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Breaking into Wall Street doesn’t have to be difficult, as long as you go about it the right away.

First off, you don’t need to be the next Einstein to get in.

This is a big misconception.

Yes, some math is required in investment banking - but it’s very simple and doesn’t go much beyond basic arithmetic.

Rather than obsessing about learning advanced financial modeling, focus on the fundamentals and what you need for interview prep.

Investment banking is much more about perspiration than inspiration - as long as you’re a hard worker you can pick up everything you need along the way.

Next, don’t assume that you need a 4.0 GPA at Harvard to break in.

That certainly gives you an advantage, but people from less privileged backgrounds get in all the time.

So what do you “need” to break in? For one, you need to be much more aggressive with your networking efforts, contacting alumni and cold-calling extensively.

And you can’t go for Goldman Sachs and Morgan Stanley if you have less-than-stellar credentials: set your sights lower.

Going along with that last point, don’t assume that bulge bracket investment banks are the only banks out there.

Your odds are much, much better if you go for local boutique firms rather than bulge bracket investment banks.

So think about starting somewhere small, spending a few years there, and then making the jump to a larger bank.

The day-to-day work at large investment banks and boutique firms is similar - but at large banks you get a better brand-name, and you can move to a wider range of private equity firms and hedge funds afterward.

Those factors are important, but it’s far better to get into a local boutique rather than no investment bank at all.

So do what you can, and fix it afterward.

Finally, don’t assume that certifications and exams will help you break into Wall Street.

Is the CFA useful? Will the CPA help you? Should you go for a Bloomberg certification?

No, no, and no.

These exams are just excuses to be *active* rather than *productive*.

Investment bankers care about your work experience and internships, where you went to school, and how much networking you’ve done… and not much else.

So stop studying for the CFA and start networking and finding solid internships.

Riyan Richter is a Contributing Author to several finance-related news and educational sites, including Breaking Into Wall Street and Mergers & Inquisitions. He writes about economic news, the job search, career issues, and networking.

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JobConcierge.com has worked together with recruiters, LinkedIn and its own contacts to compile over 1,500 recruiter contacts, making JobConcierge one of the most comprehensive free lists of recruiters and headhunters on the internet. Always remember that recruiters and headhunters are a necessary part of the job search and long-term career development and are valuable resources.

“The free recruiter and headhunter database is extensive - there are recruiters in nearly every industry and in all states from New York all the way to Alaska and Hawaii. It’s a great addition to the JobConcierge human-powered executive job search service. The mission of JobConcierge is to help jobseekers find their next jobs in the most efficient manner possible.” says Jason Lee, JobConcierge.com founder.

“JobConcierge members have really taken advantage of the executive recruiter database (http://www.jobconcierge.com/best-executive-recruiters) - while our members are out there growing their business networks (http://www.jobconcierge.com/job-fairs), a dedicated team of professionally trained HR professionals are working hard screening job boards for opportunities for them. Remember the keys to success in today’s challenging environment is being persistent and casting the job net as wide as possible”

“We found that by only using the major job boards, many job searchers were missing as much as half the jobs out there relevant to them. The average jobseeker spends 50 hours each month in front of the computer searching through the major online job boards. What people don’t realize is that they’re finding the same jobs that everyone else has already found and wondering why their search isn’t going anywhere. We’re proud to offer the JobConcierge job search optimization service that’ll put more people back on track towards finding the careers of their dreams.” says Jason Lee, JobConcierge.com founder.

JobConcierge helps jobseekers widen their job searches and increase their chances of finding the right jobs in less time, by focusing on job search optimization. JobConcierge is a human-powered job search service where real people search through over 300 job boards and submit applications.

JobConcierge offers executive jobs - real people search 300 job boards & submit apps. The site is known for best executive search firms

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The economic recession has led many jobseekers to spend an increasing amount of time searching for jobs on endless number of job boards. JobConcierge.com is a human-powered job search service where real people search through over 300 job boards and submit applications. By focusing on job search optimization, JobConcierge helps jobseekers widen their job searches and increase their chances of finding the right jobs in less time.

Here’s how the service works: 1. After registration. Every jobseeker assigned a personal JobConcierge - a professionally trained HR Professional. 2. With the jobseeker’s personal criteria in mind, the personal concierge manually searches over three hundred job boards, including over 2 million job listings.

