Englishman in New York
Hi to everybody on this forum. I'm looking for some advice to polish my job-hunt strategy.
I'm a 22 year old English postgraduate intent on moving to New York in September to start the job hunt. I have a Canadian passport and so visa issues for certain industries (consulting, accounting, economics (banking/finance) are to some extent straightforward, IF an employer is willing to play ball.
I have a law degree and will have finished a Masters degree in International Business from a top UK business school who consistently rank #6 or #7 globally for international business. My honors thesis is on the asset management industry and I am set to graduate second in class with a rough equivalent of 3.9 - 4.0 GPA summa cum laude.
My financial work experience is, however, lacking but I do have a couple of small-scale business start-ups as experience as well as a research roles for a local business consulting operation.
I’m currently learning the basics of financial modeling and really trying to get up to date after a change of heart (having studied law).
Basically, my girlfriend is moving to New York to go to drama school with the intention of staying on indefinitely and I certainly have no qualms about doing the same.
I was hoping that some kind Americans could help fill in the common knowledge in the USA recruitment world that I am currently lacking. I intend on applying to the major graduate schemes but I know they recruit a year in advance and given the campus based recruiting system over your way, I will struggle making contact.
I thought I could start by attending NYU’s career fairs (is this possible?) to make contact, whether it be legitimately (with permission) or in a more guerilla way.
I also thought on a more direct approach to making myself known, as in physically visiting employers and speculatively applying.
And of course the usual recruitment agency approach.
Basically I’m sick and tired of recruitment done from the comfort of a computer and am looking to take a more pro-active stance seeing as the graduate schemes won’t be available from the offset anyway as I am coming out of season. I won’t be anything like as gung-ho as Bud from Wall Street but I wouldn’t be happy moving to New York to look for work sat at a computer desk.
I also might have the chance for some work experience in a private equity firm but only for a few weeks. How much will this increase my odds of finding employment in what is already a rough market?
Ideally research analyst roles in the buy side would be more appropriate for me as I feel I’d have a lot to offer in the business research areas. However I know how hard this venture is going to be and so would be willing to take anything that isn’t for math/physics graduates. I can’t come over with the attitude that ‘I want to be a prop trader for firm x’.
I know I’ve been pretty generalist regarding my actual employment positions but I really wanted to get the feel for what is acceptable behaviour in the recruitment market rather than the technicalities of each position. If my understanding of the US market is similar to my knowledge of the UK market, employers look for stellar academics of almost any discipline from a top school, a strong interest in finance, certain personal characteristics that means you’ll fit in and then that X-factor, whatever that may personally be.
Thanks in advance for any much-needed advice on these matters and please, please correct me if I’m wrong (which I most likely am!)
Cheers
Steve
My advice is get whatever experience you can get there (in the UK), even if for just a few months, before coming over. Seriously, credentials are nice (and yours sound amazing), but experience, substantial or not, is pretty much invaluable on the resume. Like London, NYC is a cold place. People don't do people favours just on a whim. You getting into an NYU event "legally" will be impossible, but you'll likely be able to get in physically, no problem. It'd be a good way to at least meet some people and grab some business cards.
You have the advantage of having a unique background (unique = both good and bad), but make sure you capitalize on the positive differences in making yourself standout.
As a Canadian, I know that getting a work permit for US work is commonly done, but, as you said, not without a bunch of hurdle/hoop jumping first. Company sponsorship is mandatory, as you said....and many companies shy away from the process even if they really like you, cuz there's another joe bloe they can take instead. Even the biggest firms/banks do this.
The first thing they'll ask you in an application/interview for a US work Visa is, will you be taking a position from a homegrown US citizen? At this point, the real answer to that is YES (the market blows), so it might be more difficult to get things going now than it was just a year ago.
Thank GW and the Fed a thankyou note for that.
That's my input. Good luck.
Your school is ranked 6-7 for "international business"? WOW! You know who is number ONE at "international business"? Thunderbird University. Here's a tip: Don't try to hide the shitty quality of your school by bringing up obscure rankings.
http://www.drmarkklein.blogspot.com/
It seems to me he meant ranked as a top international MBA program. Correct me if I'm wrong.
Someone has to balance out the skepticism of ^^^
Get experience in the UK. Unless you have a trust fund or substantial amount of savings, I wouldn't come to NY without a job. NYC is very expensive and it just wouldn't be sustainable.
You also probably won't be able to work with an executive recruiter as most of the good firms don't recruit for people who don't have experience.
It's pretty much what I have been thinking myself about the experience. Just getting any worthwhile work experience in the UK involves moving to London and my savings are practically worth twice as much in the States.
Judging from some of the responses, the market doesn't quite seem as uptight or formal as the UK but does come close...which is essentially what I wanted to know.
Mark Klein - If my placid, casual post agitated you so much, you should go to the doctors to have your blood pressure checked - you need to get a grip.
matty200 - I was just trying to give some background. My school's ranked in the Top 50 MBAs but has a speciality in the international elements, of which make up most of my pre-experience MSc.
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