For Starters

Hi Folks, my name is Rich, I’ll be your blogger this evenin’. I just graduated from Bentley College with a degree in Corporate Finance and Accounting and minors in Mathematics and Japanese and am presently studying Quantitative Finance in Bentley’s Graduate School. I’m originally from Norcross, GA (North East Atlanta) so if I say “y’all” or don’t put a “g” when I’m writin’ something, get over it. I’ve had experience in Manhattan at Calyon Corporate and Investment Bank in the Global Fixed Income Department and R.N.C. Industries, Inc. as an intern.

Now I’m supposed to blog about finance related things and figure its best to start at the beginning of gettin a job in finance at its earliest point (birth) and move through the sequence as I see it. Please, feel free to tell me if I forget something or ask questions on the postings. I’ll do my best to answer as humorously as possible.

So…part I:

Birth:
Well folks, I can only assume your all reading this because your either A) too bored to do anything else, B) you were misdirected to my blog because you were looking for porn, or C) you came to me for advice on getting a job in the financial industry. For my own ego, I’ll chose to believe that you want my help…cause I’m awesome.
Anyway, let us start with birth. Now, you want a job in the finance industry. The first thing you should do is ask your uncle for an internship at his investment bank. Assuming you don’t have an uncle, you should go out and find yourself a nice young gal from New York, New Jersey, or Connecticut, marry her, then ask her uncle for an internship at his investment bank. If you cannot procure a nice young gal from previously mentioned regions who have an uncle with an investment bank…this will be a little harder and I think you should really keep reading my blog ‘til at LEAST December, checking it daily for updates.
Admittedly, it’s damn difficult to break into this industry if you don’t know someone. But fret not young ones; I’ll give you an outline that should put you in the right spot for getting a job and I plan to elaborate in following weeks.

1.) Choose the right college:
If you can, go to an Ivy League school because they honestly do get preferential treatment. This IS changing but it still makes it easier.
If you’re not one of the few and the lucky to be accepted of those ivy covered institutions of higher learning, pick a school that specializes in business related majors like accounting and finance.

2.) Make sure you have the right undergraduate major.
When you get to college, find a major in finance/accounting/BS-artist degree that’ll ensure you don’t need all that much training when you go to work.

3.) Get some decent grades.
Not everyone will have perfect grades… but really, try hard to get some damn good ones. At the undergraduate level, your GPA DOES matter. The market is so flooded at the undergrad level, the interviewers need some way of screening out from thousands of applicants.

4.) Join some school related finance/accounting clubs.
For the most part, these are added bonuses. They won’t ensure you get the job but it makes you sound like you’re more motivated to do that job.

5.) Go to every Job fair you can attend and get every business card of every person there.
Simple, people will remember you/your name.

6.) Start early.
If you start looking a year ahead of time, you’ll likely find something you want.

7.) All else fails, go to Grad School.
If you don’t find a job immediately out of school, which does happen, go to grad school and pick up a complimentary degree in a related field (i.e. undergrad: accounting, grad: finance, see, they compliment each other).

8.) Don’t give up.
No retreat. No surrender. That is Spartan Law.

Okay kiddies, forgive the 300 reference, it’s just the best movie ever. Anyway, til next week y’all, I’ll be here. Leave your questions/comments/sly-remarks and I’ll answer/comment/insult back.