3. The jobseeker receives custom job results each week. As the process continues, his personal JobConcierge works with him to refine his results each step along the way. 4. The assigned JobConcierge submits online job applications for selected listings on the jobseeker’s behalf, saving hours of time. At any time, jobseekers may communicate with his JobConcierge to provide feedback and get answers to any questions.

“People don’t realize is that when they search through online job boards they are finding the same jobs that everyone else has already found. This is the reason why their job searches don’t go anywhere. We found that by only using the major job boards, many job searchers were missing as much as half the jobs that are relevant to them. “We’re proud to offer the JobConcierge job search optimization service that’ll put more people back on track towards finding the careers of their dreams.” says Jason Lee, JobConcierge.com founder.

JobConcierge is a human-powered job search service where real people search through over 300 job boards and submit applications. By focusing on job search optimization, JobConcierge helps jobseekers widen their job searches and increase their chances of finding the right jobs in less time.

JobConcierge is the destination for executive level jobs - real people search 300 job boards & submit apps. The site is known for best executive recruiters find

categories: executive job search sites,executive job boards,executive jobs,job fairs,jobs,career

There are three main ways to look for a job. The first is through headhunters. The second is through your own personal network. And the last is searching online. The last is usually the most overwhelming for people, and it’s not hard to see why. Wikipedia estimates that there are over 40,000 job related websites online. We’ll discuss the most useful online job search advice here, so you can concentrate on creating the maximum impact per time spent.

To begin, the first and most common way to look for a job is through online job boards. Almost everyone has heard of the popular general job boards, including Yahoo HotJobs, CareerBuilder and Monster.com. General job boards are good places to start, but ultimately are only the starting points to a successful online job search. In order to take things one step further, one must delve deeper into industry job boards.

Each industry has its own niche job boards. For example, in Finance, one popular job board is efinancialcareers.com while in the Food Beverage industry one is BevForce.com. By using only the general job boards, you will end up missing over half of the jobs out there for you, so looking deeply into niche job boards is a must. One of the best places to see which job boards exist in your niche is the JobConcierge Best Industry Job Boards on the Internet List. JobConcierge sent a survey to over three thousand executives in various industries on what job boards they found most useful and recommended. The JobConcierge Best Industry Niche Job Boards List is comprehensive and very helpful. Searching through the various job boards is extremely time consuming, but if you really want to maximize your chances of finding your next job quickly, there’s no other choice.

The other way to look for a job online is through social media, also known as the web 2.0 of job hunting online. This aspect of social media job networking commonly refers to LinkedIn, Facebook and Twitter. Our first advice to you is to separate your work accounts from your personal accounts. Although this is common sense, no one actually does it until a mistake has already happened. Although LinkedIn is typically a business networking website, you should create a separate FaceBook and Twitter account or adjust your privacy settings to keep your personal and work life separate.

The topic of using social media in the job hunt could cover a whole book, and we’ve only covered the very basic. To create the greatest impact early on, start extending your personal brand on the internet by interacting in discussions on Twitter, LinkedIn and Facebook. All these sites have specific topic groups and LinkedIn has a Q&A discussion board. Whatever industry that you are in, start by showing off your expertise by answering questions and engaging in conversations related to your topic. At the bottom of each message that you write, leave your name and email contact information so people who like what you write, and later headhunters who score the web, can add your contact information. The true piece of advice is to be consistent and sincere. There are many people who work for a week and then give up, but the people who truly succeed are the ones who dedicate small chunks of time on a daily and weekly basis.

JobConcierge is the destination for executive level jobs - real people search 300 job boards & submit apps. The site is known for best executive recruiters find

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Always remember that you have an opportunity to develop a working relationship with the search firms that should last over time. If an executive recruiter successfully places you in a position that you deserve, you both benefit from it. If successful your recruiter will keep you in mind for future positions, and is also likely to see you as well as a source of information about individuals who could be good candidates for other openings. As a result you should consider executive recruiters as a valuable resource and a necessary part of your long-term career development, rather than just a one-time service that can help you find your next job. For a comprehensive list of executive job recruiters in your state or industry, check out the JobConcierge free list of top executive recruiters.

Never give repeated calls to the executive recruiter once you have sent in your information. The life of an executive recruiter can be quite hectic and intense, and repeated phone calls from you asking if they’ve found any job openings will annoy them and diminish your chances of being seen as a viable candidate. Give them a chance to do their job and keep contacts with them to a minimum. Call only to confirm whether they have received your material or not, you should definitely call them to know if your employment status changes. Otherwise you should expect to hear from them, rather than vice versa.

