CzarHC Wrote: ------------------------------------------------------- > Volante–what areas of the country are you looking > at? That has a lot to do with it right now. If > you’re willing to start in the back office I know > for a fact that NYC and Boston are starting to > pick up their hiring. I’m focusing a lot on Minneapolis because that is where I live closest to and where the bulk of my contacts are, and frankly, my options are VERY limited up here. Everyone in Minneapolis works/worked for the same places and while it’s not extremely competitive, it’s very clique-y, and the best entry level finance jobs are gained through nepotism/contacts. I’d totally be down with doing the back office in Boston and NYC. In my job search I only require one of two things Either a) give me useful experience, or b) give me a paycheck that will justify a move. Some combination of both would be nice, but one will do. It’s not much to ask for, even in this economy.
^ I would advise doing front office work at a small company over a back office role at a large company any day. I understand your point about moving to a larger market with larger access to employers, but remember you’ll be competing with more people as well. It is very difficult to move from back office to front office no matter where you are, mainly because of the strength of perception and the things employers assume about you being a back-office worker (even though in reality, a strong back office is essential to the longevity of a company)…
numi Wrote: ------------------------------------------------------- > ^ I would advise doing front office work at a > small company over a back office role at a large > company any day. I understand your point about > moving to a larger market with larger access to > employers, but remember you’ll be competing with > more people as well. It is very difficult to move > from back office to front office no matter where > you are, mainly because of the strength of > perception and the things employers assume about > you being a back-office worker (even though in > reality, a strong back office is essential to the > longevity of a company)… Yeah, I know, doing back office is almost a stigma that will follow those with front office aspirations. Of course I’d prefer to be in the front office, anywhere. But when you show up to the local Hollister Co in your shirt and tie asking for an application and are getting turned away by someone that barely graduated with you in your high school class, the distinction between front office and back office suddenly loses all relevancy. Anyway, I feel like I’m whining here, and I’ve hijacked this thread. I’ll give it a rest. Thanks to all for advise, though, really.
Volante, if you have any interest in Boston I have a contact there who is a headhunter. He graduated a few years ahead of me and is a great guy. I’d be glad to put you in touch with him. Shoot me an email czarhc@hotmail.com.
@viceroy: I’d say forget about the online job portals and recruiters… long shot. Far easier getting a job through friends, friends of friends, alumni network, etc. I’d take a directed focused approach over flooding the market with your cover letter and resume any day… Btw, which part of the world are you based at? PM me we can chat offline…
What do you do when the hf that you’ve last interned with has already shut down?
cfaprincess Wrote: ------------------------------------------------------- > @viceroy: I’d say forget about the online job > portals and recruiters… long shot. Far easier > getting a job through friends, friends of friends, > alumni network, etc. I’d take a directed focused > approach over flooding the market with your cover > letter and resume any day… Btw, which part of > the world are you based at? PM me we can chat > offline… I’d love to, but I don’t know how to PM…
Viceroy Wrote: ------------------------------------------------------- > cfaprincess Wrote: > -------------------------------------------------- > ----- > > @viceroy: I’d say forget about the online job > > portals and recruiters… long shot. Far easier > > getting a job through friends, friends of > friends, > > alumni network, etc. I’d take a directed > focused > > approach over flooding the market with your > cover > > letter and resume any day… Btw, which part of > > the world are you based at? PM me we can chat > > offline… > > I’d love to, but I don’t know how to PM… leapinlizard46 at hotmail
cfaprincess Wrote: ------------------------------------------------------- > Viceroy Wrote: > -------------------------------------------------- > ----- > > cfaprincess Wrote: > > > -------------------------------------------------- > > > ----- > > > @viceroy: I’d say forget about the online job > > > portals and recruiters… long shot. Far > easier > > > getting a job through friends, friends of > > friends, > > > alumni network, etc. I’d take a directed > > focused > > > approach over flooding the market with your > > cover > > > letter and resume any day… Btw, which part > of > > > the world are you based at? PM me we can chat > > > offline… > > > > I’d love to, but I don’t know how to PM… > > leapinlizard46 at hotmail ^I smell romance.
