I’m a CFA charterholder with 4+ years of experience in finance. I’m just wondering how effective are sites like efinancialcareers, moster etc., for landing you in your dream job. As an investment banker working in a frontier market and having local university degree, do i rate any chance to make it in GCC or ACPAC even with language skills. I’ve decent experience in financial modeling and preperation of marketing material and quite good IT skills (advanced excel user, VBA etc.). Would appreciate your input. Eager to learn any success story that tarces similar backgorund to mine.
it depends what your “dream job” is… major IBs are basically transparent about posting mid-level positions on the corporate career site cross referenced with a site like monster.- if they have a position open, it will be posted. the problem is that they also directly recruit from MBA programs so if a graduate has the right experience the position will just get filled through the quota.
the boutiques are hiring through referrals/contacts and in circumstances use ‘headhunters’ that will repost the opening anonymously… typically headhunters will post a generic bland function to aggregate hundreds of resumes and build a database. i have had sucess with craigslist, there is alot of garbage but if you filter a search for “CFA” there is usually something.
i would search for every PE/HF/AM firm in your area, look for a website and send unsolicited emails… only use local addresses/phone numbers from the same area, and dont give any indication of your “profile”- be discrete about etnicity/age. even if the website does not include a contact email… consider hr@… , contact@…
I’ve gotten interviews from eFinancialCareers. The problem is, your background needs to be very specific to the job listing, since so many people apply for these jobs. It might be ok if something comes up that is unique to your background. If you are trying to do something new, you might be better off contacting individual firms.
You have a fair chance in GCC countries but need a more direct approach. Go to Dubai with a visit visa and explore personally there (if you time it with Dubai Festival - the travel cost will be almost 50% less due to special concessions) . But before going you need to do two things: first start online scanning of ads of vacancies by local Head hunters and newspapers (there are only a few of both). Secondly send unsolicited cv highlighting your qual / exp and achievements (not more than a single A4 page otherwise no one will read it); with a cover letter stating when you will be in the country . To identify probable employers see the site of well-known headhunters like Lobo etc (Google for it) and online local newspaper like Khaleez Times. Once you are there personally call on them (some of whom may respond to your earlier application) as well as contact the advertisers during your stay there. It is highly likely you will get a lead , if not a direct immediate offer. When I was on the other side of the table interviewing probable candidates in a GCC country quite a few, specially from Indian-subcontinent got offer this way. Just a caution- take your time to evaluate compare and agree to the terms of the offer otherwise you may regret later (and you can not change employer without a NOC from the current employer or without resigning and returning back to your country and reapplying for a job and getting a new employment visa). Hope it helps.