targetjobsfinance.co.uk INSIGHT DAYS Tasters of finance work for freshers WHY FINANCE CAREERS? And why you should plan for one now GETTING THE BALANCE RIGHT BETWEEN WORK AND YOUR STUDY SUN PLUS EXPERIENCE Making summer hols pay Finance INTERNSHIPS PLACEMENTS DEADLINES 2012 Edition 1 Make your first year your best year Join us for specialist jobs and advice at targetjobsfinance.co.uk
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targetjobsfinance.co.uk
INSIGHT DAYSTasters of finance workfor freshers
WHY FINANCECAREERS?And why youshould plan for one now
GETTING THE BALANCE RIGHTBETWEENWORK ANDYOUR STUDY
SUN PLUSEXPERIENCEMaking summer hols pay
Finance
INTERNSHIPS PLACEMENTS DEADLINES 2012Edition 1
Make your first year your best year
Join us for specialist jobs and advice at targetjobsfinance.co.uk
Start here.If you're graduating in 2014, our Spring pre-internshipprogrammes offer you the chance to launch an impressivecareer at a leading investment bank. Apply by December 4,2011 to be part of it.
Spring WeekWe offer two week-long events. The first gives you a uniqueinsight into our Investment Banking and IB Risk businessareas, while the second is a rotational programme on thetrading floor where you’ll learn about the many roles andproduct groups within Sales, Trading & Research. Learn moreat jpmorgan.com/springweek
Winning Women: Inside the IndustryYou can expect a comprehensive overview of our industry,business areas and career opportunities. And the chance tomeet successful women at J.P. Morgan who have followedthe path you're about to take. Open to top female students.Learn more at jpmorgan.com/winningwomen
Spring Week and Winning Women are just some of the pre-internship programmes we host at our officesthroughout the year. Learn more at:
Bigambitions?
jpmorgan.com/careers
Welcome!You’re in your first year at university, so what’s the rush in
finding a graduate career when finals are two or three years
away? After all, some undergraduates leave their career
search until their final year, while others don’t even start till
after they graduate!
But some professions such as City finance increasingly
require that you start thinking about them from the start of
your time at university, and there is even more competition
for the positions that are available.
Use this publication to guide you along the way to your
career in finance. In it, you will find out:
• what’s so special about finance
• the different areas you could work in
• insight days and programmes
– what they are and why they’re important
• the benefits of holiday work and how to get it
• balancing work with your academic commitments
• typical sources of cash for students.
The word ‘first’ in the title of this publication doesn’t just refer
to where you’re at with your studies. It also signifies the
start of your career journey. By starting so early on, you’re
showing future recruiters you have the motivation, interest
and drive to do what it takes to get on. We hope that
TARGETjobs First Finance helps you along the way.
First Finance 2012 | 1
CONTENTS
Building up your skills at university ....3
Employers’ wish list ..............................5
Join us for specialist jobs and advice at targetjobsfinance.co.uk
Editorial and publishingEditor Sam Pope
Design Léa Bessaguet
Proofreader Jane Flockhart
Advertising Jonathan Nicholl, Chris Grant
Marketing Chloe Burgess
Circulation Patty Shufflebotham
Series editor Steve James
Sales directors Jon Mallott, Simon Rogers
Production director Jane Anderson
Publisher Chris Phillips
Group chief executive officer Graham Storey
Published by:GTI Media Ltd, Howbery Park, Benson Lane,
Preston Crowmarsh, Wallingford,
Oxon OX10 8BA UK
Tel +44 (0)1491 826262
Fax +44 (0)1491 826401
www.groupgti.com
Printer Headley Brothers, Ashford
GTI would like to thank everyone who has taken thetime to write, or find writers for TARGETjobs FirstFinance. We would also like to thank all those whosupplied advice and photographs. Special thanks must go to members of the editorial board.
World events can have a devastating effect on business. That’s why actuaries are so highly valued and instrumental
when it comes to shaping future business strategy. Organisations depend on their ability to assess risks
and make critical decisions so they can be ready for anything that comes their way.
First Finance 2012 | 3
BUILDING UP YOUR SKILLS AT UNIVERSITY
First Finance 2012 | 3
Learn to mix work andpleasure. For instance,you will build skills inteamwork andleadership when you
play ultimate frisbee – but try to mixit with something more employer-friendly such as volunteering for acommittee role as treasurer or socialsecretary. It will pay dividends in thefuture. You’ll boost your chances ofgetting work experience placementsand jobs when you graduate withouthaving to work for free or doa stint at a temp agency.
Forming a committee isgood training for theworking environment, whenyou’re likely to have anassigned role within a team.If you find it challenging totake charge or to speak inpublic, the role will be evenmore rewarding. Or if you serve astreasurer you can put budgethandling skills on your CV. And ifyou keep members up to datethrough mail-outs and leaflets orplanning events, working as a PA ora job in PR or marketing might bejust right for you.
Choose your electives wiselyChances are you’ll take someoptional units while you’re atuniversity. Don’t just choose the leastyawn-inducing programme: thinkabout how a recruiter would viewyour choice and keep your eyes openfor industry-related modules such asputting together a pamphlet ofstudents’ work or researching current
market trends.You might havethe chance tostudy an areaoutside yourexpertise – computingand languages arecommon offerings. If you’replanning to spend a semester oryear abroad, then a language is agood bet, especially if you’d like totravel internationally for your futurecareer.
If communication, teamwork andpresenting skills are likely to becentral to your role then musicaltheatre could be a fun way to honeyour abilities. Computing is useful inmost careers, but is probably awasted option if you’re already on ascience course or have been taughthow to use any specific programsyou need to be proficient in.
Build skills in unexpectedplacesIf you’re too busy to make the mostof societies and committees, don’tfret. Everything you do at universitycounts. Good at getting assignmentsfinished with time to spare and nevermiss a deadline? Your organisation
skillsmust be
top-notch.Work in a bar?
