If you are interested in finance and eager to learn more, we’ve got you covered! Here are some helpful resources for understanding what a career in finance entails, to help you decide if finance is the right fit for you, and guidance in the Finance Industry Job search.
Exploring & learning more on Career Paths in Finance
The CSE Recorded Events Library
As you explore different career paths in Finance, it is helpful to gain insight from different alumni and speakers who participate in events facilitated by the Career Strategies and Engagement Centre at Brandeis International Business School. The CSE recorded events Library contains a variety of events from speakers working in areas such as Private Equity, Investment Banking M&A, Leveraged Finance, Sales & Trading, Commercial Banking and Accounting. Here you get to learn more about what the job entails in detail and what’s fascinating about a career in finance. Additionally, you also learn more on the way to go about applying and landing a job in these areas of interest. You can also attend more events provided for you through the CSE Weekly Newsletter on Thursday and Weekly Featured Events Blog (on the CSE Connect Scoop) every Tuesday morning throughout your time at the Business School.
Wall Street is the Finance hub of the world and Wall Street Prep is a useful global financial training firm that provides various guides on getting your foot in the door. Established by investment bankers to train the financial services industry, Wall Street Prep trains over 10,000 professionals and students annually. Their client list includes the world’s top investment banks, private equity firms, Fortune 1000 companies and business schools. Online training and instructor-led boot camps are direct adaptations of their corporate training, making Wall Street Prep the ideal choice for those looking to break into finance.
LinkedIn Guide by the LinkedIn Guys
Mastering LinkedIn is a critical component of effective networking. This course is a complete, step-by-step online course to mastering LinkedIn – from turning your profile into a recruiter magnet to engaging alumni and connections around the world to help you get your foot in the door in Finance. Think of it as the manual you wish LinkedIn came with – all visually demonstrated, all updated for the latest version of the website. And it’s waiting for you here as an exclusive resource for Brandeis International Business School students. LinkedIn is a great tool to use in search of landing informational interviews with Alumni working in Finance and learning more about their various roles.
Top Employers and Best Companies for Internships
Vault Guide to Top 25 Banking Employers
The Vault Guide to the Top 25 Banking Employers is the most comprehensive guide to the best investment banks to work for in North America. An essential tool for your banking firm search, this guide includes detailed profiles of the top investment banks and Vault’s most recent investment banking rankings, including the Vault Banking 25, Vault’s Prestige Rankings, Vault’s Quality of Life Rankings, and Vault’s Diversity Rankings.
Firsthand, Formerly VAULT Annual 100 Best Internships List For 2022
Firsthand, formerly Vault published their annual 100 best internships list for 2022, which includes exciting opportunities for Finance related internships. The methodology they used to develop the list was through a survey asking interns to rate their actual internship experiences. On a scale of 1 to 10, with 10 being the highest and 1 being the lowest, respondents were asked to rate their internship experiences in six core areas: Career Development, Compensation and Benefits, Diversity, Full-Time Employment Prospects, Interview Process, and Quality of Life.
The CSE Early Recruiting Guide provides a comprehensive list of employers in Finance and the opportunities thereof. It is a tailor-made guide that suits students who are interested in pursuing a career in Finance, featuring top employers with strong relationships with the CSE and Brandeis International Business School as a whole.
In addition to creating a targeted employer list I find the book titled “The 2 – Hour Job search” recommended by Professor Jennifer Voldins in the Launching Your Global Career Class to be a useful resource in Job search readiness process.
Preparing for the Interview
This is the most exciting part. You have done the hard work and landed an interview at the Company of your dreams for that dream job! It’s always crucial to be prepared for interviews for you to ace them and get the job!
Weekly Finance Interview Practice with Jennifer
Interviews for finance roles require practice and preparation. Do you feel ready? As much as the quantitative skills for jobs in finance are great to have, soft and communication skills are a must-have. The finance interview practice with Jennifer provides you with real-world interview experiences as you get to ask questions on how best to answer various behavioral interview questions and more. (See weekly CSE Newsletter for dates and times each semester)
Practice makes perfect, if you repeat an activity or do it regularly, you will become very good at it. Thus, to be perfect at interviewing you can utilize the big interview system as it gives you a chance to record yourself when answering questions and work on correct techniques.
Vault Guide to Finance Interviews
The Vault Guide to Finance Interviews is a must-have resource for anyone seeking a job with an investment bank, mutual fund, hedge fund, commercial bank, or other financial institution. Competition is fierce for positions in finance, and employers are looking for prospective hires with more than a strong resume and basic skills. The interview process reflects the high-pressure environment of the financial workplace and tests if an applicant will fit into the company environment and apply key financial skills and practices to concrete problems.
The Wall Street Oasis has a comprehensive guide on the most common and frequently asked finance interview questions. Interestingly, the Institute has guides for different areas in finance, ranging from Accounting, Valuation, Behavioral, DCF, LBO model, and the Mergers & Acquisitions (M&A) Model, Thus allowing interviewees to select the guide depending on the area of finance/business unit they are interviewing for.
Interview Attire Guides
It’s always essential to look the part for the Job you are applying for; be it in an informational interview/ informal interview you want to put your best foot forward. The business casual and business formal guides help you get a sense of what is the expected dress code during the interview.
How to Make a Professional Zoom Background
Also check out how to curate an inviting professional zoom background for an interview here.
The Finance Winter Break Round-up was brought to you by CSE Career Captain, Chester Zikhali.
