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.
