Hey Guys,
Need some help here. I have passed my CFA Level II and have obtained couple of masters degrees in finance as well.
However, there is a gap in my resume of about 2 years.
I have been actively looking for a job since the past 6 months but things are not looking good.
Which websites can I tap to find a job for myself?
Thanks.
Go out there and meet people. Go on company websites and call up hiring managers. Blindly sending your resume online has low odds of succeeding if you don’t have exactly what they want.
Actually I am a trader too. Thanks for your suggestions.
the important question is what do you want to do?
also what is the 2 year gap?
I tried doing something of my own in which I failed miserably. Those were the 2 years.
Right now, I want to get back on my feet so that I can support my family.
I have about 8 years of professional trading experience.
that can actually be a good talking point if you can phrase it positively
but you didn’t answer my question. What type of job do you want to do? I assume a finance related job, but what job? research? banking? sales? operations? admin?
Or are you looking to get any job in finance?
I would love to continue in trading because that’s what I have done for the last 8 years.
But I fear no one would like to hire a trader who has not done well for the last 2 years.
In order to support my family, right now I can take up any job in finance and prove my mettle. (except sales - I would suck at it)
This probably is the most important thing to utilise and keep in your mind while trying for a suitable opening. And you don’t have to necessarily say either you ‘failed’ or ‘failed miserably’. Look at the experience you gained from it and the lessons learnt. Project them in a positive frame, highlighting specially the aspects you think will be an asset for the job you are looking for. An experiment and the experience gained from it are two totally different things, former can be successful or a failure but the later, i.e. experience is always an education - an asset for future decision making. Many people learn it doing a job at the cost of employer(and fail miserably) , you learnt it at your own cost - so no stigma attached to it. Filter the positive experience and gains/achievements (even if only a few!) and ponder over these as strengths so that in the face to face interviews you don’t have to think over what to say to prove your suitability.
Your Masters and the CFA levels passed + quite appreciable trading experience can be projected as a winning combination at least for a job with these requirements, so you will have to narrow your focus to specific job types where it is so. Random application for jobs may not suffice. Select the targeted roles and apply for them. Use whatever contacts and networking you may have already created during your 8-10 years of trading or otherwise. Yours is more of a mid-career shift, rather than an entry level or almost new career selection, so the strategy should be drawn accordingly. Lastly, whatever you may think or do, remove all negative thoughts from mind and think of your strengths (though easier said than done) and set up a cv highlighting your strengths and “what you can deliver” due to your experience in the line (and entrepreneurship initiative), be well prepared to answer any questions on your trials and tribulations during those two years to prove your wisdom and strengths.
Real trading or daytrading?
How did you loose money the past two years?
Real trading. Appeared on local TV channels as well for interviews. Was quoted in Dow Jones Newswire as well.
My strategy was a volatility play. With the vol being so low for so long, I ended up covering a lot of my positions and hence losing money.
Can’t blame you for trying to play volatility two years ago. (not one year ago though)