Chances are your customer service isexcellent and your teamwork skillsare admirable. Make it to lectures on
time, manage to fit in apart-time job and neverleave a friend waiting? Youcan put time managementskills on your CV. Copingwith exams is a good wayto show you have theability to stay calm underpressure, and doingresearch requires
independence and initiative.
Building up yourskills atuniversitySome simple self-awareness can
help you set up your future career.
Tailor your activities
to your skill setIt might sound a bit pedantic, but keep a
copy of your CV handy. Next to each
desirable skill, write how you can prove
you have it. Also use the work
experience tracker at
targetjobs.co.uk/work-experience to
log what you learn. When it comes to
applications you should have at least
two strong examples for each
requirement – one to use in your
covering letter and one to mention at
interview stage.
Further information
You’ll boost your chances of
getting work experience placements
and jobs when you graduate without
having to work for free or do a stint
at a temp agency.
Join us for specialist jobs and advice at targetjobsfinance.co.uk
Joselyn LeeBroker, London
HERE’S THE DEAL.ICAP is the world’s premier interdealer broker and provider of post trade risk and information services, connecting buyers and sellers in the global financial markets. You are an incredibly bright individual with a personality to match. We’re fast-moving, global, innovative and meritocratic. A place where talent and ambition thrive and where each day brings another opportunity, another challenge, another chance to prove your potential.
We have a range of full-time and internship opportunities.
Careers in global financial marketswww.icap.com/careers
Employers’ wish listEmployers love their potential recruits to have certain skills to do their job
brilliantly. We’ve compiled the most common and listed ways in which you can
prove your worth.
5 Organisational skills
• Identifying
Defining what your goals are and coming
up with a way to achieve them
• Prioritising
Knowing what needs to be done now and
what can wait a while longer
• Planning
Organising your time efficiently – setting
short-term and long-term deadlines
• Liaising
Talking to other people to see who can
help you, negotiating deadlines and
managing expectations
• Anticipating
Having an awareness of potential
problems and making contingencies
for these
6 Interpersonal skills
• Persuasion
Getting people to understand and even
come round to your way of thinking
• Tact and diplomacy
Dealing with people politely and
sensitively when difficult issues arise
• Understanding
Being aware of other people’s emotions,
anticipating their reactions and planning
how to deal with them
• Calmness
Able to avoid panicking or stress under
pressure
7 Numeracy
• Financial acumen
Ability to handle money and
figures effectively
• Budgeting
Taking figures for projects and allocating
expenditure for areas such as IT,
management, marketing, etc
• Interpreting
Looking at facts and figures and
summarising what they mean, plus
finding trends in data
3 Problem-solving skills
• Focus
Staying calm when faced with a difficult
problem so you can think your options
through carefully
• Analysis
Looking at a situation from all angles
to see the pros, cons, difficulties
and benefits
• Judgement
Making an informed judgement based on
your speculations
• Flexibility
Being adaptable if your plan doesn’t fit
the bill
4 Commercial awareness
• Business acumen
Understanding that organisations need to
generate income to achieve their goals
• Researching
Keeping up to date with the business
news in general and your sector
in particular
• Economic awareness
Watching the current economic climate
and how this affects your chosen sector
now and in the future
• Commitment
Willing to learn more about how the
financial world works – work experience,
programmes, blogs, newspapers,
specialist magazines
Sell your skills! When writing your applications, make
sure that you use verbs like the ones in
this article to prove how you meet
requirements and impress recruiters
with a tailored CV or form.
Join us for specialist jobs and advice at targetjobsfinance.co.uk
6 | First Finance 2012
If you are wondering
whether a career in
finance could be right for
you, read on to find
out more.
The financial sector hasbeen in the mediaspotlight a lot overthe last few years,unfortunately
sometimes for the wrong reasonsrather than the right ones! With theeconomic downturn and entirecountries going bust would a careerin finance really be a good step totake after graduation?
Don’t be surprised but the answeris – yes! Although things have beenprecarious in recent times, the banksare still running and stock marketsoperating. And while this ishappening there will always be ademand for talented graduates totake companies from strength tostrength. Could you be one of those?
Spoilt for choiceThe financial sector encompassesmany different possibilities.TARGETjobs City & Finance lists 25specialisms in three main areas –banking and investment,accountancy and financialmanagement, and financial services –that covers every aspect of life.Choosing which you will end up inwill depend on your skills,knowledge, likes and dislikes andabilities but you are bound to find anarea that suits you.
Always in demandMoney really does make the worldgo around and never has this been asobvious as in today’s economicclimate. If you have a career infinance, you will undoubtedly bedoing at least one or more of thefollowing with other people’s cash:
investing, lending, borrowing,raising, insuring, managing, etc… All individuals, companies and otherorganisations need help managingtheir finance, from helping to choosea current account and answeringqueries on overdrafts to investingmoney in stocks and bonds to makea tidy profit and handling large sumsof money to make a good return forpension schemes.
Feel the energyFinance is a fast-paced sector andpeople who do well in it thrive onadrenaline, excitement and change.Think of headline-grabbing stories ofstock market booms and busts andimagine yourself riding on that tidalwave. Can you handle the buzz?
Show me the moneyFinance graduates typically earn ahandsome £20,000 to £40,000 ayear, which is not a figure to besneezed at. Typically the highestwages are in banking andinvestment, because of the very largenumbers of pounds, dollars, eurosand other currencies handled.However, professionals working inother areas take home a good paypacket too, making this a potentiallylucrative choice.
Headline hittingOpen a newspaper or browse onlineand you will undoubtedly see aheadline story that focuses onfinance, from the US debt package toproblems facing pensions.Professionals employed in areas suchas investment banking could beworking to enable market recovery,while those in forensic accountingcould find themselves liaising withlawyers to bring financial fraudstersto justice. Do you fancy seeing yourname in the news?
Join us for specialist jobs and advice at
WHY FINANCE?
Why finance?
Jargon buster: stock market
A place where stocks and bonds are
traded – also called the Stock Exchange.
The most famous are in London, Tokyo
and New York.
Read more – Where could you work?on pages 10–11.
