US
I’ve been spontaneously applying to just about every institution in the UAE and Bahrain, looking for a relationship manager role within an asset manager.
After five months, I’ve managed to secure interviews within six different entities, but – despite making the shortlist – have not been offered any positions.
I have 18 months experience as a junior relationship manager in the region, and am actively preparing to take the CFA level II qualification.
I’m now a little worried, as I declined a good position within my current employer in Luxembourg. Is it worth pursuing another position in the Gulf, or am I better off looking towards Europe? Or, are there improvements I can make to my CV to better my chances here?
Below is this poster’s CV with all personal and identifying details removed. Can you offer any tips to improve this? Please comment below. If you would like your CV reviewed by the eFinancialCareers community, please e-mail editor_gulf@efinancialcareers.com
Competences
· High resistance to stress, discipline and responsiveness
· Acute sense of communication, ability to listen
· Ability to work in a team and to share information
Professional experience
International asset manager – Institutional Sales
Manama, Bahrain
Junior Relationship Manager
May 2009 -November 2010 (18 months)
· Providing support to Senior Relationship Manager with the day to day management of the overall portfolio of clients:
- Liaising with product experts typically based in Paris, Brussels, Luxembourg and Australia
- Elaborating presentations and notes for client meetings
- Researching, identifying and targeting prospects whose product appetite are fitting to benefit from the firm’s product’s portfolio
· Market sizing: analysis of the addressable assets in the GCC and Levant
· Prospecting new clients across the GCC
· Organizing the firm’s “Investors Seminar 2010″ from A to Z
Securities arm of large French bank – Forex and Debt
Paris, France
Derivatives Sales for small and medium-sized companies
2007-2008 (13 months)
· Structured, priced and sold financial products for clients (Forex and Debt products)
· Found solutions and advised clients regarding Forex and Debt markets
· Hedged operations with Anglo-Saxon banks
· Wrote daily and weekly market analysis
· Designed sales supports: presentations, plain vanilla Forex brochure
Education
2010: Enrolment in the CFA program
Passed level I of CFA program in June 2010
2005 -2009: Business School, France
M.Sc. in Capital Markets.
2002-2005: Classes préparatoires économiques et commerciales, Toulon, France
Special intensive classes preparing for the competitive entrance examinations to the prestigious French Business Schools.
Other Skills and Interests
French: Native
English: Fluent
Italian: Advanced
IT skills: Microsoft Office, VBA, Bloomberg, Reuters Xtra 3000, Tradix, Kondor, Zawya
Hobbies:
Dance: 15 years of practice, participation at the French championships
Golf: 15 years of practice. Handicap 9
Travel: Italy, England, China, Japan
Promoter and Treasurer of the association Challenger (organization of business games)
Co-organizer of the ICN Gala 2006
The sad fact of life is that you’ll have many more options available to you in Europe. Currently, most asset managers are looking for connections and experience, which means junior roles are still relatively few and far between.
That said, you have a decent amount of experience, and seem to have achieved a modicum of success during the interview process. If you want to stay, you have to accept that the process is going to take a long time, and you’ll receive more knock backs than offers before eventually securing something.
Specifically on your CV. It’s short and to the point, but your professional experience section focuses on your responsibilities not your achievements. What have you done that makes you stand out?
Microsoft Office?! Are you an Excel whizzkid? If not, is there any point in including the fact that you know how to use word or put together a powerpoint presentation in your CV?!
Keep plugging = more jobs are coming!
I think you should head back to europe as you can find my opportunities there…bahrain and in particular dubai are a so called hyped financial hub which in reality you will have to relax your capabilities and compromise with what you get in hand.
Its not worth it !