Hello everyone, thank you for the wonderful input you have already provided and I hope you will be able to provide me with more of the same. Your words are simply invaluable to a young professional such as myself.
As a bit of background, I am a May 2009 Finance grad (see link below) currently in the Financial Services industry, looking for an entry into Investment Banking or Sales & Trading. As I am from a non-target, I'm looking for any slant to get a leg up in the recruiting process, and I believe that solidifying my resume is my key to an interview. I am also interested in a position in the energy industry, whether in a financial or trading role.
EDIT: My current position is more of a credit portfolio analyst position, as evidenced by the job description, but I worry that my title does not adequately portray that to a recruiter who may be skimming my resume. Any suggestions?
Any insight about how to make it more attractive to any potential employers would be most welcome.
Thanks in advance
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Hi, thanks so much for your reply. I guess the answer to your question would be an either/or sort of situation. I have a feeling that IB would be my preferred choice, though I believe my resume is currently set up towards the S&T side. Would you agree? I placed an emphasis on the academia to counter the lower cumulative GPA and to show skills in Mathematics in particular.
Would you think this resume is too academic? I guess I had it geared towards S&T, believing that research would help my cause.
As for the GPA, I'd certainly like to explain that to employers. I was a pre-med that transferred to Finance. I placed at a 3.49 in my major-related, but due to my extensive pre-med courseload, my cumulative was quite a bit lower. Of course, that's not what a recruiter is going to see, but if anyone could address this situation and frame it more positively, that would be a great help to me.
In all seriousness, that resume is total garbage. Stop making things harder for nontarget kids by annoying people with jobs in real finance, and reap the lack of rewards from the seeds you sewed while treating every week like it was Mardi Gras whilst living in New Orleans for college. Seriously, you don't even know whether you want to do banking or S&T, so it looks like your still not serious about this, and only want these jobs because yours blows. Guess what though bud: You deserve it.
Also, a 3.49 major-related GPA is dogshit, so if thats your explanation of the 3.2, save it. A 3.49 wouldn't even get you any interviews at a real firm. Serious people don't put major-related GPAs on a resume unless they are incredibly high (3.8+), but usually only do it if it is a 4.0.
It's insulting when you say your GPA is low because you were a pre-med major, you are basically saying that you flunked at that, so you switched to finance because you don't have to be smart to do finance. NEWSFLASH: Most people at banks in real finance jobs were smart enough to pass those classes that you failed, but chose to go to banking because it was more lucrative.
If you want some advice, stay at Sallie Mae, that's where you belong.
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Lol. Gotta love the Internet Big Dicks. You'll do great in sales.
Nonetheless, criticisms noted. No question I have my shortcomings; I'm quite aware of them to be perfectly honest. But I'm a progressive person, so I'm in the business of being grateful for what I already have, and advancing using my strengths. College, to me, was more than than an academic experience and I look back on it fondly with absolutely no regrets.
And again, as I stated earlier, my interests are firmly in the IB camp, though I feel like I have a stronger chance of getting into S&T. I'd certainly take whatever came my way, but IB would be my primary choice.
EDIT: And don't give me the rotten apple bs. If I wasn't serious about bettering myself, I wouldn't actively be looking for advice. I had a low gpa my first two years, but I scored nothing lower than a 3.6 after my sophomore year. Late-bloomer, yes? Slacker, no.
also, what is finc services lol
to be honest though, not a terrible resume- tulane is a good school, 1440 SAT is good. you have prior work experience in fin services. work for a few years, take the GMAT, go to a good MBA program and break into IB from there.
Tulane is a DECENT school, with a lot of rotten apples from what I've seen. Yes, I have worked with some quality people from Tulane, but even they admit that there are not very many kids there that are serious about doing what it takes to get a great job. This is just another one of those rotten apples.
But yeah, if this chump ever wants a real job, he needs to go back to grad school and clean up (i.e. actually get higher than a 3.6).
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don't wanna hijack the thread. but since ugrad gpa is so important, especially from a non-target, can any of you comment on how much a higher grad gpa (3.8+ in a msf) and good test scores (1600 sat, 750+ gmat) can mitigate the effects of a low ugrad gpa? for reference, my ugrad was in math from a big 10 (wisc/il, 3.3 gpa), my grad will be from washu/vandy.
wisc/il are both good and respected schools, 3.3 is little low, but was it in a quant subject? regardless, high test scores and high msf gpa will easily take care of any concerns employers/MBA programs might have had.
yeah, applied math...thanks for the encouraging opinion aa...btw, what do you do?
do you really want to do ib, in your heart? if it is, go for it, but take it slow if need be, and be happy when you get an ib job, no matter where it is. i say this because you've copped some criticism. while i agree in the large part, i know the power that hard work can bring.
but i gotta ask, what's with the gaps in your work exp?
The gap from Aug 08-Jan 09 was due to my ending a summer internship. Jan 09 I started an equity research program through my University that ran through graduation. Post-graduation, it took me 2 months to begin my current job, which I started in August.
I personally think sales is a little less 'snobby" than say banking.
1st thing, decide what you really wanna do. If it is sales then I would start calling these people, asking them to talk, get some information, etc. Sales is about reaching out to people, getting hung up on, being able to articulate you're idea/concept. Keep plugging away and they will take notice. If you want to do banking I would just start networking with people in the field and try and get one of them to pass you're resume when recruiting season starts up again.
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