tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-53616870711993465252012-01-15T14:48:38.618+08:00A blog for undergraduates and young bankers – cover letters, resume writing and interviewing skills, just for investment banks.Anna Maria D'Souzahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01339606755997538556noreply@blogger.comBlogger1771100tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5361687071199346525.post-71070705880197191252012-01-15T14:44:00.000+08:002012-01-15T14:44:13.291+08:00

Inside Investment Banking If you want to break into investment banking but don’t have a degree from Harvard or an internship from Goldman Sachs, you should visit the website of Inside Investment Banking (IIB). I find IIB interesting because it is created by 5 bulge bracket investment bankers whom all broke into investment banking in 2008/9 without Harvard or Goldman on their resumes. What made

Anna Maria D'Souzahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01339606755997538556noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5361687071199346525.post-76802587880776118062012-01-02T16:41:00.000+08:002012-01-02T16:41:52.105+08:00

Looking to land an investment banking job in the new year?  You need to polish your resume.  Here is an article from StreetOfWalls.com which will certainly help. 3 Ways to Improve Your Investment Banking Resume Most resumes go through HR, and while you certainly want to make yours stand out quickly for an HR screener, distinguishing yourself quickly is even more important when you are in the

Anna Maria D'Souzahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01339606755997538556noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5361687071199346525.post-27959904645471920142011-12-21T21:57:00.000+08:002011-12-21T21:57:11.753+08:00

Average base pay for investment banking and hedge fund staff in Hong Kong has shot up by 15 per cent this year overtaking salary hikes in London Such generous rises highlight the two-speed global economy in 2011 as Asia powered ahead while Europe and the US teetered close to recession. Analysts in Hong Kong have seen 20 per cent base pay increases while those at “managing director” level have

Anna Maria D'Souzahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01339606755997538556noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5361687071199346525.post-1792524304007018662011-12-15T17:35:00.000+08:002011-12-15T17:35:29.188+08:00

Want to work in one of the world's top ten financial markets? You may want to check out this news in yesterday's China Daily: HK most developed market Hong Kong overtakes US, UK and Singapore to take top spot. Hong Kong has overtaken the US, the UK and Singapore to top the world's most developed financial markets, the first time an Asian financial center has achieved this rank, according to the

Anna Maria D'Souzahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01339606755997538556noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5361687071199346525.post-91251341956459288562011-10-27T21:13:00.003+08:002012-01-09T22:39:04.822+08:00

The unfortunate truth is there are more people looking for hedge fund jobs than there are jobs available, so hedge funds have their pick of the litter. This article is intended to show you how the search process works, and what the average hedge fund resume looks like. If you want to stand out from the crowd, take notes and do something different, or risk getting lost in the crowd. It is very

Anna Maria D'Souzahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01339606755997538556noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5361687071199346525.post-5107372481047049892011-10-10T21:10:00.009+08:002011-10-10T21:16:59.802+08:00

I had a chance recently to speak with the hiring experts at Street of Walls to get a feel for current market conditions and tips on how to improve your Investment Banking Resume. Can you discuss current hiring trends? Hiring has been slowing at most of the large banks over the last 6 months. In fact, firings have become more of the norm. Typically during an economic expansion, investment banks

Anna Maria D'Souzahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01339606755997538556noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5361687071199346525.post-673139593961128202011-09-24T10:20:00.000+08:002011-09-24T10:20:13.798+08:00

The Financial Services industry is an extremely demanding field that isn't for everyone. But if you enjoy the challenge, thrive under pressure, and love Finance, there is a huge opportunity to make huge money.  To begin with, you need a compelling resume.  If you don’t enjoy writing, don't worry, you can still get your professional resume done and land your dream job despite keen competition

Anna Maria D'Souzahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01339606755997538556noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5361687071199346525.post-41959034262174966132011-07-26T20:26:00.000+08:002011-07-26T20:26:21.029+08:00

To write an impressive investment banking cover letter, I would like to introduce a website InterExec. This website is mainly used by headhunters, so you may not have heard about it. The reason I want you to visit this website is not for you to use their service, but to learn writing an impressive cover letter. Follow these steps. Click on the website InterExecResources Click ‘Current Candidates

Anna Maria D'Souzahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01339606755997538556noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5361687071199346525.post-23282126100006607272011-07-03T14:41:00.000+08:002011-07-03T14:41:09.025+08:00

An investment banking interview is unique in many ways. However if your preparation is focused only on IB, you may overlook some important interview rules that are common to all businesses. Have a 360 interview preparation and minimise the chances to be defeated by someone who is better prepared. I've recently read a great article from my friend Jimmy Sweeney regarding interview preparation. He

Anna Maria D'Souzahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01339606755997538556noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5361687071199346525.post-85572759288841873802011-06-11T10:14:00.000+08:002011-06-11T10:14:26.075+08:00

If you love challenge, want to execute your banking/financial knowledge and people skills, and of course to make a handsome income speedily, consider working in Asia, especially Hong Kong. Here is a link about working in Hong Kong. In this dynamic market, you need to work in a fast pace and highly competitive environment, however you’ll be very well rewarded financially. An analyst with 1-3

Anna Maria D'Souzahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01339606755997538556noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5361687071199346525.post-40662500616108730142011-05-17T22:52:00.001+08:002012-01-09T22:35:25.571+08:00

Private equity (raising funds to invest in private companies) is a relatively young business however has become of the most well paid careers in the financial field. A career in private equity (PE) which includes venture capital, PE fund of funds, hybrid funds, and secondary funds can be extremely rewarding. But landing a job in this field can be difficult. If you're seriously considering a

Anna Maria D'Souzahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01339606755997538556noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5361687071199346525.post-64236096664342418152011-04-13T18:44:00.000+08:002011-04-13T18:44:02.019+08:00

Bank accounts around the world: managed bank accounts in the UK There are so many different types of bank account across the world nowadays. Here, we're going to have a look at one type of account in particular - the managed bank account… and how it might work in the UK. There are several ways a managed bank account could work, so we'll look at just one possible way in this guide. Managed

Anna Maria D'Souzahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01339606755997538556noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5361687071199346525.post-47424978473423288852011-04-09T13:06:00.000+08:002011-04-09T13:06:41.801+08:00

