IBANKERS....a jew needs help.....

I think the only problem should come down to your inability to work Friday nights and Satudays. At least according to HR, as long as you make up the work, it can't disqualify you. That said, you're obviously foreseeing the potential situation of your team giving you work on one of these days. Have a good answer to how you'd deal with it and how you'd make up for it (not sure what the answer is, but there must be Christian and Muslim [and other Jewish] bankers who refuse to work at certain times).

http://ibankinglife.blogspot.com

maybe your dad would be the best person to address this question to, since you say he has worked in the industry for a long time...

I wouldnt tell anybody about this and then once you have the job you can let HR know your situation ... I dont think they could fire you or else you could sue for religious discrimination ... mabye this should be your last case scenerio

You should be able to get by with everything else, but the Friday/Saturday thing could be tough. I think the best thing to do would be to hide your religion during interviews and land the position. Then, as the above poster said, they cannot let you go because of your religion (if they do, sue).

Perhaps a bit sneaky, but I think the law would protect you more from being fired rather than just simply not hired in the first place...

• Capt K

Don't bring it up in your interviews like everyone else has advised.

But, just to play devil's advocate, they could easily let you go (especially if these layoffs continue) without reason even if one of them is your religion. It's not so much the religion itself, but the work that an individual ends up creating for others which inevitably screws someone else's weekend. There are just not enough hours in a weekend especially when it's crunch time.

To the OP: just saw your last post. Your religions is obviously important to you, you wouldn't be worried about this otherwise, so don't hide it from HR or whoever. Be upfront with them. If you could only get the job by hiding what is important to you, then you need to ask yourself whether that's really where you would like to work. Personally, I can't imagine that you would not get the offer just because of your religious obligations if you are qualified otherwise.

my first post was a joke man so get that plug out of your ass, but since you want some honest answers heres one ... do you have any idea how cut throat the competetion is to land a job on Wall Street, What legit bank would hire someone who is high maintanance when there are so many talented qualified applicants out there that come with no special needs. I dont mean any disrespect to you or your religious beliefs, its just the truth. Mabye you should look for a 9 to 5 career, advertising or accounting

I would strongly advise against "being the asshole you'd rather be" if you want to get a job. Try it and see what happens.

http://ibankinglife.blogspot.com

I know various religious Jews working in banking from Goldman to middle market. I also know the same who work at top-tier law firms (and accordingly work redic. hours)

Hiding your religion is non-sense. Wear your kippot and be yourself. If you are a strong candidate and they see potential in you, your religion will be the least of your worries.

However, one piece of advice, you might want to think again if banking is for you if your only goal is to go into it for the money. Also, losing the attitude (maybe it's just how I'm perceiving the tone of your post) would go a long ways as well.

if you cant work friday night and saturday night you should probably pick another career.

ny, all associates dread getting staffed with analysts who can't work weekends. this is not a religious issue, its purely that you can't work when the team needs you. if you can't work weekends you shouldn't be in banking, or should work at whatever regional lower-mid market player that employs you.

I was reading the same thread posted in another sub-forum, and come to think of it, all the orthodox jews I've seen are definitely on the trading floor. I haven't seen any in straight banking (except some really higher ups and they pretty much do as they please since they are division heads). The one person I knew who was an analyst (and orthodox) was swept up in the last round of layoffs.

Trading would probably be much more accommodating to religious observances - no weekends, and usually out by 630 or 7pm.

Sooo you were in special forces and you never had missions on friday night or saturday? Those must be some pretty special forces. I'm sure you're team loved you. That must have been fun staying Kosher during SERE.

Titanboxer, it might not have been US Special Forces, keep that in mind.

Efdaman great post. I'm Mormon, so I run into some of the same kind of issues. I think it's doable, but the straight banking might be more difficult. My internship right now isn't too bad, or course I'm an intern, that'll change. I'd like to do banking but it seems like my Sundays would be gone. I'm leaning more towards that sales area.

It might be slightly more difficult for an orthodox Jew because Fridays and Saturdays are the main focus. I've spoken with a few Mormons doing the whole finance thing, and it appears it's possible, but it's a lot harder. I guess if I wanted it easy, schedule wise, I could be a teacher.

I'm not an investment banker or anything, but only visit this site for the helpful advise it provides.

There are orthodox religious people working in every field, even Sikhs in meat factories. The most important thing is that religion is the last thing anyone would consider when meeting a potential employee. If you are hard working, intelligent, and have the necessary credentials, why would someone ignore you.

That's what it boils down to. Overall, if you are keeping good marks in school right now you sound like a very hard working, devoted individual. You look pretty good on paper.

dude, you'll be fine...there are lots of shomer ppl in this biz. leave your kippah on...heck maybe even rock up wearing tefillin.

in general just expect to come in every sat night and work extra hard on the other days. and plan on using your vacation days for the jewish holidays.

anyway, i hope you have other, bigger dreams than banking but your situation is no obstacle..im tirtzu, ain zo agadah.

last time I was in israel was right after i graduated. i went to a panel of orthodox rabbis with prior experience in stressful industries - finance, consulting, f500 industry, etc.

they all mentioned that their firms allowed them to observe their holidays on a regular basis - including no work or bberry on the shabbat. but yes, expect to work saturday nights and sundays regularly.

some of them mentioned not having to use personal days for jewish holidays, though this seemed a more firm-by-firm question.

...just read a bunch of the prior posts; most of them are inane and false. don't hide anything and don't have any reservations about not working the sabbath. pm me if you'd like

"i went to a panel of orthodox rabbis with prior experience in stressful industries - finance, consulting, f500 industry, etc."

who arranged this?

was part of a birthright-type trip i went on

I'm an Associate at an American BB in London and can confirm that it's definitely possible to be shomer. People will work around this (ie no one is absolutely critical all the time). You will have to deal with people from time to time making potentially uncomfortable remarks about it, but if you live in Europe you're used to that.