current finance job market

One friend in my department who is a HKer still couldn't even get an interview opportunity from IBs and Consulting. And he only applied for firms in Hong Kong, not U.S. He completed his Bachelor (double degree Fin & Econ) in the State at USC and now pursuing Master degree at Cornell's Applied Econ & Mgmt Dept. So far only McKinsey phone interviewed him one month ago but no reply since then. Many firms he applied to are not even well-known actually.

Plenty of Chinese students who graduated from THU, PKU, HKU, FDU who study in MFE program or MBA or AEM at Cornell (so far I haven't met students from other Chinese universities studying finance here) are also struggling with job hunting in IB, Consulting, PE, HF industries. I think Cornell's MFE is among top tier, but now it means nothing in such market condition.Though many banks are still advertising on their website that they are recruiting -- it's just a marketing strategy for many of them. Finance is good, but not at this time. I think it's a joke to say economy will recover in 1-2 years. It's true you can learn a lot (and also spend a lot) here, but you will be frustrated a lot as well. The era of bulge bracket and American dream has gone.

现在在国内的人终于也开始明白美国现在的真实情况了，不错不错。能有客观的认识而不是主观上就一直拒绝、逃避坏消息，这本身就是很大的进步。

并非有名校MFE学位、个人能力很强，就能找到工作。并不是喊几句口号、自我激励一下，就能人定胜天。

刚毕业的你，竞争力再强还能强过裁下来的、有多年华尔街经验的前Lehman员工？

jiujie

I have four friends who have just completed the MFE at some top schools like CMU, Columbia, Cornell and Warwick in US & UK. None of them can land a permanet FO job at i-banks or fund house.

Plus I will be laid off at the end of this year....and I am thinking if I should try to pursue a master of risk management at LSE, ETH or Columbia in next year. Most of the head hunters told me that wave of laid off has not been ended......

and there will be a new regulation system on existing financial market........

ai............what's a pity!