Have you notice one of the career tools I recommend in this blog – The Amazing Cover Letters? Just want to share a little statistics with you. To be honest upfront, I’m an affiliate of Jimmy Sweeney’s Amazing Cover Letter creator. I’m making a decent income from my headhunting job, why am I selling this software? This blog is aim to help young graduates to go into one of the toughest job

Anna Maria D'Souzahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01339606755997538556noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5361687071199346525.post-89577790208688991212011-03-10T15:21:00.001+08:002011-03-11T10:46:37.525+08:00

Time to talk about money again, as it’s bonus time for most banks. Going into 2011, starting salaries for investment banking positions with a bachelor’s degree should range from $100,000 to $130,000 after bonus. Starting salaries with an MBA degree (associate position) range after bonus from $90,000 to $180,000. These salaries vary with firms and with the region of the country you are in. Bonus

Anna Maria D'Souzahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01339606755997538556noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5361687071199346525.post-26211528680308337152011-03-01T16:30:00.001+08:002011-03-01T16:33:42.488+08:00

Today, four year back in 2007, I established this Investment Banking Resume Blog.  Here’s what I wrote in my inaugural page: ”The goal of this blog is to introduce resume writing skills for investment banking jobs. The mission of this blog is to help undergraduates and young bankers to build a successful investment banking career.” I enjoy the interactions with young people in these years.  I do

Anna Maria D'Souzahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01339606755997538556noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5361687071199346525.post-73557881502933291192011-02-03T10:50:00.002+08:002011-02-03T10:57:13.970+08:00

There is one BIG secret in writing a compelling investment banking cover letter – keep it short. There are two reasons to do this. The less you write, the fewer mistakes you will make and the higher chance to attract the eyes of the hiring manager.Bankers read a lot of cover letters and resumes daily. One strategy for them to look for their best candidates is to spot errors (even typos) on any

Anna Maria D'Souzahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01339606755997538556noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5361687071199346525.post-76146609379113066182011-01-27T21:01:00.006+08:002011-10-06T20:35:28.883+08:00

Recently I spoke with a few guys at a new start up that focuses on providing young candidates the tools they need to break into Investment Banking. They provide everything from Resume over-hauls, headhunter contacts, recruiter contacts, 60 page Interview Prep Material, Phone Interview Cheat Sheets, Financial Models (DCF, M&A, LBO), and 1-on-1 consultations over the phone. This is very interested

Anna Maria D'Souzahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01339606755997538556noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5361687071199346525.post-86492860631883321402011-01-14T12:20:00.004+08:002011-02-10T12:23:57.261+08:00

The Career PathLet's make one thing clear upfront: the hiring process for traders is highly competitive. The conventional way of becoming a trader is to become an assistant trader to begin with. In reality, there is no such job as assistant trader. This is really more of a catch-all job title meant to attract interns. The assistant trader is generally responsible for verifying deals and working

Anna Maria D'Souzahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01339606755997538556noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5361687071199346525.post-53272976270803354742010-12-24T09:43:00.003+08:002011-02-10T12:21:51.653+08:00

A Day In The Life of A TraderThe daily work of all traders is similar. However there are variations according to the trades they do. Observing a trader at work, you may wonder if the job really warrants all those diplomas and other credentials. After all, it looks simple. Let’s take a look at the daily activities of a trader of any kind before we enter the world of a proprietary trader. The basic

Anna Maria D'Souzahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01339606755997538556noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5361687071199346525.post-16231392977293426342010-12-15T21:22:00.003+08:002010-12-15T21:31:42.869+08:00

Why Does A Proprietary Trader Receive Fat Pay Check? A prop trader's salary averaging around $68,000 doesn't sound extremely attractive. However when bonues are counted, the figure becomes completely different. Prop traders can take home as much as multi million $ per year. If his portfolios turned out to be profitable, his take-home money could be practically no ceiling. However I’ve seen star

Anna Maria D'Souzahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01339606755997538556noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5361687071199346525.post-31114100191078986152010-12-07T20:16:00.003+08:002010-12-07T20:31:43.181+08:00

Life In A Trading RoomOK, here is a 110+ seats trading room in the real world. A trading room is a restricted area in any investment bank. Only authorized persons can access. I have the privilege to borrow this photo from one of my clients.If you want to be a proprietary trader or any other kind of trader, consider two things first. These have to come before qualification and experience

Anna Maria D'Souzahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01339606755997538556noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5361687071199346525.post-30436584354723840382010-11-20T18:59:00.003+08:002010-11-20T19:08:50.603+08:00

This is a high-risk job but one of the best paid in the world. See if I can lure you into this job.You can’t be a prop trader direct from college. You need to spend about 10 years in the trading floor before you qualify for the job. But everything has a start, if you don’t start, you’ll never be there.Let’s start with the trading room.First of all, click the link here to gain an idea of a trading

Anna Maria D'Souzahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01339606755997538556noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5361687071199346525.post-76202986581980057472010-11-02T22:46:00.003+08:002010-11-03T09:02:06.385+08:00

My IB salary post has generated a lot of feedbacks. Let me talk more about the money making potential in Asia for investment bankers.Beginning 2010, top bankers in Asia are taking home similar amount of money at the 2007 pre-crisis level, and in some cases exceeding it.A shortage of talent combined with competition among rival banks in Asia prompted many institutions to make lucrative offers. I’m

Anna Maria D'Souzahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01339606755997538556noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5361687071199346525.post-18017783849087413112010-10-01T10:39:00.005+08:002010-10-02T12:58:20.652+08:00

What’s in common between Warren Buffet and Bill Gates? First, they are both super rich; second, they have donated, and will continue to donate and are encouraging other billionaires to donate their fortune. Do the Chinese billionaires welcome the tycoon duo? Well, this is quite personal. Their recent effort in Philanthropy has drawn the world’s attention. Do you know when did the two rich men

Anna Maria D'Souzahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01339606755997538556noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5361687071199346525.post-29899827003479914562010-09-18T09:43:00.004+08:002010-09-18T10:04:04.414+08:00

Writing an effective cover letter that generates interview is not easy. There are lots of skills and strategies in it.When I do the resume critiques for my readers, I notice something in common. I can’t say these are errors, but things need improvements.Repeat ExperiencesMany tend to re-write their experiences which were mostly captured in their resumes. A better strategy is to summarise your USP