It’s not just LondonIf your heart is set on theStock Market or in globalfinancial markets thenLondon will probably beyour home. However,there’s a lot of prestigiousand exciting work to be had outsidethe City, and many graduates choosethe option of slightly lower salaries inexchange for a greater work/lifebalance and lower living costs andcommuting times.
Wanted worldwideUnless individuals store their moneyunder their bed, people’s financesaren’t normally affected by what’sgoing on down the road. Savings,investments, stocks, shares andbonds all rely on what is happeningin the stock market, which in turn isinfluenced by international financialactivity in the stock exchanges. Thismeans that, in many graduatefinance careers, you could beworking with colleagues across theglobe, as well as those across the
office. There could be opportunitiesfor international travel orsecondments, especially if you canoffer a foreign language as part ofyour skills package.
You don’t need a finance degree If you aren’t studying finance atuniversity don’t worry – this is nobar to the profession. Recruiters aremore interested in the transferableskills (eg commercial awareness,motivation, analytical skills andcommunication skills) that you canbring to the profession than yourdegree subject. Additionally, studentsof other subjects bring their ownspecialist knowledge to a company,which can be extremely useful: thinklanguages and law, for example.
Stretch those brain cellsA career in finance is a chance to useyour brain and think on your feet;you won’t be sat twiddling yourthumbs and waiting for the end ofthe day to arrive. Instead you couldbe monitoring the markets to choosethe best investment option for yourclient or ensuring that companies,government bodies and otherinstitutions act legally and within setframework. Possibly in this careermore than any you will need a greathead for figures as you will bedealing with numbers on a dailybasis. Finance careers push yourmathematical and analytical skills tothe limit so if you prefer percentagesand profits and losses this could beyour niche.
Be customer-focusedHowever, finance isn’t just aboutnumbers; the sector depends onpeople for its existence: corporateclients, individual customers,colleagues, shareholders andinvestors. No clients means no work,so the ability to get on well withpeople is essential, from dealing withinitial enquiries to seeing a dealthrough. And if you’re handlingother people’s money you need toknow how to work with them toinspire their confidence, gain theirtrust, understand their concerns andcelebrate their victories. How areyour people skills?
Get in there first!Traditionally people have assumedthat recruiters are only interested inpenultimate-year students, as theywill be in a position to take up a jobin a year’s time, after graduation.However, first years are also in greatdemand. If you start researchingyour career options now you’ll haveplenty of time to get valuableexperience under your belt, makingyou an attractive prospect toemployers in a couple of years’ time.It’s never too early to start!
First Finance 2012 | 7targetjobsfinance.co.uk
WHY FINANCE?
Jargon buster: transferable skills
These are skills that you have gained in a work setting or
in extra-curricular activities, studies, voluntary work or in
your personal life that can be applied to other
professions and opportunities.
Read more – The employers’ wish liston page 5.
Read more – The not so secretCareers serviceon pages 12–13.
Read more – Building up your skills at university on page 3.
WHAT DOES YOUR CAREER IN FINANCE LOOK LIKE?
TARGETjobs Finance is the specialist graduate recruitment
site for your chosen career. Containing in depth advice
and detailed sector information, specialist graduate jobs,
internships and placements.
Join us at targetjobsfinance.co.uk
FinanceThe best possible start to your career
Insight days are newinitiatives where first-yearstudents get a taste of lifeworking in finance anddiscover more about the
skills required of the job. Recruiters often use these as
talent-spotting opportunities, withsuccessful students being offered amuch-coveted summer internship thefollowing year – essential experienceto get onto many graduaterecruitment schemes.
Typically lasting between one andfive days, insight days andprogrammes usually involve:• tours of the offices• meeting employees, from recent
graduates to top management • talks with the graduate
recruitment team on successfulapplications
• skills sessions to boost yourabilities, particularly commercialawareness and problem solving
• networking events.Some firms will give you specialprojects to work on in groups, whichwill help develop your teamworkingability and business sense. You’ll leavewith a greater sense of how thecommercial world works and a set ofskills that will impress any futureemployer.
Top tips• Get your CV into tip-top shape
with a clear list of your GCSE andA level subjects and grades. Often,you’ll need at least a grade B inGCSE maths and English, plus aminimum of 300 UCAS points.
• Do your research to get the mostof the experience. Find out asmuch as possible about thecompany in advance and comeprepared with some sensiblequestions.
• Use your time wisely and talk to asmany people as possible,particularly recent graduates, whocan share their experiences andadvice.
• Be smart – dress smart as suits arethe norm in finance.
• Show respect and be polite toeveryone, not just the higherechelon, to show you can mix witha wide variety of people.
Other experience counts tooAny job can give you valuable skillsto put on your CV, so neverunderestimate the importance oftypical student staples.
Independent travelTravel is viewed favourably byemployers, as long as you weren’t
just lying on a beach, because it cangive you valuable skills such as: • organisational skills – arranging
your trip, including where to stayand how to travel
• time-management – if you had anitinerary to follow
• money management – travelling ona budget
• linguistic ability – if you usedexisting or learned new languagesduring your travel
• interpersonal skills – living abroadas part of the local communityshows that you are at ease dealingwith people from a variety ofbackgrounds.
Casual and part-time workTerm time and holiday work notonly top up your finances, they alsowill help you develop useful skills.Bar work, waitressing and shop jobsall use your numeracy andinterpersonal skills which are vital ina finance career as you’ll be dealingwith figures and explaining oftencomplex information to clients.Balancing your work commitmentswith your studies also showsorganisational skills and motivation,which you’ll need when jugglingcompeting demands in your job.
Two-day insightsfor freshersInsight days: so freshers can experience life in a finance firm.
First Finance 2012 | 9
TWO-DAY INSIGHTS FOR FRESHERS
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10 | First Finance 2012
Taking your first stepsin researching afinance career couldfill you withapprehension –
because there’s so much to choosefrom. There are more than 20potential practice areas, lots ofdifferent types of firms andorganisations, and opportunitiesthroughout the UK. Where shouldyou start?
