How to go about jobhunting to change job profile

I am currently working at Rates Product Control in New York, and am thinking of moving into business side - trading / quant / risk management type role. I have a CFA charter already, thinking of taking FRM this May. I am thinking of using one of these websites to find for openings. Also considering whether I should contact recruiters directly or not. www.efinancialcareers.com www.linkedin.com Questions: * How good is efinancialcareers, is it the best online source out there? It had more listings that linkedin. Any other good sources? * If I am thinking of contacting a recruiter, s/he might want my resume to go thru her firm. Should I avoid applying to firms thru efinancialcareers in that case to avoid conflict? * Which recruiters are good? I know Michael Page and Robert Walters… * I am guessing a prospective employer wouldn’t ask past employer(s) for reference in capital markets industry. Although I don’t generally burn bridges at places I leave, it’d be nice to know for sure. * How about directly posting my resume into the bank’s HR website? Thanks guys.

no, don’t worry about conflicts between recruiters and submitting your resume. Yes a recruiter WILL want to “present” you. Why do you think your past employers won’t be asked for references? Of course they will. It’s a very small world. I found my last job, or shall I say, my latest new job found me, via linkedin.

The reason I thought past employers, at least the immediate past employer won’t be asked was because most of the recruiting is done hush-hush. The employee would sign with the new employer and then go tell the old-to-be employer that he’s gonna quit. If the new employer goes about asking reference from the current employer, the current boss is gonna know the employee’s plans…

Most offers that I have extended or taken would still make the job contingent on past employment being verified. So after you quit they will call and ask to verify. But generally the actual references may or may not be from the past employer (i.e. the people that will comment more on performance and not specifically to verify past employment). I generally wouldnt use my boss of my current role as a reference, just because I would just be quitting, however assuming I leave on good terms I could down the line.