Anna Maria D'Souzahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01339606755997538556noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5361687071199346525.post-53983186080501848072010-08-24T11:05:00.009+08:002010-08-29T10:08:55.956+08:00

A reader ask me what kind of roles are good for him to start a banking career. Well, it all depend on the person, such as interests and skill sets.I have a link from the RBC. You simply answer three questions and it will help to find a right fit for you. RBC one of the "Best Workplaces in Canada" RBC among Canada's 10 Most Admired Corporate Cultures RBC recognized as one of Canada's Top 100

Anna Maria D'Souzahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01339606755997538556noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5361687071199346525.post-65767314361086817262010-08-01T21:13:00.008+08:002011-02-10T12:05:29.164+08:00

A reader left me a comment and suggested this interesting video about Ken Griffin.Ken founded Citadel at the age of 22 with $4.2m. He started two funds from his dorm room at Harvard, and he claims that in between classes he would make trades. His first 'seeder' was Frank Meyer of Glenwood Capital who was amazed at Ken's success and his ROI. Frank provided $1m for Ken to invest while Ken was only

Anna Maria D'Souzahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01339606755997538556noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5361687071199346525.post-25875868021966835412010-07-05T11:02:00.003+08:002010-07-05T11:11:03.784+08:00

I have just received this article from Jimmy Sweeney and could not wait to share with you. It should work well for investment banking jobs or any other jobs. How would you like to double your job search odds? Is that a 'yes?' If so, please read carefully because I have a bit of magic to share with you that can make that possible.The secret formula is this: Contact the company you want to work for

Anna Maria D'Souzahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01339606755997538556noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5361687071199346525.post-33405083208192987902010-06-07T15:47:00.004+08:002012-01-04T22:07:30.644+08:00

Are you preparing for an investment banking interview? Here are a couple of useful tools for you. First, view this Goldman Sachs interview skills video which provides valuable tips and hints. Next, browse this list of questions from Morgan Stanley and prepare your answers. The questions you are being asked all depend on the interviewer. However some questions do come up more frequently than

Anna Maria D'Souzahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01339606755997538556noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5361687071199346525.post-50456598369068556312010-05-14T17:11:00.007+08:002010-05-17T10:32:57.640+08:00

I have the honour to have Mr. R. Scott Morris writing this guest post in my blog.Scott is an author, financial engineer and quantitative consultant. He was the CEO of Boston Options Exchange (2006-08). He has also served as Managing Director of Goldman Sachs. Scott has conducted numerous finance interviews. He is going to talk about the top 5 mistakes that candidates make. To increase your

Anna Maria D'Souzahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01339606755997538556noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5361687071199346525.post-1775233286852908972010-04-13T16:21:00.004+08:002010-05-13T10:49:51.478+08:00

Well, this is simple. You are the best person to write your own resume. You know yourself the best, your strengths, your skills, your qualifications…However not everybody enjoy writing. While I’m doing resume critiques for my readers, one of them really impressed me. Apart from straightly following my guidelines, his resume was completely flawless and there was nothing needed a change. And yet

Anna Maria D'Souzahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01339606755997538556noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5361687071199346525.post-37103783767841827832010-03-16T11:09:00.003+08:002010-10-01T22:54:47.812+08:00

It’s bonus period again. So let’s talk about money and take a look at the outlook of investment banking salary 2010.Investment banks have been moving their senior management into Asia, typically Hong Kong - HSBC, JPM and so on. The dynamic market of Asia offers great potential for people who want to make big money. If you are planning to move ahead to work in Asia, it’s time to take a look at the

Anna Maria D'Souzahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01339606755997538556noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5361687071199346525.post-13429392734387381452010-03-03T14:54:00.006+08:002010-06-18T15:21:44.665+08:00

I have a piece of good news for you to celebrate my blog’s three year anniversary in March.Have you ever dreamt of having an investment banker craft your resume into a document that is both perfectly phrased and formatted? Sounds like an expensive, if not unlikely, proposition. Well, there's good news. DreamResume.com can make your resume fantasy come true. They have a team of former bankers

Anna Maria D'Souzahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01339606755997538556noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5361687071199346525.post-65807076344199640832010-02-24T17:42:00.002+08:002010-02-24T17:57:41.120+08:00

If you ever fancy private banking be your investment banking career, you might want to consider relocating to Hong Kong. One more senior banker has moved his desk here.After moving its CEO to Hong Kong in January 2010, HSBC is in advanced discussions to move Chris Meares, the global head of its private bank, from London to Hong Kong.Apart from HSBC’s senior moves, JPMorgan has just relocated its

Anna Maria D'Souzahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01339606755997538556noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5361687071199346525.post-11819392761713093892010-01-27T18:57:00.006+08:002010-01-27T19:20:54.464+08:00

Have you ever considered working in Hong Kong? The fast-growing Asian market has not only attracted top-notch bankers from the Wall Street, but also the HSBC CEO. The 144-year-old HSBC has relocated its CEO Michael Geoghegan from London back to Hong Kong after 16 years. In a welcome ceremony today, Mike said he's going to enjoy a cup of Chinese tea as the first thing to do in his Hong Kong office

Anna Maria D'Souzahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01339606755997538556noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5361687071199346525.post-88873171756253591672010-01-05T16:46:00.007+08:002010-01-05T16:56:01.358+08:00

My free ebook has generated encouraging responds. Some readers asked me for additional reading material.Here is a link for you to access WetFeet’s Investment Banking Overview. WetFeet has also published a book called Careers in Investment Banking. If you are keen to start an IB career, might get this book for more indepth reading.Product Description from AmazonCareers in Investment Banking - In

Anna Maria D'Souzahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01339606755997538556noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5361687071199346525.post-72401724633149288312009-12-10T16:17:00.007+08:002009-12-10T16:39:03.057+08:00

If you are a third-year Analyst, you are ready to move on to Associate level. Of course, some move faster than others. I have clipped a recent recruitment ad for discussion.Associates, Corporate Finance· A Top Tier Investment Bank· Excellent Opportunity to work with huge transactions· Highly Competitive RemunerationOur client is an established Capital Markets outfit, focuses on the origination of

