Ohh such good advice! I’ll definitely add Toastmasters to the list of things I want to do after I graduate this spring and FINALLY have some spare time to do stuff I want to do 
I;ve heard of toastmasters before and the concept amuses me!
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Update: Spoke with Career advisor for Grad and Undergrad. Didn’t just talk about jobs, I made sure to network with THEM as well. We are on a first name basis, and they both know my personality, my drive, and my commitment. The session went well and the graduate advisor has already got me into contact with a graduate student who (ironically) graduated and was in a similar situation. We chatted for a while too. Made my first cold all to a finance boutique. Considering I have done a lot of telemarketing in my teenage years and worked for IG as a marketer to try and get people to come in for a financial planner, this was pretty easy. I was a little nervous but it’s like riding a bike. Be nice, polite, keep on track, listen, push, pull back, listen, etc… The conversation went well, but they guy was just some kind of portfolio administrator or custodian or something. He outsourced all management because he deals with securities that he isn’t licensed to sell in Canada. Either way, he gave me some good advice about how he stared: Graduated form McGill with a BA, started a financial news magazine (small time) and networked his way to doing the job he’s at now. We talked for about 15 minutes. LOL the first minute I called him, I was just telling him about the call and never mentioned a job, but he said “I’m not hiring right now”. I reassured him I’m not calling for a job more for advice on how to begin my career with not much experience. He didn’t have any connections to pass along to me at the moment but I got his e-mail address and he invited me to call him back should I need any more advice. In my thank-you e-mail I’m considering including a copy of my CV and inquiring should he have anyone in mind that could help me out, who’s hiring or can give me some advice, to e-mail it me anytime. I have to admit. It’s a little scary but also a little exhilarating to try and find a job out there (internship, entry level, dream job, whatever 
because just gaining experience searching for a job like this in this economy will label me an experienced job seeker and I’ll know that when I land something I landed it with my own accord and skill. No one did the leg work, no one spoon fed me, I did it all on my own, and that’s what I’m looking forward to no matter how long it takes, a year, two years, three… well maybe three’s a bit much 
Its tough because you’re a very common paradox: qualified on paper [and therefore potentially demanding of a high salary to a manager] yet not so in real life [which means if you lower your salary expectations too much people will question you altogether]. Willy
yeah, when you say you are in Montreal and getting to a CFA/MBA program i know you must be from Concordia. there are plenty cocky guys from the undergraduate Kenneth woods program. I have some friend in it. i know they get together and network on a regular basis. some of them do fairly well, since they are all in this small street in Montreal. as for the salary, I really think 35-50k is a normal range for entry level mid/back office stuff. I was there that why I know. me, master, CFAIII this year. for a front-office, it should be better, may hit 60k, say in RBC capital market etc. in your case, you are overqualified for back/mid office, but not experienced enough for front office…a normal path I know is to start from backoffice, and then get promoted to front office in 1-2 years. that was what my manager did (he also graduated from your program, but did when working full -time) networking is critical in this field, which is so small. to join a good team needs also bit of luck. if you dont really care the salary, you should just start from a back office job and then move along. i am sure concordia has a a very good career center service and alumni union. get to know some Kenneth wood Guy, search Micheal page etc. and why dont you start investing some of your inheritance money for extra hands-on investment experience?
Well I just love bringing back old posts from the dead, but this is just an update. Networking hasn’t worked as everyone has referred me back to the company websites. I keep an ear open and all my friends do too and they pass along whatever they think might be a good lead. Aside from that I’m just applying to jobs online and considering other paths. Regarding the online applications, I am applying for anything that seems relevant, even managerial training jobs at major international firms, but man do they take a long time to review applications. One I sent off in February and it’s still being “reviewed”. But seriously, I have perfected to the best of my abilities the art of applying for jobs online. I can tailor my cover letter and CV to demonstrate the similarities and experience they want and require - something I perfected two months ago. On another path, I’ve always liked tutoring people for the past 9 years and I would probably be able to get a nice teaching job at a CEGEP nearby or as a lecturer in University. I also am considering joining an Investment Management firm (for personal finances like Manulife, IG, Sun Life, etc…) but one in particular wants ME to pay THEM to work for them 
The others I haven’t talked to yet. I am considering it as I may be able to move into managing the mutual funds they sell - I mean who wouldn’t consider hiring someone who sold their products and has the skills to manage their products to actually help manage them? The catch is I am wondering how long I should hold off before I commit to a career path. How long does it take for me to find out that it’s me who isn’t compatible with any of the various jobs I am applying for? How long to figure out it’s the economy and half of the jobs I applied to would have accepted me if the economy were doing fine? How do i know if my applications are still under review? It’s a Catch 22. For the interim I am considering kicking the tutoring into full gear and maybe also doing the Financial Advising stuff. Who knows, maybe I can negotiate a deal where I don’t have to pay any fees to them for the first 6 months or until my first commission… Right: I also graduated from the MBA - Investment Management program and am going to write the Level 3 CFA in June.
Hey Jonathan. Good to know you’re still alive. When you say you started networking, what have you done exactly?
Pay to work for a commission job? You are out of your mind to take that job.
good luck Jonathan!
good luck Jonathan!
JonathanC Wrote: ------------------------------------------------------- > Really? I read somewhere that that guy on wall > street who wore the sandwich board began a blog > and that helped him. But he had experience… It > couldn’t hurt. Any suggestions about blogspots > that business-types check out regularly? he went to MIT and works at Weiser
former trader Wrote: ------------------------------------------------------- > Hey Jonathan. Good to know you’re still alive. > > When you say you started networking, what have you > done exactly? Sent e-mails to family members, went to alumni events, went to the career center. It all ends up being the same, really: they’re looking for people with experience. Networking is for people who have experience. It seems quite apparent that you don’t really network your way into an entry level position, instead you network your way into promotions. In any case, I am filling out a lot of online applications and have had a few interviews for entry level jobs here in Montreal that I would have had if it wasn’t fluent in English and was fluent in French. Good to know France accepts English speaking workers, though
no jobs in MTL right now no shot at banking equity research groups have been decimated move to TO honestly FO jobs start around $60k + bonus
TO is dead, trust me Jonathan, try your university’s career center perhaps. This is the main benefit of going to a good school. Yes, the education you get is marginally better than at other low ranking universities, but the connection with corporations your career center has is extremely important for landing entry level jobs.
kblade Wrote: ------------------------------------------------------- > TO is dead, trust me > > Jonathan, try your university’s career center > perhaps. > This is the main benefit of going to a good > school. Yes, the education you get is marginally > better than at other low ranking universities, but > the connection with corporations your career > center has is extremely important for landing > entry level jobs. Alayle Wrote: ------------------------------------------------------- > no jobs in MTL right now > no shot at banking > equity research groups have been decimated > move to TO honestly > FO jobs start around $60k + bonus Both are very good advice. What’s an FO position? I am glad to hear that there is some good use for the career center and from now on instead of applying for jobs by myself, I will prepare my cover letter and CV for the position posted at the career center and then consult with the representative for my program before sending it off. In person!
take any job and EXCEL at it. there are limited opportunities.