I am asking this because I have no office experience, I am a recent graduate and I’ve been looking for jobs for a while now. More so after the Dec 2012 CFA exam. When I type in “Financial Analyst” I get qualifications like CMA/CGA/CA (a Canadian thing) so that job search isn’t for me (even though I took a course called Chartered Financial Analysis, huh? lol).
What keywords should I use if I want to end up (in the future) in capital markets and equity trading? I am not an advisor because I am not a sales man, I’m not too proud to be an assistant for a bit, but I was thinking more back office for me.
look at your qualifications. if you have no impressive internships or experience, and/or went to a no-name school. It’s very tough pickings out there. your chances of landing something remotely competitive are very slim to none. That’s the world as it is, no point in sugar coating it.
your goal is to get a foot in the door somewhere you have access to people who can ultimately help you get to that coveted spot you are looking for.
I was in a similar position, it sucks. Ended up going the advisor’s assistant route and I’m working on a masters degree and the CFA while working full time. No way I’d be able to do that anywhere else due to the hours. I’ve always had a bit of the entrepreneur bug, so I hope to leverage my education in the future to start up something in the future.
Job search using Indeed and others is one thing but do you have a list of the potentiel employers in your city? Most of the interviews I landed were because I went to the companies’ website and saw the postings there. Also don’t forget to check for corporate finance jobs you can find good opportunities there.
As for the keyword, here are the ones I used on Indeed : (equities or securities or finance or investments or CSC or CFA or derivatives or trader or portfolio or hedge or capital or bank or banking or mortgage or quantitative or risk)
If you’re in Montreal I could help you and give you the list I created.
@ statusone: Financial analyst, budgeting analyst, business analyst type jobs usually need accounting background. Try using the search words Tahi suggested, and also a good way to get your foot into the door is by reaching out people on personal level through local cfa society’s networking events, emailing people to set up informational interview over coffee etc (have been discussed in this forum times and again).
There is no easy way in unless you know people at right places or graduated from top school (which has vast alumni network/on-campus recruiting) but since you’ve been trying for a while, I get that you don’t have either. I was in similar spot some time back and I got my first break through unpaid internship at local fund, my boss like my work and recommended me for a job at local brokerage firm. Got my second (much much better) job through local cfa society. Many of my friends got jobs by emailing analysts/fund managers and meeting them in person, it was a time consuming process but they all landed jobs at pretty good places.
Hmm, thats great advice from everyone. I do not have any experience or skills, but I am building up a network like someone suggested by doing cold calls and informational interviews. I have been building a network at Scotiabank, by meeting one person, then the next and so one. So far I know about 9 people there so hopefully I can get a backoffice job there. They don’t allow unpaid workers (volunteers), I asked.
Other than that, I really don’t see how I can get a job, networking seems to be the way. I have one contact who told me to email him my cfa results when they come out and he can move my resume through the company, so hopefully that will work out.