Anna Maria D'Souzahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01339606755997538556noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5361687071199346525.post-84046370876454585382009-11-19T16:54:00.013+08:002009-12-07T16:21:16.762+08:00

4TMBJ49RHPKTI just browsed this website with great interest. For those who are not yet hired, but want to pursue an investment banking career, you might want to check out the training classes offered by Investment Banking Institute.Investment Banking Institute (IBI) employs 10 investment bankers who have worked for some of Wall Street's most respected firms, each having between 5 and 15 years of

Anna Maria D'Souzahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01339606755997538556noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5361687071199346525.post-84234380279562236772009-11-03T14:58:00.003+08:002009-11-03T15:44:59.881+08:00

My blog is approaching three years. I receive one question recently: The world is changing, will your resume guidelines be changed? Good question. I quickly browsed through my older posts and review them. Yes the world is changing, but there are things that never change, such as the sun won't rise from the west. Likewise for investment banking. 100-year old shop Lehman Brothers shut down, but the

Anna Maria D'Souzahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01339606755997538556noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5361687071199346525.post-31545090983883085062009-10-09T12:02:00.003+08:002009-10-09T12:18:52.997+08:00

I received this article from Jimmy Sweeny. He is not an investment banking guru, but he is a generalist career guru, one of my most respected figures in the field. This article is very innovative and I’m sure you will benefit from it. Enjoy reading.A GREAT Job Interview Follow-up Letter SecretYou've just finished the interview you hoped to get and it went pretty well as far as you can tell. Now

Anna Maria D'Souzahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01339606755997538556noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5361687071199346525.post-10162844928849023082009-09-26T11:00:00.002+08:002009-09-26T11:06:26.077+08:00

September 25, 2009 - BloombergHSBC Holdings Plc is moving Chief Executive Officer Michael Geoghegan to Hong Kong from London as Europe’s biggest bank increases its focus on emerging markets. HSBC will still be domiciled in the U.K. and has no plans to move, the bank said today in a statement. Chairman Stephen Green, Chief Financial Officer Douglas Flint and investment banking chief Stuart

Anna Maria D'Souzahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01339606755997538556noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5361687071199346525.post-27242117988362801982009-09-09T22:31:00.006+08:002009-11-03T14:52:54.117+08:00

I receive a beautiful summary essay recently. Let’s analysis what elements are good and how we can transfer these into an amazing cover letter and generate interviews.I began my career in the finance industry 18 years ago as an intern at Goldman Sachs in New York. Since then, I honed my statistics and economics training at Stanford, implemented sophisticated quantitative strategies in emerging

Anna Maria D'Souzahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01339606755997538556noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5361687071199346525.post-71305047965110034102009-08-13T21:59:00.003+08:002009-08-13T22:03:50.915+08:00

Successful bankers are not born to be, they can be trained to be. If you are able to bring additional value to a banking role, investment banks are willing to train you. Maria Leung is an outstanding female in her career change from advertising to investment banking. After graduating from the University of Hong Kong, Maria held a number account servicing roles at a couple of top ranked

Anna Maria D'Souzahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01339606755997538556noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5361687071199346525.post-31523089148056950812009-07-06T21:32:00.003+08:002009-07-06T21:53:16.966+08:00

Investment banks always look for best of the best. What if you have a relatively weak resume, with your GPA below 4 and not graduating from famous institutes like Harvard or INSEAD? Though 'to hire the best' is the rule, but sometimes people don't work to rule. Some very senior bankers do have only a basic degree without much outstanding academic credentials. And in my other posts, you would

Anna Maria D'Souzahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01339606755997538556noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5361687071199346525.post-80944295325054574632009-06-22T21:02:00.002+08:002009-06-22T21:06:34.701+08:00

Have you been trying to set up an informational interview? Before you make up your mind and devoted to be an investment banker, ideally you should speak with some people in the field and understand the business. If you haven’t had one, read this article – a young investment banker talks about his career. You will find some friendly answers to the questions below. 1. What made you decide to become

Anna Maria D'Souzahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01339606755997538556noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5361687071199346525.post-30079764985097210152009-06-12T20:36:00.003+08:002009-06-12T20:52:32.341+08:00

Under the current financial turbulence, rich people loss a lot of their money. Well, likewise for the poor and the general public. As rich people would need to re-build their strategy and get their wealth well managed, why not consider starting a private banking career? Last year, just before world market slumped, I clipped this article in my file. I think it is a good time to share it with you.

Anna Maria D'Souzahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01339606755997538556noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5361687071199346525.post-47349105855037466102009-05-25T18:57:00.003+08:002009-05-25T19:02:07.059+08:00

While some of the investment banks are shedding off staff, I do hear some encouraging news lately. This might make even more sense to my Asia Pacific readers.Credit Suisse places ads to hire Asia private bankers23 April 2009 Reuters NewsCredit Suisse has placed advertisements in newspapers to hire experienced private bankers in Asia, at a time rivals have been shedding staff.The Swiss bank

Anna Maria D'Souzahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01339606755997538556noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5361687071199346525.post-59696181788882612402009-05-13T22:48:00.002+08:002009-05-13T22:55:52.488+08:00

Many successful bankers started their investment banking career as an analyst. Successful analysts work hard, understand spreadsheets, and have fine analytical skills. Analysts can be promoted to associates who do similar work, but more of it.Investment banks hire many entry level analysts annually. What determines who are being hired and who are not? Many would say a high GPA from a reputable

Anna Maria D'Souzahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01339606755997538556noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5361687071199346525.post-29879356250397981022009-04-20T22:34:00.002+08:002009-04-20T22:41:01.643+08:00

A reader asked me whether he should go for an MBA or CFA in order to pursue an investment banking career. Actually either or both will be fine. I have come across people studied Criminal Psychology or Physical Education had become very successful investment bankers. What about people without any qualifications?When I started my headhunting business, I believed strongly that good qualifications

Anna Maria D'Souzahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01339606755997538556noreply@blogger.com12tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5361687071199346525.post-48452240314847433092009-04-06T21:33:00.003+08:002009-04-06T21:56:45.828+08:00