Starting point: consideryourselfThe first task is to think about your interests. • What news stories catch your
attention? Do you automaticallyflip to the stock market pages orcatch up on the retail bank news?
• What are your strengths… andweaknesses? Are you energetic anddesperate to be in the thick ofactivity? Or do you prefer aquieter life, out of the limelight?
• Where would you like to live?Mention careers in finance andmany people will automaticallythink of the City – the Square Mileof London where financialinstitutions traditionally set uphome. However, transactions, dealsand agreements take place in awider variety of locations here andabroad. It all depends on what fieldof finance you want to work in.
Answering questions like these willhelp you start thinking about whatskills you would like to use and inwhat types of settings.
Next step: start your researchOnce you have a better idea aboutwhat matters to you in life and in ajob, you can start looking into thedifferent financial areas you couldwork in and find out what they
involve – in terms of professionalpractice and how they would impacton your personal life.
With the economy still in difficulttimes, you might be tempted tochoose an area that is less likely tosink. Certainly, finance has been atthe forefront of the currentdownturn but that doesn’t mean thatopportunities are few and farbetween. Every company,organisation, charity – you name it –needs at least one person or more(usually a team) to help themmanage their finances (includingtheir taxes) so employment prospectsare normally very good.
Step 3: the top threeThere are three main areas in finance:• banking and investment• accountancy and financial
management• financial servicesFrom these three areas, there aremore than 20 specialisms to choosefrom. You can check outTARGETjobs City & Finance forfurther details on these but for nowhere is a summary of the trio.
1 Banking and investmentThis multi-trillion internationalindustry has London at the centre,being the ‘bridge’ between the FarEast and the Americas. At its mostbasic, banking and investmentinvolves: • dealing with clients (large,
international companies,institutions and individuals)
• following international stock-market developments and trends
• analysing products to invest in andmoving investments if they are notreturning a good enough profit
• persuading companies and high-net worth individuals to invest
their money• tracking and managing assets• giving advice on areas such as
mergers and acquisitions, capitalraising, trading and assetmanagement
Employers tend to be large,international investment banks thatoffer a wide range of financialservices, smaller, specialist financehouses, financial servicesorganisations and investmentmanagement firms. Within these youcould work in the front office (thefee-earning part), the middle office(monitoring and advising the frontoffice), or the back office(supervising the front office andproviding essential information onthe industry to everyone in the organisation).
You’d like this area if you want to:• work in a fast-paced environment• have daily challenges• enjoy early and plentiful
responsibility• take home a handsome pay packet• deal with international clients
and projects• see your work hit the financial
headlines
2 Accountancy and financialmanagementIn accountancy-related roles, yourclients will be businesses that needyour financial expertise and advice,whereas in industry you will beworking in-house for your employer,guiding them on their finances. In thepublic sector, you might have moreof a watchdog role, ensuring thatpeople’s tax money is used properly.Typically you could be:• taking charge of cash flow• keeping an eye on profit and loss• analysing and providing financial
information that can influence
Join us for specialist jobs and advice at
WHERE COULD YOU WORK?
Where could youIn finance, you could work in anything and anywhere. It is such a varied career sector that
you should have no trouble in finding a specialism and location to suit.
how an organisation plans itsstrategic development.
Work in this area is available with awide variety of employers, both inthe public and private sectors, andwith large, medium-sized and smallorganisations.
You’d like this area if you want to:• really influence how a business is
run and how financially successfulit could be
• work for the best interests of the public
• gain respected qualifications that are respected industry-wide while earning.
3 Financial servicesPeople working in financial servicesprovide help and advice on productsthat are aimed more at individualcustomers and small businesses,rather than large corporations. Theseinclude:• bank accounts• loans
• pensions• credit cards• insuranceIf you work for a financial regulator,your job will involve ensuringpeople’s money is kept safe.
Employers in this area tend to be those specialising in retailbanking, insurance and reinsurance,regulation, actuarial consulting andunderwriting. These include the largesupermarkets that have branched out into offering their own savingsaccounts and credit cards, for example.
You’d like this area if you want to:• work with people on a more
personal level and from all agesand backgrounds
• be employed in customer-service roles
• have early responsibility• maintain more of a work/life
balance – roles in this area tendnot to have the crazier hoursfound in banking and investment.
Step 4: Get experienceThe best way to find out where yourinterests truly lie is to get some workexperience under your belt. This iswhere starting off as a first yearreaps rewards: you have enough timeto try out different types of financialwork, though companies willnormally want you to apply to aspecific work area so it’s importantto go through the above steps beforeapplying for anything.
Work experience within thefinance industry is often referred toas an internship. These usually lastfor eight to ten weeks, though youmight be able to attend shorter‘taster’ sessions as well as or insteadof your internship. Be prepared topull your weight – you will beworking alongside professionals andexpected to get up to speed quickly,though support and advice willalways be available.
Read more about workexperience on page 9, 14 and 18.
First Finance 2012 | 11targetjobsfinance.co.uk
WHERE COULD YOU WORK?
work?
12 | First Finance 2012 Join us for specialist jobs and advice at
THE NOT SO SECRET CAREERS SERVICE
Chances are even somethird years couldn’ttell you where to findthe careers centre.More fool them. The
careers service is a prime resource,full of experts who get paid to help you.
Even in your first year, there’splenty they can do for you. Thecareers centre will often be home tothe Jobshop, which is an excellentsource of part-time jobs (see page 14for details). Ontop of this, theadvisers canhelp you tailoryour CVs andapplications to a particularworkexperience roleor employer.You couldmake anappointmentwith an adviseror just drop into one of theirclinics andthey’ll help youpick out yourstrong pointsand choosethose that are mostappropriate.
If you’vealready madean applicationand are battlingpre-interview
nerves, they can put you throughyour paces in a mock interview totest your mettle and calm your fears.If nothing else, you should find outwhat building it’s in. That way if youget hard up and need a job quick, orwake up in a sweat worrying aboutyour career prospects, you’ll knowwhere to go.
