What'll it be - a graduate degree in finance or a CFA charter? A growing number of universities have set out to provide the tools to acquire both. Around the world, some 41 educational institutions have signed on to a partnership program that the CFA Institute initiated in April 2006. The schools embed in their graduate curricula at least 70 percent of the "body of knowledge" that forms the basis of... Read more

First came asset write-downs. Then came bailouts. Now, the U.S. government is taking a large, voting equity stake in Citigroup. The chain of events pulling significant pillars of the financial industry from shareholder to government control is coming to look increasingly inexorable. But what does nationalizing a bank do to the careers and compensation outlooks of professionals who work there? Constrained upside will drive producers and senior executives to seek... Read more

The good news: Booming Middle East markets are cushioning investment banks' head counts. The bad news: To keep your job, you might have to move there. For years, bank executives have focused expansion plans on emerging markets. Now, as record oil prices propel Mideast wealth while prospective deal business in Europe and the U.S. slows, the bright spot on management's globe is revealing a dark side for some Western bankers' career... Read more

You are nearing the end of an interview with a potential employer. It has gone well, in the sense that there were no questions that made you sweat or stutter. At this point, you are suppose to ask the interviewer some questions which bedazzle her with such insightfulness that she will not let you out of the meeting without your signature on an employment offer. But let's for argument's sake assume... Read more

Finding a great job in the financial markets can be challenging in the best of times, but when Wall Street firms announce the kind of headcount reductions we’ve been seeing lately the search becomes down right daunting. And according to a survey eFinancialCareers conducted this month with financial professionals, recruiters may not really help job seekers all that much either. The survey found that while nearly four out of five (78%)... Read more

The expected cost of new regulations being implemented from financial reform was cited at the SIFMA Dodd-Frank impact Analysis conference as one reason banks are reluctant create new jobs. "There's a capital strike going on in corporate America," said Larry Kudlow, economist and host of the CNBC program, "The Kudlow Report." Speaking at the conference, Kudlow went on to say banks are "afraid to take the risk of hiring until... Read more

It's called the "100,000 Jobs Mission," and the goal is to hire 100,000 veterans by 2020, according to JPMorgan Chase, which has partnered with 10 other companies to provide jobs for members of the military who are leaving service. Nate Herman, Executive Director of Military and Veterans Affairs at JPMorgan Chase, says the mission is well underway and that approximately 10 veterans have been hired every day since March. “We... Read more

"Since Obama was elected, we don't have a diversity issue anymore," one HR consultant I know said recently. She was being sarcastic. And, indeed, a number of black professionals continue to face high hurdles as they search for work, even when they have experience with top firms and degrees from top schools. Between January and October 2009 the disparity in joblessness between whites and blacks with college degrees was more severe... Read more

Call it what you like, Citi (formerly Citigroup) is doing well. Does that make it a good place to work? Not everyone's convinced. Last week the Financial Times ran a flattering profile of Citi, pointing out the world's biggest bank is now a force to be reckoned with in sectors ranging from M&A to corporate finance. This week, Financial News followed suit, saying the bank has "proved itself," "fine-tuned the use... Read more

The ranks of Charter Financial Analysts in Canada are growing. More than 9,990 are registered to take the CFA exam in June, up 68 percent from 5,914 in 2006. Bob Johnson, deputy chief executive of the non-profit CFA Institute, says that's a sign of growing interest in the certification by employers, and the greater availability of training at colleges. Moreover, Johnson says, the number of candidates taking the exam for the... Read more

Chinese economic expansion is sparking demand for various finance professionals for work within the U.S., says private equity consultant Song Jin. As privately owned Chinese firms move to invest in U.S. businesses and raise capital here, they'll need experienced U.S.-based investment bankers, lawyers, accountants and investor relations professionals, among others. That incipient trend, a by-product of the U.S. financial crisis and recession, marks the flip side of Western bankers' longstanding... Read more

The idea of taking a pay cut is anathema for all working professionals—especially for finance execs used to handsome compensation packages. But many are finding their paychecks and pocketbooks to be much leaner this year. For those impacted by a slash in pay, unlike before, most are choosing to stay put, says Ken Murray, president of Mercury Partners, an executive search practice for front office finance professionals. He says it’s... Read more

If there is ever a poignant piece of advice that university lecturers and textbooks failed to warn me about upon graduating and entering the workforce, it is the fundamentals of office politics. Not long after finding my feet in my new professional environment, I learned pretty quickly that sometimes it’s the brownnosing and “who you know, not what you know” ticket that guarantees movement up the corporate ladder. I have... Read more

You may be tired of hearing that it’s a buyer’s market when it comes to jobs in the financial markets. And these days it’s not only the employers who aren’t responding to job applicants. Recruiters haven’t been on their best behavior either. In fact, candidates are complaining that when it comes to common courtesies, such as returning phone calls and following up with interviewees with advice on why they didn’t... Read more

Despite the shakeup in traditional banking, asset-based lenders appear to be standing on solid ground. For finance professionals interested in commercial finance, the field can be a great long-term option. But finding opportunities may require some creativity. In a nutshell, asset-based lending is secured credit, with the loan traditionally backed by inventory, accounts receivables, or company equipment. Even less tangible items can back the loan - such things as trademarks or... Read more

Editor's note: This article first appeared on our Australian site. A spate of layoffs in recent months means some financial services professionals face the daunting prospect of job hunting while unemployed. Those fortunate enough to get an interview will of course be asked why their old employer got rid of them. Here’s a short guide to dealing with that situation. 1) Chill: the interviewer would be more worried if you... Read more

A recent post on a banker's blog called Mergers & Inquisitions offers seven useful tips for avoiding burnout when you work 80 to 100 hours per week and may be on call even while away. Its anonymous author says he got the idea from a reader who had recently completed a banking internship. Much of his advice is applicable to anyone who spends the majority of their time in an... Read more

It seems like the old boys’ network is alive and well on Wall Street, if only because guys know how to make one another feel like part of the team even before a relationship’s been established. Connie Thanasoulis-Cerrachio, head of career coaching firm SixFigureStart, recently observed this clearly when she and some colleagues interviewed asset management analyst recruits from top undergraduate colleges and universities. Some of the male interviewers greeted... Read more