I received this article from Jimmy Sweeney which is really inspirational. We shall talk about some investment banking related quotes afterwards.Have you ever heard or read a quotation you just had to share with someone? How about one of these? "Plan your work for today and every day, then work your plan." Norman Vincent Peale "Real success is finding your lifework in the

Anna Maria D'Souzahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01339606755997538556noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5361687071199346525.post-63632610130518075402009-03-27T21:16:00.005+08:002009-03-27T21:35:31.459+08:00

A good cover letter won't guarantee success, but a bad cover letter will guarantee failure, such as this one:From: XXXX XXXTo: Anna Maria D'SouzaSent: Mon Jan 12 00:40:56 2009Subject: Seeking for Jobs Dear AnnaI am currently seeking jobs. Please find attached CV for your reference. Please feel free to call me at 1234-5678XXXXYou might not believe, but this is a true email which I received

Anna Maria D'Souzahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01339606755997538556noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5361687071199346525.post-49075464254500389702009-03-10T22:31:00.002+08:002009-03-10T22:39:51.592+08:00

It is investment banks’ bonus period. So let’s talk about money. In Hong Kong, UBS is said to have cut most of their bankers bonus by 95% comparing to that was paid last year.Many might doubt in the current financial turmoil that if investment banking is still a tempting job for making big money. Asia Pacific is a dynamic and aggressive market for those who are targeting big. So let’s take a

Anna Maria D'Souzahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01339606755997538556noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5361687071199346525.post-86501632950063737372009-03-02T22:04:00.003+08:002009-03-02T22:11:00.257+08:00

I received this article from Jimmy Sweeny, one of my most admired career-related author. This article is not investment banking focused, but will surely benefit anyone who wants to write an effective cover letter. The holiday decorations are down. The carolers have put away their songbooks. A new calendar page awaits your comments and appointments and to-do list. It's also time to say thank you

Anna Maria D'Souzahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01339606755997538556noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5361687071199346525.post-21986611596340497942009-02-23T22:29:00.003+08:002009-02-23T22:36:01.655+08:00

In a slow market, not many investment banks continues to hire. Therefore this particular news sounds encouraging and I would like to share it with you, though it is quite Asia focused. For those who wants to start an investment banking career, you can still check out what kind of quality do banking bosses look for.12 February 2009 - Straits TimesUK bank presses on with plan to hire up to 1,500

Anna Maria D'Souzahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01339606755997538556noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5361687071199346525.post-59627820051476524402009-02-16T21:34:00.003+08:002009-02-16T21:42:25.871+08:00

Have you wondered why I consider this as a good resume? It is good because the author is looking for his first intern job. You won’t expect PhD, MBA qualifications together with those Wall Street bulge bracket names on such intern resume.Let’s call the author of this resume Henry. Henry’s resume has a professional layout. It is well organized and easy to read. Good enough to build a good first

Anna Maria D'Souzahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01339606755997538556noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5361687071199346525.post-4470255997166196272009-02-09T20:47:00.002+08:002009-02-09T21:04:10.723+08:00

My niece submitted a resume from her schoolmate for my critique. I found it a gem and would like to share with you. This is one the best intern resumes I have seen. Though everybody has a unique story, but if you manage to produce a resume like this, I’m sure investment banks would want to consider you as an intern candidate. Author of the resume has asked me to remove names to keep his privacy.

Anna Maria D'Souzahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01339606755997538556noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5361687071199346525.post-58865192856060821532009-01-29T20:34:00.008+08:002011-03-28T21:07:46.820+08:00

I have recently read this article which is worth sharing. The story described how Madeline Ho, managing director of Fidelity Investment Management, moves from banking to asset management. She had worked from bottom up and personally experienced different challenges within the business. For undergraduates wishing to prepare themselves for a career in asset management, Ms Ho says that a good

Anna Maria D'Souzahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01339606755997538556noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5361687071199346525.post-66012942252405384262009-01-14T22:09:00.002+08:002009-01-14T22:18:22.635+08:00

Investment banks usually conduct initial intern interviews around December and January. Some banks like to do the first round of interviews through phone calls. If this is your first phone interview, don’t feel nervous. These quick tips should be helpful.Venue – make sure to find a private place to do your phone interview. Background noise not only disturbs your listening and talking, it will

Anna Maria D'Souzahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01339606755997538556noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5361687071199346525.post-11853631348648657212009-01-11T21:57:00.001+08:002009-01-11T22:00:20.017+08:00

I have recently presented three candidates to a client. They all flew in to Hong Kong to interview for the same post on the same day. My assistant had been busy arranging transportation among airport, hotel, our office and client’s office and to prevent them from bumping into each other. What a hectic day! From the driver’s report, I obtained some first-hand information. The first candidate

Anna Maria D'Souzahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01339606755997538556noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5361687071199346525.post-47548097648779853972009-01-09T22:13:00.003+08:002009-01-09T22:23:33.317+08:00

HAPPY NEW YEAR! I do hope that 2009 will bring peace to the world and investment banking will be doing far better than the previous year. Let’s start the new year by quickly refreshing some investment banking resume writing skills with a Q & A checklist.What are the most basic elements of an investment banking resume?In this exact order if you have less than three years experience.1. Name and

Anna Maria D'Souzahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01339606755997538556noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5361687071199346525.post-20127424368319807972009-01-07T22:24:00.003+08:002009-01-07T22:36:18.262+08:00

I come across this interesting story today and would like to kick off 2009 by sharing it with you. You must enjoy reading it either you are already in the business or want to start an investment banking career.Who is Ashley Wilkins?FinanceAsia 7 January 2009 The primary focus of this Societe Generale banker is sustainable relationships, not slash-and-burn banking.Ashley Wilkins is a rare

Anna Maria D'Souzahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01339606755997538556noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5361687071199346525.post-9781074220573358742008-12-23T20:51:00.008+08:002008-12-23T21:31:08.430+08:00

For those who are in the banking business or who want to start an investment banking career, this is an encouraging news despite the recent financial turbulence. On the date when Mr. Serge FORTI appointed Chief Executive Officer Asia-Pacific for BNP Paribas Wealth Management, he made the announcement.December 10, 2008'We already have the list of people,' said Mr Serge Forti at a lunch meeting on

Anna Maria D'Souzahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01339606755997538556noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5361687071199346525.post-19915865346162261342008-12-10T21:30:00.003+08:002008-12-10T21:49:29.721+08:00