Referential treatmentAs well as advisers, the careers centrehouses tons of resources, some for
reference, some you can take away.From TARGETjobs sector titles totheir own in-house leaflets andpublications, the careers centre reallyis a mine of useful information thatcan make finding a job and planningyour career path a breeze. Thecareers advisers will be able to pointyou towards those that are mostrelevant to you.
If you’re already thinking aboutcareers, or are worried because youhaven’t got a clue about what youwant to do, your careers service isthe perfect place to go for help.They’ll be able to fill you in on whatyou could do with your degree, whatsorts of roles graduates from yourcourse have gone into and whichemployers operate in these areas. It might be the case that choosing aparticular module next year will haveemployers salivating at the thoughtof employing you – your careersadviser should be able to tell you. Ifwork experience is key to yourchoice of profession, your careersadviser will know. Not just that –they’ll probably have a list ofemployers that you can get someexperience with, or at the very leastbe able to point you in the rightdirection. If an internship could openthe door to a lucrative future, theywill tell you – and will even help toarrange it.
Room serviceIf you can’t be bothered to wanderdown and scout it out just yet, youcould visit their website from thecomfort of your own room. It’s likely
The not so secretcareers serviceIt might not be GCHQ on day one of being a fresher, but your careers service can provide
you with useful and relevant advice from the start – so make sure it’s on your radar.
First Finance 2012 | 13targetjobsfinance.co.uk
THE NOT SO SECRET CAREERS SERVICE
to have electronic copies of many oftheir resources, or will at least giveyou an idea of what they can do for you. Check out the universityintranet next time you log on toFacebook or check your e-mail andthere’s bound to be a link.
All the fun of the fairMost careers services will also runevents. These might be skills-basedthings like a management trainingcourse or an online applicationsseminar but the jewel in the crownwill be the careers fair. This is likely
to be held once a year and will beattended by a range of employerswho are keen to grab graduates fromyour university. Even if you’re notsure what you want to do yet,visiting the careers fair is a great wayto find out about different industriesand companies. Representatives fromthe firms will be manning the stands.They will often be a mix of graduaterecruiters and recent graduates,giving you the chance to find outwhat it’s like to work in a particularfirm or sector, and what you’ll needto do to win recruiters over.
More internship and placementopportunities• Find internships and graduate programmes
that start right now
• Compare recruiters at a glance
• Employer alerts sent to you
• Sample CVs and covering letters
• Trends, tips, overviews and lots of other
career-enhancing information
Bookmark targetjobs.co.uk for 1,000s of jobs from 100s of employers
Choosing a particular module next year might
have employers salivating at the thought of
employing you.
14 | First Finance 2012 Join us for specialist jobs and advice at
NICE LITTLE EARNERS
Cash source 1: part-time jobsIf you’re already at uni, your first port of call should bethe jobshop, which is effectively a mini job centre,focusing on student-friendly positions from aroundcampus and businesses in the local area. The Jobshopmay go by another name but will usually be attached toeither the careers service or the students’ union.
Jobshops: mini job centres for part-time jobsOrganisations advertising jobs through universityjobshops will be actively seeking students, so the workinghours are likely to fit well around your studies. Youcould get a part-time role or a one-off job to earn a littleextra cash at the end of term – for example, by takingpart in a focus group or being a mystery shopper.Jobshops also offer advice on how to apply for jobs and build skills and experience that will help you in the future.
Check the free papersThe local newspaper is another good place to look. If thefree papers aren’t delivered to your halls and you’rereluctant to buy one that’s paid-for, the local library willusually hold copies of the regional press, although mostnewspapers are now online.
Classified listings sites can also be a good place tolook. craigslist.org and gumtree.com are the best knownof these but a quick internet search for ‘classified jobs’followed by the town or city you are studying in shouldturn up a few more that serve your area.
Approaching employers directlyAnother tactic is the good old-fashioned approach:wander around the town centre keeping an eye out for‘help wanted’ posters in the windows. However, manyretailers will advertise their vacancies online. This can beparticularly useful if you’re trying to organise a jobbefore you leave for uni. Another way is to search thelocal Yellow Pages or a copy of Thomson Directory forlocal businesses.
If you already have a job before you start universityMany firms, particularly national retailers andother organisations that have branches around thecountry, will allow you to transfer your job to a
different location. As the supermarkets have a lot ofexperience with employing students, many have set upschemes that allow you to work at their outlet in youruniversity town during term, then return to your homestore during the holidays. Some will even help you to finda vacancy close to your uni before you leave and havededicated teams to make the process as easy as possible.Speak to your supervisor or the HR department for moreinformation.
Nice little earnersAccording to a study by NUS/HSBC, most students make ends meet by working
outside of study hours. But how do you find a great little earner: by trawling dog-
eared ‘wanted now’ postcards in newsagents’ windows? Signing up for medical
experiments? Or buying a lottery ticket and hoping for the best?
First Finance 2012 | 15targetjobsfinance.co.uk
NICE LITTLE EARNERS
Temping temptationEmployment agencies and recruitment consultancies maybe an option, but the majority will require you to beavailable to work on demand – something most studentsaren’t able to commit to. If, however, you know you willhave a certain day free every week, it can be worthgetting in touch with temping agencies. Before you signup, make your level of availability very clear, otherwiseyou could end up wasting your time and theirs. Theeconomic downturn means there are now fewer agencyjobs available in certain parts of the country.
Cash source 2: volunteer for aclinical trialVolunteering for clinical medical trials and research canbe an easy way of making money and you may be able todo it at your university. One trial by the University ofReading simply required volunteers to drink probioticjuice for two weeks and provide faecal samples. You canparticipate in clinical trials for about £100 a day, whereyou take some medicine and spend the rest of the daywatching DVDs. You would normally have a medicalexam before taking part where you may have to provideblood and/or urine. Some universities will send round e-mails asking for volunteers, or advertise on their jobsboard, or you can find opportunities on websites such aswww.hotrecruit.com or www.trials4us.co.uk.
