presenting yourself 43
Hit the jackpot!
Securing a job in the banking
and finance sector may feel like
you’re trying to win the lottery.
However, there are ways to
improve your chances, says
Simon Dixon
Having worked in investment banking the activities in which the company is employers, blow them away in interviews
in a variety of roles and helped many involved demonstrates that you did not and secure the job of your dreams.
secure a career in the city, there are three prepare, which suggests that you would
mistakes that graduates seem to make do the same in a professional capacity. We asked hundreds of very experienced
again and again. No company will risk hiring someone city professionals, who have made all
who would not prepare adequately for an the mistakes and learnt the hard way, to
the big three essential meeting for a client. You need develop a one-day workshop for students
Mistake 1: Not knowing what role to ensure that your financial knowledge and recent graduates that would give them
you want and understanding is up to standard. If a head start in securing a career in banking
Imagine that you’re interviewing for a job the company gets a large percentage of and finance. We asked them to develop a
with your local government or council. its revenue from underwriting, you need workshop in which you could learn:
When they ask you what job you would like to know what underwriting is and what it • How to identify the right career for you
to do, you answer: “I’d like to be a finance would be like to work in this department. • How to speak the language of the city
manager, or a road sweeper, or failing that • How the finance sector developed and
a social worker”. You see a frown cross Mistake 3: Not having a USP (unique why the financial rewards there are so great
their face and in your mind’s eye you can selling point) • What technical knowledge you need to
already see your CV falling into the waste Graduates often approach me and start know in order to impress in interviews
paper basket as soon as you leave the the conversation with the same line, • How to secure a job if you don’t make it
interview room. How is this relevant to which follows this pattern: “Hi, I have a through the big eight’s graduate schemes
investment banking? Have you ever heard bachelors degree from x and a masters • How to maximise your chances in
your fellow job seekers say something like: from y and now I’m doing another interview by building a rapport
“I want to do accountancy, fund qualification at z. Do you have any jobs • What sort of people get promoted in
management or trading?” suitable for me?” the finance sector
• What you should study at university to
That may sound almost acceptable to It is essential that you find a way to get the best advantage, and so on.
someone just starting their career in differentiate yourself. Put yourself in the
finance, but to anyone with experience shoes of a recruiter. After hearing the We called it the ‘City Professional
in finance it sounds like you have no same opening sentence 200 times in a Workshop’. If you want to demystify the
idea what you want. Accountancy, fund day, how would you then react to the process of getting a job in banking and
management and trading are very different following: finance, we highly recommend checking it
roles and require very different personalities. “Hi, I’m Richard. What’s your name? How out at
www.benedix.co.uk/workshop
Anyone who would be a good trader is very are you finding the day? Did you meet
rarely a good accountant, and vice versa. any good candidates? I noticed that your
company gives staff a lot of responsibility
Simon Dixon is Head of Training
Mistake 2: Appearing ignorant and independence and that is the
& Research at Benedix and is
You need to be sure that this is something environment that I work best in, so I’m
responsible for training and
you want to do. Don’t be idle beforehand. really keen to find out more. How do you
recruitment for the banking and
Prepare before you apply, so that you like working there?”
finance sectors. He will be speaking
can submit a good cover letter. Know
at the National Graduate Recruitment
your stuff as far as possible, do your Now that you know what not to do, you
Exhibition this autumn. For more
homework. Going to an interview with probably would like some advice on how to
details see page 65.
no real understanding of the role or avoid these mistakes, impress your potential
GradJobs Magazine | Autumn 08
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