I receive an interesting article from Jimmy Sweeney. It is not investment banking focused, but it contains very practical and useful tips in writing a resume, which every job seeker should benefit from. I have Jimmy’s permission to reprint his article here. Please enjoy reading.Spice Up Your 2009 Resume Now…Add This Little GemFrom Times Square in New York City to Tiananmen Square in Bejing City,

Anna Maria D'Souzahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01339606755997538556noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5361687071199346525.post-82390773526944700312008-12-08T22:29:00.007+08:002008-12-08T22:46:38.473+08:00

Current TurbulenceThe recent turbulence is really no good for our money. One email that has been circulated among us in the investment banking world described how Wall Street CEOs’ and other investment gurus’ wealth had shrunk. If you loss money in the market, you are not the only person, the world is suffering.Two things I would want to remind you. There is a life cycle for everything. Market is

Anna Maria D'Souzahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01339606755997538556noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5361687071199346525.post-48995275431198595022008-11-12T21:54:00.003+08:002008-12-06T22:16:53.162+08:00

Let’s call the author of this investment banking resume David. David has only two years full time experience, but his resume looks very rich. I have simplified his job descriptions which were also very well written.David has cleverly embedded many value added elements in his resume without over emphasizing them however present him as a unique outstanding young individual.David’s Valued Added

Anna Maria D'Souzahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01339606755997538556noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5361687071199346525.post-28489013418053859682008-11-09T22:06:00.004+08:002008-12-06T22:14:59.501+08:00

Your Geographic LocationInternational exposure is a value added element on your investment banking resume. Relocation/international travel happens a lot in the IB world. Tell your employer that you can and you have been working in various geographies is a definite asset. I notice some candidates are highly international ever since they were interns. When you start to write and build up your

Anna Maria D'Souzahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01339606755997538556noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5361687071199346525.post-49375739571270411412008-10-13T21:57:00.002+08:002008-10-13T22:05:11.847+08:00

Let’s call the author of this resume Henry. Henry is currently an MD level analyst. Hence he doesn’t need to present his entry job in much detail. However if we are looking for an entry level research/analyst job, we need to describe our intern or other experience with great care.Present yourself as an Analyst Set this as your primary objective in writing your analyst resume. Ask a number of

Anna Maria D'Souzahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01339606755997538556noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5361687071199346525.post-53816101265154055692008-10-06T22:22:00.006+08:002008-10-13T21:57:25.230+08:00

Star analysts in investment banks are paid well. While some people move faster than others, you will normally move up to associate level after being a third year analyst. In ten years time, even you are at MD level, you are still referred to be an analyst, if your focus is still in research.Many graduates start their IB career as an analyst. Let’s go through an analyst resume sample before we

Anna Maria D'Souzahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01339606755997538556noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5361687071199346525.post-53621468971048375302008-09-18T20:54:00.003+08:002008-09-18T21:06:44.954+08:00

Apart from layout, format, content and work history, writing skills is another important element in an investment banking resume.Every now and then, my blog readers ask me to do resume critiques for them. One of the comments that I made most is ‘your resume is good, but just too good’. Let me introduce a couple of ‘too good’ examples.Inaccurate Use of English‘…..raised the bank’s revenue by 25%

Anna Maria D'Souzahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01339606755997538556noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5361687071199346525.post-694227460622481832008-09-16T22:34:00.002+08:002008-09-16T23:00:49.227+08:00

The 158-year-old firm, which survived railroad bankruptcies of the 1800s, the Great Depression in the 1930s and the collapse of Long-Term Capital Management a decade ago, filed a Chapter 11 petition with U.S. Bankruptcy Court in Manhattan on Monday September 15, 2008. Lehman bankruptcySadly I have to remove Lehman's career site from my blog, as it will soon disappear from the world of investment

Anna Maria D'Souzahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01339606755997538556noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5361687071199346525.post-50136318254552619542008-09-09T21:14:00.002+08:002008-09-09T21:20:14.499+08:00

Among all the investment banking interview questions, these seem to have been come across by almost every candidate, in same or similar wordings.1. Walk me through your resume. Tell me about yourself.Never talk about your family background, your education history or your hobbies. Focus on your skill sets and experience that are related to the job you are interviewing for.2. Why do you want to be

Anna Maria D'Souzahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01339606755997538556noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5361687071199346525.post-12742003120942245752008-08-24T19:41:00.002+08:002008-08-24T19:48:13.960+08:00

Some readers asked me if their previous retail banking or non banking finance experience will be counted when they apply for an IB job. You might be interested to know what senior bankers did when they started their investment banking career. Let me tell you some real samples. Please note these candidates are currently working for international bulge brackets.Current role: Head of Asia

Anna Maria D'Souzahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01339606755997538556noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5361687071199346525.post-78779351532690921192008-08-17T21:50:00.002+08:002008-08-17T21:58:05.032+08:00

LengthAn entry level investment banking interview is around 30 minutes. If your interview last longer than this, it is a good sign.FriendlinessIf you feel comfortable throughout the process and feel like a friendly discussion rather than being interrogated.Body Language The interviewer’s body language can tell his interest level in your story or if they are happy with your answers. It is a good

Anna Maria D'Souzahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01339606755997538556noreply@blogger.com10tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5361687071199346525.post-38059798758703189922008-08-01T22:10:00.005+08:002008-08-01T22:35:36.156+08:00

I have borrowed this article from Jimmy Sweeney. It is not investment banking focused. However it is very universal and anyone in the job market should find it useful.© Written By Jimmy SweeneyPresident of CareerJimmy and Author of the newAmazing Cover Letter CreatorThere are cover letters––and there are cover letters. Some are cookie-cutter predictable. And some offer a tasty surprise—like a

Anna Maria D'Souzahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01339606755997538556noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5361687071199346525.post-67205630519418495782008-07-27T21:39:00.003+08:002008-07-27T21:47:49.515+08:00

Three envelopes are presented in front of you by an interviewer. One contains a job offer, the other two contain rejection letters. You pick one of the envelopes. The interviewer then shows you the contents of one of the other envelopes, which is a rejection letter. The interviewer now gives you the opportunity to switch envelope choices. Should you switch?The answer is yes. Say your original