Cash source 3:profit from your own geniusLots of students have founded their own businesses whilestill at university. GORE-TEX was started by a student inAmerica, as was Nike. In the UK, students started thesebusinesses:• Kawa Bean – coffee bean import firm launched by
Edinburgh uni student Andy Nicolaides and AatinAnadkat from Leicester University.
• Boso.com – online auction site set up by Oxfordundergrad cousins Kulveer and Harjeet Taggar, whonetted a cool £2.5 million selling the enterprise toCanadian web firm Live Current Media.
• Touchsight – four Cambridge pioneers – KaranKeswani, Samaan Rahman, Pete Davies and JessieBaker – created a ‘vision mitt’ for blind and visuallyimpaired people. The glove senses its wearer’ssurroundings, providing an alternative to guide dogs or white sticks.But if you don’t have the ideas or the stomach for
high-powered Dragons’ Den style ventures you couldalways follow a simple truth of business: work out whatpeople want and how you can offer it at enough profit toserve your needs.
Thousands of freshers earn extra cash just by turninghobbies and ‘ordinary’ skills into on-campus enterprisessuch as fixing PCs and cleaning other students’ houses (asawful as that sounds). Your university may be able toadvise you on how to set up your own enterprise, andyou never know – your entrepreneurship could be thestart of your career.
16 | First Finance 2012 Join us for specialist jobs and advice at
BALANCING PART-TIME WORK AND STUDY
Balancingpart-timework andstudySpending hours working part-time? Fortunately,
you can ensure that it doesn’t ruin your chances
of a good degree.
First Finance 2012 | 17targetjobsfinance.co.uk
BALANCING PART-TIME WORK AND STUDY
Here’s the $64,000 question – or sadly,maybe the £4.92 an hour minimumwage question: just how much time canyou afford to spend working whilestudying? On average, students work
about 14–20 hours a week, some even longer. It dependson your workload, social life and how much debt you arein, but working more than 15 hours a week might startto take its toll on your results. Make sure you canallocate time for university and studying, but also forsocialising and resting too. Remember, it’s vital that youhave fun at university – why did you move away fromyour parents otherwise?
Flexible workingTry to get a job where the hours are flexible, or at leastsuit you. Cinemas are good places for this, as theyprobably employ a lot of students and are open late; notto mention the fact that you might end up watching filmswithout paying. Likewise, if you get a job in a restaurant,you will normally be able to work evenings andweekends and get some free (or at least heavilydiscounted) food. If you don’t want the commitment of apermanent role, you will often find temporary, one-off orseasonal positions in the university jobshop. This can beanything from a police identity parade to working atevents such as football matches. Pick your positioncarefully and you’ll have plenty of time left for essays.
Ask around and find out which are the bestemployers of students in your town.
If you’re very lucky, you might even get ajob where you can sneak in some study atthe same time. Try looking for something inan inbound call centre. You are likely to beable to work flexible hours and duringevenings and weekends so there should belong quiet periods where you can do somehomework. Speak to third years to see ifany of them have had cushy part-time jobs;they are the most likely to have run out of
money and therefore to hold one of these positions.Otherwise, use your university jobshop, check the localpapers and hunt around online.
Charm the boss and the tutorBeing on friendly terms with your employers improvesyour chances of getting time off for an extra class ormeeting. Let them know about exam times well inadvance. If you do end up with an employer that keepsdemanding that you do extra work and you feel you can’tcope, speak to them about the maximum hours you cando and look elsewhere. If you really have to work, telltutors – they can extend deadlines. Oh, and be nice toyour colleagues as well as the boss – you might needthem to cover your shifts when it’s deadline week!
All work and no playMake sure you don’t work too much. To help youachieve a work/study/life balance the most importantthing is to organise your time. Carry a diary or enterinformation into an e-diary so that you know whenimportant course dates are coming up, what dates andtimes you have agreed to work and what key socialevents you don’t want to miss. Plan to study intensivelyfor a while and then devote yourself to your part-timework at other times. Try to have a structured workpattern so that you know you can do this and don’t agreeto work at a time when you have lectures or tutorialsscheduled.
As you’ve prepared for university, you have no doubt discovered
that your student loan will struggle to cover your outgoings for
the next few years. Parents subsidise students up to an average
of about £6,000 per annum but that still leaves a big gap in
funding. When 1,600 students were asked in a TNS survey what
they considered to be the worst aspects of university life, 47 per
cent said that it was having little money and 45 per cent said it
was being in debt. Although studying will be your top priority, if
you want to stave off the risk of debt, you might have to get a job.
The fact is you might have to work
while you study
18 | First Finance 2012 Join us for specialist jobs and advice at
LONG HOLS FOR A SHORT TIME ONLY
Ah, time off fromstudying. Thoseholidays stretchingahead for what seemslike forever. Winter
break, spring break… mostuniversities break foraround four months in thesummer – that’s a third of ayear!
But in a few short yearsthat will change. As such,make the most of your time off nowand have fun-filled vacations. Theproblem is: fun often costs, sochances are you’re going to want toearn a bit of cash over the holidaysand, if you do, you might as well geteverything you possibly can out of it.There’s an added bonus too: workingthe odd week during the holiday canbreak the monotony. So how can youget the most out of your vacations?
The truth about part-time jobsand internships is that they help youto build up your skills and you’ll
earn money in the process. If you’velanded yourself a job with a nationalchain while at uni, you might even beable to transfer it to your home townfor the holidays.
Top temps Temping is a good idea if you don’twant to commit to working for theduration of the break. It allows youto sample a range of different jobs,from office work to warehousepacking via production-linemanufacturing. Even if the jobs don’trelate to your plans for the future,you’ll pick up a mass of transferableskills. You’ll also have the chance toexperience a range of differentworking environments, which couldhelp you to decide what you’d like to
do for a career. Chat to friends andfamily to see if they know of anyreputable agencies and, if you chooseto sign up, be sure to make theagency aware of your availabilityand any preferred areas of work.
