Tuesday, July 29, 2014

Job Search Strategies for Rising College Juniors

Marquette University business students getting ready to head back to school for their junior year should begin investigating the recruiting opportunities offered through the University’s career services office to begin preparing for their internship search. Most financial services employers recruit late in the fall semester and early in the spring semester. Juniors can be caught off guard if they wait until the spring to target employers, create resumes/cover letters and prepare for interviews. In addition to campus interviewing, students should explore options for participating in recruiting events on and off campus that sponsored by Marquette or local job fairs which allow all college students to participate.

Since analyst training programs are extremely competitive, candidates should also target some "Plan B" options. Back office positions like technology, compliance and risk management are areas with continued hiring within the investment field – especially after the Financial Crisis of 2008-09.

Most employers are open to applications from candidates outside the roster of campuses where they actively recruit. Develop a list of employers in sectors of interests and apply online for positions early in your senior year. Make it clear that you are quite willing to travel to corporate facilities for interviews.

Network!

It is likely that the most effective job search strategy is networking. College juniors interested in financial services careers should amass a list of contacts to approach for information and advice about internships and post graduate jobs. Here's how to get started:

  • Contact the career services office for suggestions.
  • Attend campus and regional college panels and networking events to source leads.
  • Sign up for LinkedIn. Join college clubs and industry groups in the system and approach fellow members for informational interviews.
  • Ask faculty to recommend former students or colleagues for meetings.
  • Ask parents to devise a list of family contacts. Send them a note including a photo and newsy personal update. Request introductions to any of their contacts in financial services for the purpose of informational interviews.
  • Reach out to Facebook and LinkedIn to find people within your network who are employed in finance and who graduated in the past 2 years. Ask to schedule visits with them at their office location.