Anna Maria D'Souzahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01339606755997538556noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5361687071199346525.post-71140871550768012262008-07-26T22:08:00.003+08:002008-07-26T22:15:51.704+08:00

You don’t necessarily come across brain teaser questions, but you have to be prepared, as they are quite popular in investment banking interviews. Don’t worry if you can’t produce an answer. This is a way to see how you deal with stress. Even if you don’t know the answer, it is a strategy to voice out your analysis and calculations to let the interviewer know your logic and how good your

Anna Maria D'Souzahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01339606755997538556noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5361687071199346525.post-79185105237384255182008-07-20T19:03:00.002+08:002008-07-20T19:10:31.702+08:00

As we move further into summer internship season, many have asked me why they can get interviews but can never seem to get actual offers.Usually, they lack a hook. To get an investment banking job, it's not enough to show you can do the job well and have a serious interest in it.You have to show them that they need you more than you need them.Of course, this is never really true. You're just a

Anna Maria D'Souzahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01339606755997538556noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5361687071199346525.post-48601689765234396922008-07-17T22:02:00.003+08:002008-07-17T22:17:10.025+08:00

One topic everyone asks me about is how to answer technical questions in investment banking interviews. What should you expect, how do you keep your calm, and what do you do to prepare beforehand?I actually think people tend to focus too much on technical questions when preparing for interviews. Your fit and enthusiasm for the job are much more important.That said, if you have some previous

Anna Maria D'Souzahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01339606755997538556noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5361687071199346525.post-83394778373288921542008-07-15T22:32:00.002+08:002008-07-15T22:41:07.819+08:00

If you've managed to land investment banking interviews, you need to keep in mind 3 big themes as you go through interviews and try to get a job:* You can "burn the midnight oil" - you work hard, consistently.* You "don't shake the Jello" - you do not make mistakes.* You "want to be Gordon Gekko" - you love business and finance.Burn The Midnight OilMore than just claiming you "work really hard

Anna Maria D'Souzahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01339606755997538556noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5361687071199346525.post-80966490122272215492008-07-13T11:10:00.003+08:002008-07-13T11:26:52.720+08:00

As summer holiday is approaching, many of you might be invited to attend interviews. I have been busy recently and have therefore borrowed a number of articles from Ian Spellfield, a former investment banker, who has a similar mission like mine. Here is his article on investment banking interview.One of my most frequently asked questions is how investment bankers decide who gets an offer

Anna Maria D'Souzahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01339606755997538556noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5361687071199346525.post-571472517851611562008-06-16T20:47:00.006+08:002008-07-08T22:21:42.494+08:00

A good thank you letter not only conveys the message of ‘thank you’. It is a powerful tool to further enhance your candidacy. In the case of an entry level investment banking candidate, it is also a way to show your maturity and how well you can deal with people relation.Here is a sample thank you letter that impresses us all. My boss like its style, I like its sincerity and personal touch. The

Anna Maria D'Souzahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01339606755997538556noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5361687071199346525.post-31333203411545770672008-06-03T21:20:00.004+08:002008-06-03T22:06:44.286+08:00

I am trying to convince this candidate for a career change, as I need an REIT banker and this resume looks perfect.If you are considering a career change to become an investment banker, compare your resume with this.I love this resume, as this is one of the most outstanding resumes I have ever seen. I am sure many investment banks are happy to consider him as an REIT banker. This resume is just

Anna Maria D'Souzahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01339606755997538556noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5361687071199346525.post-85431781464741632892008-05-26T20:52:00.003+08:002008-05-26T20:59:34.710+08:00

Many might ask where I should start my investment banking career. There are various divisions within a bank and yet you might feel uncertain of where to start. Goldman Sachs, as one of the most admired employers from Wall Street, has designed a quiz to help you analyze and have a better understanding of yourself.You would have to answer 12 questions which have no right or wrong answers. The quiz

Anna Maria D'Souzahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01339606755997538556noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5361687071199346525.post-36651101981250196582008-05-21T21:14:00.002+08:002008-05-21T21:20:12.965+08:00

Let us review the elements of a 20-second resume cover letter which is best suited for investment banking.A 20-second cover letter must answer all these questions precisely:1. What are you doing?2. What do you want to do?3. What are you able to do?4. What do you want the reader to do?A career change cover letter is more or less in the same structure. Remember you don’t have to

Anna Maria D'Souzahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01339606755997538556noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5361687071199346525.post-35629746425405916762008-05-13T21:48:00.003+08:002008-05-13T22:19:32.506+08:00

A number of readers asked if they can switch to investment banking without any banking background. Answer is ‘yes’. A number of successful investment bankers didn’t start early and without any banking related education. Peter Redhead, the former head of Asia equities at JP Morgan used to fight criminal crimes at his early career. Nick Sibley, the recently retired head of personal finance at

Anna Maria D'Souzahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01339606755997538556noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5361687071199346525.post-22006848475777126772008-05-03T22:12:00.002+08:002008-05-03T22:28:38.262+08:00

Here is a sample of an ideal 20-second resume cover letter, extremely suitable for applying investment banking jobs. His one-page resume is also very well-written. A very good candidate though a little green for now. I'm sure he will be on my radar screen in a couple of years. Dear AnnaI was referred to you by a friend. I am currently a third year analyst at Societe Generale Asset Management

Anna Maria D'Souzahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01339606755997538556noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5361687071199346525.post-33241845514160579522008-04-26T21:28:00.005+08:002008-04-26T22:43:48.839+08:00

ESCAE Amiens, France I come across this from a resume yesterday. What kind of education/ qualification is this? One of my colleagues speaks French, but couldn't help. Can French readers please help?Resume Writing Skills - Write Things That Make Sense To The ReaderActually this is not the first time I come across information that doesn't make sense on a resume, at least not making sense to readers

Anna Maria D'Souzahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01339606755997538556noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5361687071199346525.post-49699932999001487032008-04-21T21:15:00.003+08:002008-04-21T21:38:01.645+08:00

I have mentioned several times in my blog that if you are dedicated to investment banking, you should be prepared to relocate. New York, London, Tokyo and Hong Kong are the four major cities you must be acquainted to. Today I am adding Singapore to the list.Recently, I read an article from Dow Jones with a headline of Investment Banks Shuffle Senior Rainmakers To Asia. This is a norm, in my