There may be cases where you may find a job opening on your own; either by networking or some other means, but when you apply for it you may be informed that the search is being handled by an executive recruiter. Always remember to ask the kind of agency that is involved if the recruiter is Retained-Based, follow the suggestions of the company about how to be included in the job application process. On the other hand if it’s being handled by Contingency-based firms it would be appropriate to apply directly to the company on your own; particularly if you are able to find someone in your network that can help you get past the initial screening process and get to the interview stage. There’s a lot of job advice out there on the internet. For interview advice or general job advice, check out the JobConcierge Collection of Best Job Search Advice on the Internet.

Always clarify your doubts about the profile that you’re offered by a search firm. It is wise to ask as many questions as you can-the responsibilities you will have, who you will report to, the salary and benefits, and other information about the company that isn’t accessible on their website. A good recruiter will always help be willing to share these with you- the recruiter is likely to have helped the organization determine salary levels and other job particulars, and is in a position to help you negotiate the details. So we can assume that it is more important when you receive an offer.

There can be a real conflict between the firms and the hiring company, regarding who should be paid the fees for presenting you if you are hired. This should be safeguarded by avoiding multiple search firms present you the same job openings. Other than executive recruiters, be sure to check out industry niche job boards at the JobConcierge Best Industry Job Boards.

JobConcierge offers executive jobs - real people search 300 job boards & submit apps. The site is known for best executive search firms

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Interviews should be always taken as a purposeful and highly focused conversation. Always discuss why you want both this type of work and a position with this particular employer. Identify your strengths in relation to each job for which you interview. Always back them with examples to make your answers more credible and memorable. Whatever you put in your resume is always gives scope for discussion. Be ready to explain or discuss any item on it. Interviews offer you the employer the opportunity to learn whether or not there is a “fit” between you and the employer’s organization. Preparation is vital

Be prepared for questions that will be asked in terms of superlatives. Typically the questions are What was your most challenging experience? Your best job? Your worst mistake? Anticipate and prepare for such questions. It’s always good to learn as much possible about the organization, industry and position. Ask for the name and the title of the person with whom you will meet and inquire as to what the day will entail. A full day will often include a group interview and perhaps a meeting over lunch. If you’re a doctoral student applying for a research position, you’ll usually also be asked to give a talk. On-campus recruiters typically make a great deal of information available to you in the library. If you have questions, be sure to ask the executive recruiter or headhunter who helped setup the interview. You can find a free list of recruiters who hire people for executive jobs and executive level jobs at JobConcierge Best Executive Recruiters.

When appearing for interviews obtain appropriate clothes. A conservative suit is standard interview attire for both men and women. In some settings, dress is somewhat less formal. A lively, friendly and confident approach to a first meeting can set the stage for positive impressions. In some settings, dress is somewhat less formal. A lively, friendly and confident approach to a first meeting can set the stage for positive impressions. Approach the interview situation with enthusiasm that is expressed in your body language and demeanor. Make transportation plans and arrive early so there is no chance of unnecessary stress being created by a late arrival. Prepare questions that are not answered by the employer’s annual report or brochure. They should relate to what you need to know: the scope of the job, the reporting structure, and how the position develops over time.

Always remember to keep your answers job-related in case of interviews. Initial screening generally lasts about 30 minutes. It varies from highly structured question-answer formats to open-ended conversations. Also remember that you have a brief time to discuss your qualifications.

In many cases initial screenings are sometimes conducted by telephone. Prepare for your telephone interview in the same way that you prepare for a face-to-face meeting by researching the organization, reviewing your resume and knowing your own strengths and professional goals. Use positive body language and facial expressions to be sure that your voice expresses your energy and enthusiasm. If you are interviewed by more than one person, take notes as they introduce themselves so you can remember who is who. Designate a time and arrange a quiet, orderly and private space at your telephone for the discussion. For more job search advice and job interview advice, check out the JobConcierge Best Job Search Advice on the Internet. JobConcierge collected some of the best job search advice on guerrilla job tactics, interview advice, and common job search mistakes and resume advice and ranked the best articles on the executive job search website.

JobConcierge is the destination for executive level jobs - real people search 300 job boards & submit apps. The site is known for best executive recruiters find

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Internet has become a part of our everyday living, so it is no surprise that many people look for employment opportunities on the internet. Millions of job opening on the job search sites lure the average web users to turn to them. Applying, mailing the resume and talking to their potential employers have been made easy. The economy is also expected to pick up in early 2010 as firms begin hiring again. Keeping up with the current market trends, networking at job fairs and searching for jobs online will make the user aware of new opportunities as they come by and they will convert them into offers.

