Posted in: Experienced, Switching Sectors 2 March 2010 12 answers
Anonymous

Question: Product Control to Front Office?

After qualifying as an ACA in a big 4 firm in audit, I have accepted an offer from Barcap in Product Control. I am aware it’s not the most ideal role to make a future move into Front Office,but it was my best option. How can I differentiate myself in this role? Also will doing a CFA help my potential move?

Any advise would be extremely useful.

Thanks.

Answers (12)

  1. Get CALL and PUT tattooed on your knuckles.
    It shows commitment

  2. On the buyside, i’ve seen a few people move from PC->Execution desk. No idea about a bank however.

  4. aahh classic “i’m in product control but wanna move to the bright lights and beautiful people of the front office” scenario. No doubt people will say it cant be done, but it can as i know of a few cases where this has happened including myself. believe in yourself, dont let the haters put you down..once you get in to front office, all the girls will say wow wee aint he a hot banker now, i want him ; ) lol

  5. is product control seen as a back-office/middle office role? surely its better than being in Ops if you want to move into FO?

  6. Have moved from Product Control to Fixed Income Sales. Of course, such moves do happen but it does depend on your employer. Mine (a US bank) is in fact encouraging inter-LOB mobility. Am not sure how things are in BarCap.

  7. If you get lucky and make the right connections you probably have a 1 in 100 chance

  8. Thanks Guys- Appreciate the feedback.

  9. It is extremly hard to move from PC to FO. I agree that with good connections the chance is 1 in 100 if not less. Try Business Management first, so you will be closer to FO guys. I did manage to move directly from PC to FO 3 years ago, BUT at a tier2 bank. Probably would be best to try to do this move at a tier2 bank anyway. I guess everyone would love to work in Barcap FO right now (one of the best bonuses in the industry).

  10. Karate Kid- Thanks for the info. What do you mean by Business Management?

  11. In each of front office areas there is a so called business manager who coordinats all activities. No direct client contact, but kind of men for everything else in sales and trading area. Can also bee seen as personal assistant of Heads of xxx. If you are good you can easely move from there to a client facing role in a respective area.

  12. hi, i want to lean investment banking, how it works, its processes… what is front office, middle office, back office etc., and how product control and financial control related to these…. please help, can you guys briefly walkthrough me (if possible) to investment banking processes for me to have a clear picture of it? and do you have materials that I can read to understand investment banking deeper? thanks!! =)