How to Get a Finance Job in the City of London
As one of the leading financial hubs on the international scene, the City of London is an attractive work destination for upcoming finance professionals. There are abundant job opportunities for qualified candidates, and you can gain crucial experience to spruce up your resume and enhance your career.
- Difficulty:
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Instructions
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Decide which area of finance you want to work in. Depending on your qualifications, experience and abilities, you can work in a variety of areas like financial analysis, risk analysis, accounting, banking, trading, auditing, insurance, IT support, marketing and investment management.
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Have a top-rank finance or business-related degree, diploma or certificate. Most employers insist on excellent educational qualifications to start out--these indicate a good level of commitment and responsibility--and may offer job-specific training once you are hired.
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Have significant work experience in your finance field. This can be through internships or training programs. Many City of London employers prefer candidates with extensive work experience in issues related to both public firms and the private sector.
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Have a shrewd business sense and honest work ethic, with good mathematical and computing skills, good communication skills, good sales and negotiation skills and creative problem-solving skills.
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Keep yourself updated on the current events in the financial world. Read finance newspapers and financial services industry magazines like Money Marketing and Financial Adviser and access finance industry websites. Get membership to professional finance organizations like ACCA (Association of Chartered Certified Accountants) and CII (Chartered Insurance Institute).
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Consider your capabilities, your desired work environment and your salary expectations. Make a list of the City of London finance companies you would like to work with, research them on the Internet and check their websites for job-related information and available vacancies. Find out if they offer internships or training programs. Know which person to contact and cold-call about working with the firm.
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Check for finance vacancies in the leading London newspapers and employment websites. Most employment websites allow you to search by type of job, job level, salary and location. Register with reputable and finance-specific employment agencies in London. Network. Jobs are often won through contacts in the finance world.
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Research once again the firms that call you for an interview, particularly the format of their interview process. Find out who is going to interview you, the number of interviews conducted and what kind of testing to expect. Prepare responses for possible interview questions, ensuring you amply demonstrate the wealth of experience you hope to bring to the firm. Think over, too, the questions you'd like to ask the interviewers. Go for your scheduled job interview well prepared, well dressed and on time.
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Wait until you have received a job offer before you negotiate the salary.
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Tips & Warnings
Educational qualifications from Canada, Australia, New Zealand and South Africa are recognized in the U.K.
Have working experience of finance tools like SEATS, SWIFT, NOSTRO/VOSTRO, Hiportfolios and GMI Processing Units.
Knowing a foreign language can help your finance career, especially if you work with overseas clients.
Overseas applicants should visit their nearest British Consulate or Embassy or access their websites for information regarding required U.K. work permits or visas.
Most finance professionals in the City of London keep extremely long, difficult and competitive work hours.
Living costs in London are high, so have enough money to tide you over until you land that well-paying finance job.