It is estimated that there are thousands of other sites that have job openings — company Web sites, professional association Web sites, Chamber of Commerce Web sites, college alumni Web sites, etc. There are also about 80,000 job sites. That’s definitely more options that we would use in our entire lifetime.

Yahoo HotJobs, CareerBuilder and Monster.com are popular general job boards. They are good places to start the job search but into to take things one step further we must explore deeper into industry job boards.

JobConcierge Best Industry Job Boards is a great place to look for your niche job boards on the internet. Job Concierge sent out a survey to over 3,000 executives in various fields on LinkedIn asking them which job boards they use and like. We compiled the very best niche job boards out there. Combing through the various job boards is extremely tiring, time consuming and a job by itself. But if you want to be thorough and maximize your chances of finding your job, it’s a must-do.

Check out the JobConcierge Best Job Search Advice Collection on the Internet. The layout of the Best Job Search Advice page is easy to understand and anyone can quickly look over whatever topic they’re interested in. So whether you’re looking for advice on changing your career, cover letter tips, guerrilla job tactics or just browsing around. JobConcierge - the human powered job search is the perfect place for you to search for job related tactics. Don’t assume that every e-mail message you send is received and read! Companies and people have responded to this deluge of junk e-mail by using filtering software in an attempt to separate the “good” mail from the “bad.” So your message and resume may be deleted or diverted by one of these electronic gate keepers. Following up via phone and “snail mail” is a necessity.

JobConcierge offers executive jobs - real people search 300 job boards & submit apps. The site is known for best executive recruiters find

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Social media sites such as Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn has been front and center on many job hunters. Most likely if you have made some forays into these areas already. While many people are getting success by using these social sites into their job search strategy, if you have little experience using these sites, you might not know from where to begin. It is better if you decide your overall purpose before jumping into these social media sites. Recently Shama Hyder, social media expert and CEO of the Internet marketing firm, said in her interview, Click-to-Client, advises job hunters to first start with a focus. The biggest mistake she found in people that they just post their profiles on these social media sites without having any future employer in their mind. So It is better if you start with a purposeful profile and think from the perspective of what overall first impression that employer will have of you. Hyder suggests only listing interests that support or underscore your purpose.

Most job hunters think of themselves as a list of skills, job duties and responsibility when anybody talk about purpose or focus. Obviously this thing is not going to make you stand out in world of social media. There are two major issues which grip employers: too little time, and unfilled job problems. Because no employer has time leisurely read through hundreds, if not thousands of candidate profile on facebook or Linkedln. Moreover there mind always focused on the immediate job openings and the problem this is causing them. So you can break this thing through the social media barriers?

Consider your BOD.

You should have a clear cut idea about your USP which would make a perfect sense for an employer to hire you. There is good way to do that according to Hyder is to develop what she calls a “BOD”. This stands for Brand, Outcome, and Differentiator, and is a good way to answer the question “Why would an employer hire me?”

Brand

There is lot of personal brand information on the Web. If you want to describe yourself in front of the employer then brand is a concise sentences or phrase that can quickly describe you. This is actually called a Unique Selling Proposition in the marketing world. What is it that sets you apart from other candidates looking for a similar job or opportunity? It is even better if your brand can be summed up with one word. While most of us cannot be able to condense our brand into one word, we should at least have it down to a sentence or phrase.

Outcome

This is what I see missing from so many resumes and profile. What is the one single benefit you can provide to them? Always remember employers have no interest in pawing through lists of skill sets or past duties. They want to know whether you can contribute to the organization or not. Right now. So imagine that if an employer were to hire you, what is the single biggest benefit that YOU bring? This is the outcome of hiring you.

Differentiator

Before settling on just interview employers today may look thousand of potential candidates. So it is better if you ask from yourself that what potential you have that can stand you out from others. What contribution you can provide to the company which others can’t. This is your differentiator. Examples of good differentiators might be your expertise as a cold caller, your bi-lingual expertise or your combined technical and management abilities as a project manager. Look for factors that employers would highly value when searching for your differentiator.