Anna Maria D'Souzahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01339606755997538556noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5361687071199346525.post-60473999320852625672008-04-14T21:16:00.002+08:002008-04-26T22:36:28.518+08:00

Last year, two among the top three earners of Hong Kong University graduates worked for investment banks. They both made close to HK$1.2 million (c.US$150,000). Not bad for a first year job, however the number is not exciting enough. Asset management is the rising star of investment banking. Let me give you some exciting figures on one of my recent successful fund management candidates.Candidate

Anna Maria D'Souzahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01339606755997538556noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5361687071199346525.post-84493192655429173762008-04-10T22:17:00.004+08:002008-04-10T23:05:06.205+08:00

Some employers believe in psychometric tests. Even for senior hires, finalist candidates are sometimes required to go through such tests. Some investment banks use psychometric tests to assess graduate candidates. HSBC is one of them. Therefore they have designed two sets of questions to help you get acquainted to it. There are six questions for each numerical reasoning and verbal reasoning. You

Anna Maria D'Souzahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01339606755997538556noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5361687071199346525.post-30727185484597269752008-04-09T20:49:00.002+08:002008-04-09T20:59:47.888+08:00

HSBC or The Hongkong and Shanghai Banking Corporation beat Citi and become the world's largest corporation and the world's largest bank, in terms of sales, profits, assets and market value, according to a report recently published by Forbes on April 2, 2008.In the same report, four among the top 10 (total 2,000 entries) are investment banks, namely HSBC (1), BoA (3), JPM Chase (4) and RBS (10).

Anna Maria D'Souzahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01339606755997538556noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5361687071199346525.post-54937608044533337812008-03-31T21:04:00.004+08:002008-03-31T21:23:04.358+08:00

If you ask me what the most important element of a good resume is, I would say ‘content’ – of which, work history is the priority.When I receive outstanding resumes, I will proactively do canvass for the candidate, ie. Send out ‘speculative’ resumes, in a headhunter’s term. Here I have generated a bio from one of my most admired resumes. This candidate has been off core investment banking roles

Anna Maria D'Souzahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01339606755997538556noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5361687071199346525.post-90774736398330611962008-03-29T21:40:00.005+08:002008-03-31T21:04:17.109+08:00

Video Resume?Sometime ago, a Yale student send a video resume along with an 11-page resume to UBS. The video resume ended up appeared on the internet. UBS declined publishing candidate’s confidential information, but the video resume generated thousands of hits in just matter of days. This did not reflect the effectiveness of a video resume, as the viewers didn’t intend to hire the student, but

Anna Maria D'Souzahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01339606755997538556noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5361687071199346525.post-73669883598412466222008-03-22T22:09:00.002+08:002008-03-22T22:20:08.615+08:00

Very often people ask me this question: What are the most sought after qualifications for investment bankers?CFA: 80 per cent of my candidates have this professional qualification.MSc / MBA: 80 per cent of my candidates have one of these qualifications.However at an entry level, investment banks never require any particular qualifications, though most of them expect a basic bachelor’s degree. To

Anna Maria D'Souzahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01339606755997538556noreply@blogger.com27tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5361687071199346525.post-70933767609579832402008-03-16T21:40:00.004+08:002008-03-29T21:47:30.940+08:00

Today I receive this email from Jimmy Sweeney, in which he talked about "how to block interview stress". It is not investment banking focused, however will benefit all job seekers.Dear Anna,Just the thought of an interview can set your heart a-thumping. Even the word itself, "interview" can bring on cold hands and stomach jitters. When you enter the office and face the employer you may have yet

Anna Maria D'Souzahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01339606755997538556noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5361687071199346525.post-79143475866099357762008-03-01T22:14:00.003+08:002008-11-14T05:52:54.901+08:00

My blog has just turned one year old. Last March, I have executed my plan as to set up a blog to help young people to write a good and effective investment banking resume.My blog experience is mostly encouraging, though some readers let me down.At the beginning, I was answering investment banking career related questions. At a later stage, someone approached me for a free resume critique which I

Anna Maria D'Souzahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01339606755997538556noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5361687071199346525.post-78122844602659972502008-02-16T22:33:00.006+08:002008-02-16T22:42:55.137+08:00

Simon Brazier joined Schroders Graduate Scheme in 1998 and now his AUM is over £500m. Here's what he says about Schroders.Simon Brazier, Equities Fund Manager1998 - Assistant, fund management desk2000 - Managed own funds2006 - Managed UK equity fund2008 - Equities Fund ManagerThe Schroders Graduate Scheme gave me the skills and knowledge to take on my first role as Assistant on the UK fund

Anna Maria D'Souzahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01339606755997538556noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5361687071199346525.post-17586330633901422432008-02-14T21:27:00.004+08:002008-02-14T21:41:43.109+08:00

Asset management is an important arm of investment banking. Let’s look at one of the top players in the market – Schroders.Schroders – World’s Leading Asset Management CompanyAs one of the largest publicly quoted asset management companies in the world, Schroders have around £137 billion of funds under management, as of 30 June 2007, hiring some 2,400 individuals in 26 countries. Headquartered

Anna Maria D'Souzahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01339606755997538556noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5361687071199346525.post-81113222208379644312008-02-12T22:37:00.000+08:002008-02-12T22:47:08.171+08:00

I am going to introduce one more successful young female investment banker today. At the age of 30, Johanna Kyrkland joined Schroders Investment Management as their Head of UK Multi Asset. Her name appeared on the list of FN Rising Star in 2006 and 2007. She is another good example of start early. After graduating from Oxford in 1997, she joined Deutsche Asset Management. In 10 years time,

Anna Maria D'Souzahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01339606755997538556noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5361687071199346525.post-37018473542523451442008-02-02T18:10:00.000+08:002008-11-14T05:52:55.124+08:00

Many believe that the world of investment banking is dominated by men. Quite true to some extent, at least 80% of the population in my company’s database is men. However there are young female investment bankers who are doing exceptionally well. Today, I want to introduce Julie Chakraverty, who became a global head in about ten years of her investment banking career at UBS, along with many other

Anna Maria D'Souzahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01339606755997538556noreply@blogger.com6