the toughest because this is the one that gives you the final verdict. Which is why it also stings more when one fails after coming so far. 

But fret not, if you have managed to come as far as viva then it means you just might make it in a few more attempts. Lucky for you, there are a lot of banks in Bangladesh. That being said, you really should be preparing for a viva that will hit you with absolute canon bolts. 

The MTO vivas are usually conducted by the MDs, DMDs, Chairmen’s and other top management figures of a bank. And you will have to convince these people that you have what it takes to become a MTO and in the future, you can offer crucial service to the bank. Impressing these people is not easy and it’s even harder if you are one of those people who gets nervous in a viva. 

One should attend numerous vivas to learn how to control the nerve in this situation. One should also dress appropriately (See our guide to prepare for an interview article). Stay informed about the latest incidents in the business and finance world. Read the newspaper on the day of your viva and prepare yourself for the event where you might be asked about current affairs. 

Last but not least, keep in mind that this is just general advice. Preparations can be subjective and something that works for one might not work for you. You know best what works for you and prepare yourself in that manner. 

You will also find groups online that are dedicated to MTO preparations and sometimes to a specific circular. Visiting them occasionally can be a good source of information. As can be reaching out to seniors who have been successfully selected as MTOs in previous years. 

Whatever you do, just keep your focus because it is a long and demanding journey.