Does my resume suck - Job hunting

Hey everyone.

I've been job hunting since about June and I'm getting pretty frustrated. I've kept up the good fight but I keep trying to tweak my resume (my latest is below). My goal is to get a position in ER or prop S&T, as those are where my current interests lie, but, my experiences are a little different. Non-target, 3.5 GPA, triple major math/econ/stat, 2 years Federal Reserve Board RA.

Anyone know what I should be doing that I'm not?

Thanks everyone.

https://docs.google.com/fileview?id=0B6lfiH4iWEZi…;HL=en&authkey=CMyqytcP

8 Comments
 
Best Response

Alright. Well glancing over your resume, I can tell you are intelligent enough to do the job (decent GPA for triple major, solid standardized test scores...).

What I immediately recognize though, is your resume's lack of financial touch and experience. I look at your resume and say,"why does he want to do banking?" I personally cannot answer this question from your resume and would assume that recruiters share a similar sentiment. You are late in the game, but think of how you can better, on paper, display your keen interest in IB.

CFA is a good start. I would also consider completing Wall Street Prep / Training the Street / Bloomberg certification and adding that on your resume as well. Also, considering a part-time finance internship during the fall or spring semester while you continue your search. Cheers

 
marcellus_wallaceWhy would a prop trader, ever complete Wall Street Prep?

Would say your resume is solid, also you seem like a good candidate for an MSF program and then a job on an exotics desk.

Have you PM'd or talked to illiniprogrammer on here?

Yeah. We had a good talk and he gave me some resume pointers, said he would keep an eye out.

As far as grad school goes, I'm thinking about it but I want to take it easy first. Pretty much everyone that I know over the age of, well, an age, has told me to find what I love doing before investing in a graduate degree. I also am leaning towards prop trading, if it's possible for me to do, as it might give me a little more initiative and be less hierarchical. Of course if JPM told me tomorrow they needed me, well shit, where do I sign up so of course I've been applying everywhere.

 
Cartwrighti posted some comments about this on another thread.

I'd lose the LSAT unless you want people to question your motivations/think you are going to law school.

Agree with financial touch lacking (quantify some things).

Also think you need to lose the SAT...you're 2 years out of college...

Right, I saw those suggestions. I agree with the losing the SAT and LSAT - I'm going to replace that with the CFA I in june thing. I don't know what to make up for in the "lacking finance experience" area. Most of the roles that I would be interested in would be ER which I think my research role has prepared me well for in a junior position, and S&T which I think that my math and stats background and generally being a smart cookie will do well for me. So I guess that is what I'm trying to communicate.

 

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