Something about Warwick

unnc2010

I've been at Warwick for about two months, major is Economics. I want to point out something I experienced, which was totally different from what I thought a year ago. DON'T MEAN TO START A DEBATE! Anyone interested in the job market, especially banking, in UK may want to read this:

1. I was thinking UK is not a good job market.

If you didn't have an IB or consulting internship, I'd admit that you are almost impossible to land a graduate job in front offices at IB, PE, HF in UK. But isn't it the same at other places?  In terms of internship application, I really think every Chinese student has a chance.

2. I was thinking Warwick is not a good university in terms of job hunting.

Honestly speaking, I was aiming for an academic career. In the past, I normally assumed that Warwick was not an IB target university. When I came here, every major bank does have presentation, attend the career fair, and open some skill sessions here. Some prop trading firms and hedge funds like Optiver, Jane Street also have presence. After extensive networking with employees and HRs, I think the general consensus among them is that the best six UK IB target universities are LSE, Oxbridge, IC, UCL and Warwick. If talking about trading or quant trading, Warwick can be in top 3. Here I can also get the opportunity to meet with banks' MDs, free training courses from Training the Street, and office visit to the big banks in London.

3. I was thinking Economics master is a useless major for job hunting.

Until now, I found this major put me an advantage other than disadvantage. The main argument of the uselessness theory is: first, the courses are so theoretical and impractical -- how about history, music, and politics? Are they useful? At least economics trains people to think logically and quantitatively; second, economics department does not have a strong career service -- which is true, but I really think networking and peer effect are way more important than the CV editing...Without being biased, the majority of the employees appeared in the presentation are from econ majors. I admit, because I am applying for internship and equity research position, I must have some bias towards this.

4. I was thinking Chinese students cannot efficiently network.

After several weeks, I really want to say that not Chinese students cannot network, but most Chinese students do not network. I don't know the reason, maybe due to confidence, may don't know the importance. When the MDs of the banks present the slides, you can see many Chinese faces on the seats. When moving into the networking sessions, there are fewer and fewer. This is even worse among Postgraduate students. I started my decision to apply for internship about one month ago, I can now network with the people -- some of them are really nice, one girl from Goldman Sachs carefully modified my CV and cover letter, and one Italian guy from Morgan Stanley was really supportive during the whole application process. It was not because I am good, but because networking is not that hard.

At last your personality and ability win you the job--which is totally your business, no one or university could help you a lot. Whether a university is good or bad should be judged on whether it could give a platform to get through CV screening process. In terms of this criterion, Warwick is not a bad choice. I have no experience in finance before -- not even an internship. All in my CV are just societies, academic experience... But I start to have some interview invitations now. Many undergraduate students here from China also do really good jobs.

IN THE END, I REALLY WANT TO SAY I HATE ENDLESS COMPARISION. WHAT I WANT TO SAY IS THAT WARWICK IS NOT BAD, UK IS NOT BAD. THAT'S IT. ALSO, WHAT I TALK ABOUT IS UK JOB MARKET. IF YOU WANTED TO KNOW MORE ABOUT HONKONG AND MAINLAND'S MARKET, I REALLY CANNOT HELP. I AM A NEWCOMER TO THIS FIELD. WHAT I WANT TO DO IS TO HELP SOME OUTSIDERS, JUST LIKE ME A YEAR AGO. DON'T MISLEAD ME AS WELL. THANK YOU.

GMATTracy

UNNC Rocks!!!!!!!!!

zhangyunkai5

比较郁闷的是这个学校要托福105+....还有均分85+ 我都没......无奈啊

chx1989

呵呵 顶顶

unnc2010

你念的这一串公司 如果没有在里面实习 进去的成功率接近0 pwc除外 我建议你及早调整定位

另外如果国内有好工作直接回国也是很好的，尤其是如果国内没有人帮你围关系。当然最好能在国际金融中心干2-3年。

-- by 会员 zbb88 (2010/11/17 8:53:29)

能直接回国也不错，长期规划应该还是回国，就像你说的，希望自己找到个实习之后能留在外面积累点经验。如果直接回去可能connection就完全没有。。能不能成功就看这几个月努力了~Thanks anyway

unnc2010

你念的这一串公司 如果没有在里面实习 进去的成功率接近0 pwc除外 我建议你及早调整定位

另外如果国内有好工作直接回国也是很好的，尤其是如果国内没有人帮你围关系。当然最好能在国际金融中心干2-3年。

-- by 会员 zbb88 (2010/11/17 8:53:29)

没在找全职，找的都是实习~而且当然也不能只申这些，就举个例子而已~

qingzhang1

Based on what I heard: (maybe incorrect)

1.Big companies will help you get work permit, and then after working for 4(?) years you could apply for indefinite leave to remain.

2. If one directly apply for entry leave Ibanking jobs in HK from UK, then he will just compete against Chinese/HK students from USA and Chinese students from China.

zbb88

你念的这一串公司 如果没有在里面实习 进去的成功率接近0 pwc除外 我建议你及早调整定位

另外如果国内有好工作直接回国也是很好的，尤其是如果国内没有人帮你围关系。当然最好能在国际金融中心干2-3年。

unnc2010

想问一下你们在HK找工作的情况...

-- by 会员 AnttiZhang (2010/11/17 7:37:14)

不好意思真不了解。。只知道有个中国学生在BarCap London做的实习，全职转到的香港，具体情况完全不了解。。抱歉。。

AnttiZhang

想问一下你们在HK找工作的情况...