Global Financial Institutions Job Seeking Guide

Author: [Singapore] Zhang Qingchang, Yu Jinli
Publisher:
Publish Date: 2003-08-01
Features: Mr. Chris Broadhurst is the Executive Partner of Phoenix Asset Management, a company that manages hedge funds with approximately $250 million in assets. Mr. Broadhurst is currently based in London. He has previously held positions such as Deputy Director Manager at Nomura International and Executive Director at Goldman Sachs International. Want to stand out in interviews? Want to excel in international financial institutions? Read this book. The financial field covers a wide range of areas, offering diverse job opportunities. How can you position yourself for career development? This highly practical book provides great help in your job search in the financial field. From the perspective of job seekers, it uses real interview cases to explain how to choose suitable positions, how to promote and showcase yourself to employers; recommends materials to read before interviews; and designs good questions to ask interviewers, which are quite different from what you might encounter in other business settings. By reading and practicing, any talented financial professional will ultimately achieve success! Chris Broadhurst, Executive Partner, Phoenix Asset Management, 64-66 Glentham Road, London SW1 9JJ, UK
Kerry Investment Group, established in 1987, is one of the world's largest private equity investment firms, managing approximately $16 billion in assets and 21 funds, following five investment principles including leveraged buyouts, real estate, high-yield, venture capital, and turnaround for distressed companies. Kerry Investment Group combines local insights with a global vision, supported by over 300 top-tier investment experts worldwide, with offices in 12 countries, expanding business opportunities in North America, Europe, and Asia. This book teaches you a structure, a step-by-step method, and most importantly, gives you the courage and motivation to seek employment in global financial institutions. The two authors in this book tell you how to set realistic job goals and how to showcase your comprehensive qualities to interviewers during the exhausting interview process. They analyze the important positions and functions in global financial institutions, which will help you clarify which roles best suit your interests and allow you to fully leverage your strengths. The Global Financial Institutions Job Guide is a book worth reading again and again, from which you can gain more professional knowledge each time. It is not long and adopts a 'dialogue-style' and 'reader-friendly' approach.
David Tung, Executive Director, Managing Director, Kerry Investment Group, Executive Director for Asia.
Analyze Your Aptitude, Interest, Strengths, Personality, and Skills
This aspect may sound like career placement course 101, applicable to every possible career. Indeed, you must sincerely ask yourself to set aside the allure of glamour, lucrative compensation, and excitement often associated with a financial industry career, and examine whether you have the interest, strengths, and personality suited for the industry. Skillset is something that most of us can acquire if we really set our minds to it.
Profile Yourself and See What Kind of Work Will Allow You to Excel
Analytical versus People-oriented
Front-office versus Back-office
Sales versus Support
Development versus Implementation
Travel versus Deskbound
Fixed Salary versus Commission Income
Find Out What It Takes to Be Successful in Your Chosen Field
While the usual attributes such as hard work, diligence, and tenacity that are essential ingredients for success in just about any job, there are always more specific variables that will give you the extra edge in your career.
In your chosen field, find out what it takes to succeed
Hard work, diligence, and tenacity are qualities you should have on the path to success in any career, but when you work in the financial industry, you should also possess qualities that set you apart.
Industry Knowledge
A good grasp of the basic knowledge of the industry is the most essential requirement for pursuing a global financial industry career. One needs to:
Adopt a helicopter view of the business.
Know the key building blocks and drivers of the business.
Be familiar with the names of industry leaders and their differentiating traits.
Understand the trends and the microeconomic factors that could affect the industry.
Be aware of the major challenges faced by the industry.
The financial industry is a knowledge-based business, where the flow of information and making sense of it are the key ingredients for service providers to design solutions in meeting the business and financial aspirations of their clients. To this end, employers look for people who have outstanding knowledge, are curious, and have a strong desire to learn. The starting point for you is to learn more about the industry in which you are seeking a career—the financial industry. You must have a clear and comprehensive understanding of the industry's anatomy and its key business categories.
Financial Markets Knowledge
Key Economic Indicators and Statistics
Key economic indicators and statistics are often quoted in the news as reasons for rallies and downward corrective moves in financial markets. This economic data comes from a variety of sources and measures different aspects of the state of the economy. Most of them are lagging indicators, while others are leading indicators. Financial market practitioners must have a good understanding of their definitions, reporting timing, usage, and which are the important ones being focused on by the prevailing markets. It is also very essential to understand market expectations vis-à-vis the reported figures. We will now look at the key economic indicators and statistics of the U.S., the world's largest economy. The health of this economy has implications and impact on the global economy. Thus, the key objective of many economists, strategists, and investment advisors is to...