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

The MBA degree is retaining its value for changing careers or turbo-charging long-term advancement prospects, notwithstanding the recent hiring hiccup and continued uncertainty over job prospects for the class of 2010. Officials at a number of institutions report demand for summer associates is strong, in marked contrast to this time a year ago. "We're seeing more companies, more (interview) schedules, more offers," says Randy Allen, associate dean of the Johnson School,... Read more

Are fundamental equity analysts doomed to be replaced by machines? That's the implication of a recent Reuters story by Dane Hamilton. The sources quoted are mainly quantitative investment experts from the hedge fund community, but also include Brad Hintz, an influential financial services analyst at AllianceBernstein who was once Lehman Brothers' CFO. "At an increasing number of Wall Street investment banks, hedge funds and elsewhere, computers are churning out investment analyses culled... 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

As institutional investors seek a greater number of asset management firms, many are turning to emerging money managers, including more women and minority-owned firms. The growth of these firms will provide more opportunities for a diverse base of investment consultants and asset managers, many pension advisors believe. Speaking at Rainbow Push's Wall Street Project Economic Summit in January, Joseph Haslip, assistant comptroller for the New York City Pension Fund, said smaller start-ups... 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

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

The CFA Institute recently released results for two levels of the June Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA) exams. If you're already in or thinking about signing up for the CFA program, what do the recent and historical pass rates for those exams say about your prospects of making it through the program? Really, not much. During the past five years, roughly 40 percent of candidates who took the CFA Level I and... 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

Crain's New York Business argues Wall Street job losses have been exaggerated. Citing recent data from the New York Department of Labor, the newspaper says only 19,000 financial services jobs have disappeared from the Big Apple since August 2008. Sure, three of the five largest investment banks are gone, and Citigroup and AIG are now wards of the state. And yes, there has been severe contraction, including painful job cuts, especially... 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

Thinking about going back for an MBA after getting canned? You’ve got company. It’s hard to consider a large outlay of cash when you’ve lost your job, but for the cream of the crop at top business schools, job placement remains easy. The return on investment for the rest of the MBA grads out there remains to be seen. In 2010, the University of Chicago Booth School of Business sent the... 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

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

It’s not uncommon for candidates applying to a bulge bracket or top bank to sit through a three- to five-hour interview session. Yes, the interview has become a marathon session, designed to break you down and reveal every little point of knowledge, as well as your personality flaws. But if you want the job, then you need some effective tools to do your best. Admittedly, the run-around with four or... Read more

Job hunting in this market takes a little extra effort. Here’s how to stand out. 1) Get networking By being well-networked, you’ll not only be able to tap into the "hidden" job market, but you’ll also be giving yourself a real advantage over other candidates, says Andrew Hanson, director, financial services, Robert Walters. “Your network should include anyone who can assist you with a job search or career move –... Read more

The average highly experienced equity portfolio manager based in the U.S. is earning $499,000 in total compensation, new survey figures show. The average fixed-income portfolio manager with 10 or more years' experience earns $350,000. But equally experienced managers of indexed and other portfolios make far less: a median of $190,000, according to the CFA Institute's latest member compensation survey. The Virginia-based institute runs the Chartered Financial Analyst program. The survey measured... Read more