Summary

Always start with a profile that is purposeful from your standpoint because these social media sites offer new venue for both employer and job hunter. It is good to see that what your employer first impression and then use your BOD to your best advantage to quickly cut through the white noise of your competitors. Once you are clear with your message then you can enjoy the benefits that social media sites like Facebook, LinkedIn and Twitter can provide you as a job hunter.

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The best way of mastering jobs is attending job fairs. It is necessary to prepare yourself before attending any expo. Generally, all job fairs have similar elements and processes which require your attention. The most important aspect is how efficiently you distribute you resumes and make contacts with the employees of different companies.

Working for a company, after all, isn’t only about technical skills. Beyond using Microsoft Excel, PowerPoint, and Word, you have to work in teams with superiors, underlings, and colleagues to meet company objectives. At job fairs, recruiters thus want to see if you are capable of normal social interaction and if they could work with you for five days a week in a professional environment. In some ways, they are testing your social skills.

As with resumes, you will want to research companies in advance to enhance your interaction with representatives. You want to be able to ask company-specific, intelligent questions and avoid sounding like you don’t know what you’re getting into. You can easily find company information by (1) finding official websites, (2) Googling the name of the company, or (3) linking from job-fair websites (such as www.jobconcierge.com’s job-fair page: http://www.jobconcierge.com/job-fairs) that you may have used to find the fair in the first place.

Once you have finished speaking with each company, you should not forget to pick up business cards before leaving. On the back of the business cards and immediately after each event (perhaps in your car or once you’ve arrived home), take notes about personal and professional details that you learned about each recruiter. It will be difficult to remember what you talked about after two or three days go by. You will want to use the cards and notes later for follow-up letters or name-referencing in future interviews. For job search advice and follow up letters advice, be sure to check out the JobConcierge’s Best Job Search Advice on the Internet (http://www.jobconcierge.com/best-job-search-advice)

Always remember to send thank-you letters to the representatives with whom you spoke. It is a common and professional courtesy that is generally expected of all serious fair-goers. They will serve as another signal that you are interested in working for the company. You can let them know that you appreciate their time and are enthusiastic about the opportunity to work for them in the future. The thank-you letter should not be sent any later than 48 hours after your interaction with the representative. With any luck, those good impressions-combined with a strong, targeted resume-will convert your job-fair effort into a new career. So whether you’re looking for advice on general job advice, job fair advice, or thank you and follow up letters advice, JobConcierge’s free job search advice is the right place comes to start your executive job search.

JobConcierge offers automated job search - real people search 300 job boards and submit applications to take care of your entire online job search. The site is known for its best jobs for 2010

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Resume is not designed to get you a job. A resume can’t make you qualified for positions outside your area of expertise. When we compare between entry level or mid level resume executive resume’s tend to be longer (two or even three pages is the norm) or even a bit more detailed, and emphasize strategic contribution. The resume along with other documents should present a sharp, focused, cohesive picture of whom you are and why you are valuable.

1. A summary will give a better start to resume as compared to an objective. You should start your resume with an objective, what is required at the starting of your resume is a clear cut mention of your strong points which would inspire an employer to give proper attention to your resume. The summary should reflect the highlights of your career contribution and properly tell the kind of profile you’re looking for.

2 Showing chronologically work history is always a good idea. In case, responding to any recruiters online, your purpose won’t be fulfilled if your resume does not show your work history in a chronological manner as most employers like to easily go-through it thatway followed by a powerful introduction. Properly display details of your job, employer and the time-period of job assignment even when trying to show any not-so-shining recent experience. If not following these standards, the probability of your resume making way to further gets diminished.

3 Your Resume should be more about that what you did instead what were your duties in the job. Rather than describing your scope of responsibility describe your achievements and contribution. Things you did to improve the revenue, profitability, productivity, customer satisfaction or contribution to other business objective. As an Executive it is better to be focus on strategic contribution rather than administrative task. By doing all this things be sure that you are communicating the big picture in your resume. Employers are pretty intelligent; they can make assumptions based on the job titles.

4. Always present your resume to highlight your achievements as a challenge you achieved. Instead of showing that you increased the revenue by 23 percent you should show that revenues grew by 23 percent and the company achieved profitability for the first time. It is always important that you make your resume in such a way that it is easy for the reader to pick up important information. Use of type enhancements, bullets and indentations to create an organizational hierarchy that makes your information easy to absorb. Never make any spelling or grammatical errors

JobConcierge offers automated job search - real people who search 300 job boards and submit applications to take care of your entire online job search. The site is known for its best jobs for 2010

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