Part-time Crook Wrote: ------------------------------------------------------- > ^I smell romance. Speaking of, are you still going to meet up with nuppie in Miami? I’ll add my stat the the list: Applied to a job online in September after I got the shaft on my promotion. Heard back a few weeks ago. Passed the basic HR screening. Went in for an in-person yesterday and was asked to come back for Round 2. If I get hired, I’ll take monetary compensation for passing along resumes for my old job ;).
daviskr Wrote: ------------------------------------------------------- > Part-time Crook Wrote: > -------------------------------------------------- > ----- > > ^I smell romance. > > Speaking of, are you still going to meet up with > nuppie in Miami? > > No, I couldn’t convince my wife to go to the Super Bowl instead of the Winter Games so we are going to Vancouver for a week right after the Opening Ceremony. Tickets for the OC went to the roof so we are going to normal events and some figure skating (her preferred event). Since our vacation time is very restricted because of the kids she defended her choice fiercely and I had to concede, lol. I would have pushed harder if it was Favre-Manning, but the outcome would have been the same I believe, haha.
As a 35 yr old CFA currently employed in NYC - and hating his job/role/outlook - who has been looking more or less consistently for 12 months I can honestly say that 1) there is NOTHING out there and 2) CFA means nothing in this job market
One more story for the group… Top 10 u-grad finance, honors… BB IB 3 years… Top 10 MBA… Here’s where I went wrong… 5 years in real estate development, last two as a partner… then crash! 10 months unemployed… job boards, friends, contacts, etc… nothing. Then a random call from a top ER firm I applied to online. 7 rounds of interviews, and modeling, logic and writing tests later, got the job making 1/2 my prior comp. Great firm, great people, low pay. In this market, I think that’s par for the course.
owenspm1 Wrote: ------------------------------------------------------- > One more story for the group… > Top 10 u-grad finance, honors… > BB IB 3 years… > Top 10 MBA… > Here’s where I went wrong… 5 years in real > estate development, last two as a partner… then > crash! > 10 months unemployed… job boards, friends, > contacts, etc… nothing. > Then a random call from a top ER firm I applied to > online. 7 rounds of interviews, and modeling, > logic and writing tests later, got the job making > 1/2 my prior comp. Great firm, great people, low > pay. In this market, I think that’s par for the > course. ^^^^Man this is the sickest story I’ve ever read^. There is no justice in this world. Whatsoever.
I have to admit that it’s been humbling (to say the least). I think the important thing is not to look back and to focus on where to go from here. My goal is to land in real estate private equity or securities. No matter what, the road to recovery will require time, re-tooling of skills, and some luck. That’s one reason I’m doing the CFA. I think that if I can combine the designation with all the other stuff, (capital markets, REIT equity research/consulting, on the ground experience) I’ll at least be given the opportunity to interview.
^^^ These are shitty times. In good times you’ll definitely land a RE PE / REIT / RE CF somewhere. I assume you are in the USA. I don’t know about the job market over there, but I would be very surprised if you didn’t find anything in Europe with your credentials.
Thanks, Viceroy. I’m hopeful and optimistic.
Network, network, and network. Find networking groups in your area if you don’t have many contacts. Also, LinkedIn is something you HAVE to use in your job search too if your not doing so already. Check company sites and when you find a position that you think your qualified for check your linkedin contacts to see if you have a contact. I got a job interview a couple a weeks ago using this method. I send out 100s of resumes to careerbuilder, monster, etc. like everyone else as well. This is the least effective method, but I still do it because it can’t hurt. I think of it as a free lottery ticket and I’m willing to send out hundreds of resumes if it gives me one interview (which it has). My job search was dead for months but I’m finally getting some interviews.
Is writing cover letters for the online job boards worthwhile, if anyone knows?
volante99 Wrote: ------------------------------------------------------- > That said, I am considering going back and taking > 3-4 more accounting classes. thus allowing me to > sit for the CPA exam, and possibly going the > accounting route. Many of my classmates got > relatively sweet deals majoring in accounting and > while it isn’t my first love, neither is > unemployment… Crazy! That’s my plan too. I just emailed a local college a few days ago to see if I could finish my accounting pre-reqs there. Haha, I avoided marketing because I thought it would be too competitive. But, I’m applying for back office jobs that pay 10$ and can’t even get an interview. Applications - 100 + Interviews - 3 (one Super-Sat) Offers - 0