The only way to make a living? A period of working full time canreally pay off. Literally. You’ll haveless opportunity to actually spendyour wages during the day –presuming you can avoid the latenight eBay frenzies!
Employers like to know thatyou’ve got what it takes to put in afull day’s work so having evidence ofthis on your CV will help you out infuture and ease the transition fromstudent to professional. A full-timejob gives you the opportunity to getmore stuck in and really work on theskills that will have recruitersbending over backwards to give youa graduate role. It’s a chance to takeon greater responsibility and honeyour abilities in communication,
Long hols for a short Holidays that last for four months won’t be yours forever, and you can use them
to build skills (and cash) that will pay off now and in the future.
A summer job is ideal for
working on your skills.
First Finance 2012 | 19targetjobsfinance.co.uk
LONG HOLS FOR A SHORT TIME ONLY
customer service, organisation andadministration, and the skill that’smost beloved of graduate recruiters –the holy grail of commercialawareness. If you can find somethingthat’s related to your careerambitions, then all the better – and ifyou’re offered training, take it. It alladds up to making you the sort ofwell rounded individual thatgraduate employers love.
You could also offer your servicesto smaller, local firms as it’s often thecase that you’ll have the chance toget more involved, doing a range ofdifferent tasks and having a greaterlevel of responsibility. You might beable to do some freelance or unpaidconsultancy work for a companythat wouldn’t usually be able toafford such services. It’s worthgetting in touch with them before theend of term to see if they haveanything to offer you.
Working holidaysIf you are hoping to holiday but needto work to pay your way, you mightlike to consider combining work andtravel. There are plenty ofopportunities abroad that will buildyour skills, pay you money and topup your tan in one handy package.BUNAC offers a range ofopportunities in North America,Australasia, Africa and Asia, lastingfrom five weeks to two years. Seewww.bunac.com for moreinformation. There are various otheragencies that offer opportunities inthe US summer camp system, whichwill allow you to demonstrateindependence, responsibility and leadership.
If you’re a language student, asummer job abroad is an idealopportunity to work on your abilityand earn some money to boot. Youmight consider fruit-picking in thevineyards of the continent, teaching
English, or working as a nanny or au pair. If you’re consideringworking abroad, be sure to gothrough a reputable agent and keepyour friends and family informed ofyour itinerary.
time only
After studying hard for your first year,
you might feel like a break. But where
can you go if you’re strapped for cash?
Sea and sun are popular
requirements, with resorts along the
Med topping the choices. Two months in
New York or Penang might be out of
your price range but a fortnight in
Spain, Turkey, France or Italy can afford
a chance for a tan plus some
sightseeing too. Ibiza is still a big
clubbers’ destination and some of the
Balkan countries are inexpensive and
good in terms of heritage, scenery
and temperature.
Budget breaks
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Read course reviews written by current students.
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First Finance 2012 | 21targetjobsfinance.co.uk
FURTHER HELP WITH GETTING FINANCIAL WORK EXPERIENCE
Find out what workexperience is really like with aspeci!c !nance employer
The Employer Insights
team gives you the inside
track on top recruiters in
finance:
Business overviews
Work experience explained
Salaries and benefits
The employer’s culture and
values
Graduate jobs explained
Training and development
Applications tips
Competences and
qualifications required
Interviews
Assessment centres
Company news
Comments
Follow your favourite employers at
targetjobs.co.uk/employer-insights
@targetjobs_ jobs
Advice and insights about individual employers at
targetjobs.co.uk/employer-insights
When asked what advice recentgraduates would give firstyears with regard to getting
work experience, they show amazingconsistency in their responses. They allsay – do your research.
Funnily enough, when asked asimilar question aboutundergraduates, employers also say –do your research.
But it’s not always easy toresearch employers; their websitesand promotional material are, howcan I put this kindly, a wee bitsubjective and, to make it even moredifficult, too many employers say thesame things about themselves anddon’t provide enough of the rightkind of information to help studentschoose and help them prepare forapplications and interviews.
But things are different now,thanks to Employer Insights:
independently researched contentthat gets to the very essence of anemployer plus helpful tips on how toget your foot through their door.
Employer Insights give youessential information aboutemployers:• Typical job opportunities, work
experience, training anddevelopment
• What it’s like to work there, itsculture, values and benefits
• Qualifications, skills and aptitudesrequired
• How to be effective in applicationsand selection processes
• News, recent comments and otherupdates And what’s more you can follow
your favourites to receive updatesand post questions and comments for other students or the employer to answer.
NEWFOR 2011!
EMPLOYER INSIGHTS
22 | First Finance 2012
1. People are only in it for the moneyFact and fiction! People are attractedto careers in finance because of thegood financial rewards, particularlyin high-flying areas such asinvestment banking and stock-broking. But there are other reasonswhy people want to work in finance,such as the intellectual challenges itoffers, the excitement of closing bigdeals and the satisfaction of findingfinancial products and solutions thatmake individuals’ lives easier.
2. Accountants are boringFiction: The world thrives onstereotypes, and one of the mostrecognised is that of the boring, greyaccountant with weak interpersonalskills and jargon-laden vocabulary.However, even though accountancyis extremely complex, goodaccountants need more than a headfor figures. They need the ability toexplain the complexities of theirwork in layman’s terms for theirclients, so interpersonal skills arehigh up on a recruiter’s agenda.Additionally, accountants can befound in all sectors of society,including the traditionally moreglamorous fields of media andentertainment, so much of the work
is far from dull. Finally, manygraduates start off in accountingbefore moving on to enjoy successfulcareers in other areas of business and entrepreneurship because ofthe great grounding and training it gives them.
3. This is a man’s worldFact that will hopefully becomefiction soon: Traditionally bankinghas been seen as a male dominion,and a recent report by thegovernment’s Women and EqualityUnit showed that only one in fourFTSE 100 companies had women ontheir board of directors. And inFebruary 2011 the Davies Reporttold firms to increase the number ofwomen at boardroom level by 25%by 2015 or face government action.However, the industry is doing muchto counterbalance genderdiscrepancies, and the 30 PercentClub (www.30percentclub.org.uk)has been set up to co-ordinateactivities by the business communityto facilitate this. It’s not so much acase of recruiters not wantingfemales on their staff but instead amatter of changing negativeperceptions and encouraging women to apply.
4. Watch your back…Fiction: As is the case with manyprofessions, a career in finance needspeople who are motivated, drivenand determined to do the best theycan. But this doesn’t mean at the costof someone else’s job or happiness.There is often a great camaraderie infinancial institutions, where peoplelook out for one another and happilysupport and advise each other.
5. It’s bust time for bankingand financeFiction: While the recession had anegative impact on the financialsector (as it has on most), May 2011saw a seven per cent increase invacancies in the City, with 6,650 jobscreated. This was as a result of hugeinitial public offerings (IPOs – when aprivate company first sells stock) fromcompanies such as LinkedIn, whichexperts in the finance industry predictwill kick off more internet IPOs. Forthe first time in a while, there havebeen warnings to employers thattalented staff could be poached byrivals, so it’s definitely a buoyant areato be in now. Just beware thatcompetition for places will probablybe tougher now than it was a fewyears ago, with fewer places and moregraduates fighting for them.
Fact or fiction?Do you know your finance facts from fiction?
FACT OR FICTION?
Join us for specialist jobs and advice at targetjobsfinance.co.uk
Societe Generale Corporate & Investment Banking (SG CIB), part of the Societe GeneraleGroup, one of the top universal banks in the euro zone, offers a range of routes to forge
exceptional careers, both while you are still studying and after graduation. We recruit the best talents worldwide across all of our locations and divisions: Investment Banking, Global Markets, Global Finance and Resource Functions.
www.sgcib.com/graduates
CORPORATE & INVESTMENT BANKING
GLOBAL GRADUATEOPPORTUNITIES
INDEX OF EMPLOYERSCiti ..............................................................25
PLACEMENTS INCiti, the leading global financial services
company, has approximately 200 million
customer accounts and does business in
more than 140 countries.
Our global presence isn’t just a question of
size, it’s a way of thinking. We are
passionate about what we do and are
looking for graduates who want to be a part
of that vision. Our business isn’t static and
neither are our people. We need exceptional
individuals, which is why we provide the
brightest and best with an opportunity to
make a difference, and ultimately a
compelling career path.
Citi is a lead player in its industry and a
great place to start a career. Full-time and
internship opportunities exist across a
broad set of businesses including
Investment Banking, Corporate Banking,
Private Bank, Capital Markets Origination,
Sales & Trading, Global Transaction
Services, Risk Management, Technology,
Operations and Human Resources.
Whatever route you choose to take into the
firm, this is your chance to be part of an
exciting period in the development of the
global financial services industry. At Citi,
you can be right at the heart of it, and take
advantage of our investment in long-term
career development, talent management,
and varied career choices.
With your high levels of energy, enthusiasm
and commitment, you can help us to drive
positive change across our organisation,
the banking industry and beyond.
At Citi you won’t just achieve your ambitions
– you’ll exceed them.
We offer three First Year Programmes:
Citi Quest
In this one-week, unpaid spring programme,
first-year university students can get an
unbeatable insight into the world of
banking. It also allows us to spot future
talent for our Summer Internships. You’ll be
placed within a business area, and work on
a team challenge that you’ll present to us at
the end of the week.
Dates: 26th–30th March 2012
Certificate in Finance
The Certificate in Finance is an excellent
way to find out how, together, we can
exceed your aspirations. During the three
days at Citi, you will be given opportunities
to gain an overview of Citi, enhance your
knowledge of Citi’s different business areas,
and obtain skills to help you get through
the assessment process at Citi. You will
also be given the opportunity to meet and
network with teams across different
business areas
Dates: 27th–29th March 2012
Women of Tomorrow
Citi’s Women of Tomorrow Programme is
designed to provide first and second year
students insight into the different career
paths within Banking, and to demystify
some of the misconceptions they may have
about Women and Banking. Students will
meet women from businesses across Citi
and will participate in interactive
workshops designed to help the individuals
understand the skills necessary for a
successful career.
Dates: 2nd–4th April 2012
All programmes are open to first-year
university students (or second year
students doing a four-year course), and all
programmes offer you the chance to be fast
tracked to one of our Summer Intern
assessment centres.
Apply online at www.oncampus.citi.com.
Application deadline is 3rd February 2012
Applications accepted
CV
& le
tter
EAF
On
line
E-m
ail
At Citi we are very keen to help first year students understand and
navigate the world of Investment Banking. Our first year programmes
can help you do that whether you know or don’t know which area of
banking you want to pursue.
CITI
Business facts
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26 | First Finance 2011
EMPLOYERS
Join us for specialist jobs and advice at
Our internships are among the most in-depth programs in the financialservices industry. They offer intellectualchallenges, real business experienceand meaningful insight into thedifferent areas of the business.
spring – travel and expenses,summer – yes
400
spring – 1 week, summerinternships – 10 weeks
spring and summer
• all degree disciplines
spring programs are held inLondon. For other world wide locationsand opportunities please see websitefor further details
Apply to:credit-suisse.com/careers
11 January 2012
CLOSING DATE (placements/internships)
LOCATIONS
DEGREES SOUGHT
DURATION
WHEN
NUMBER OF VACANCIES (placements/interns)
PAID
INTERNSHIPSCredit Suisse is a forward-thinking financial
A chance. An opportunity. A foot in the door. At Goldman Sachs, your first job will give you more. You’ll gain access to unparalleled training programs. Work alongside some of the smartest minds in the financial industry. And gain hands-on experience that will serve you right now, and for years to come. Learn how to make a lasting impression on your career at gs.com/careers
Application Deadlines: Fulltime: 23 October 2011Summer Programme: 4 December 2011Spring Programme: 8 January 2012Work Placement/Off Cycle Programme: 8 January 2012
Please visit gs.com/careers to complete an online application.