eFinancialCareers

Is the Chartered Financial Analyst program a victim of its own success, awarding so many charters that its market value is diluted? In a word, no. Several eFC readers responded to our past stories about the CFA designation by asserting the charter is no longer viewed as a mark of distinction by finance industry professionals. So, we put the question directly to a number of financial-career professionals. None voiced any reservations... Read more

What'll it be - a graduate degree in finance or a CFA charter? A growing number of universities have set out to provide the tools to acquire both. Around the world, some 41 educational institutions have signed on to a partnership program that the CFA Institute initiated in April 2006. The schools embed in their graduate curricula at least 70 percent of the "body of knowledge" that forms the basis of... Read more

This is a good time for financial professionals who are fluent in Chinese, Japanese or other Asian languages. Why? Consider: Big Japanese banks may pump billions of dollars into struggling Wall Street firms, says the Times of London. The trade deficit with China continues to break records and Chinese markets attract U.S. investors worried about volatile stocks. South Korea's economy continues to be strong, as is Taiwan's. Though there are openings... Read more

Independent headhunters and investment bank HR staffers say they can't find good candidates fast enough. So, you'd think recruiters would be pointedly charming in their efforts to woo financial professionals. An episode from across the pond suggests this isn't always the case. An e-mail exchange between a Tim Seymour of UK recruiter Seymour Chase and James Kennedy of the recruitment firm Robert Half reveals the less attractive side of the recruitment... Read more

The good news: Booming Middle East markets are cushioning investment banks' head counts. The bad news: To keep your job, you might have to move there. For years, bank executives have focused expansion plans on emerging markets. Now, as record oil prices propel Mideast wealth while prospective deal business in Europe and the U.S. slows, the bright spot on management's globe is revealing a dark side for some Western bankers' career... Read more

The proportion of new MBA holders worldwide who received a job offer before graduation climbed for a fifth straight year, edging up to 53 percent from 52 percent in 2006. Demand is up dramatically since 2003, according to the Graduate Management Admission Council. In that year, just 36 percent of new MBAs had a job offer by the time they were awarded the degree. The average respondent to this year's GMAC Global... Read more

2006 could be a good year for anyone interested in working with Sharia - or Islamic law - compliant banking products on both sides of the Atlantic. Recruiters in London and New York say investment banks are showing an increasing interest in the fast growing Islamic banking market. “It’s definitely a growing area,” says Aiden Kennedy, a partner at Armstrong International in London. “All the bulge bracket banks are looking at... Read more

News that Morgan Stanley has fired four employees - and withheld their bonuses - for attending a strip club suggests the days of Wall Street bankers living fast and loose are over. The Wall Street Journal reports that Morgan Stanley gave the four notice after they visited the club with clients during a free period at a Morgan Stanley technology conference in Phoenix last November. Should strip joints be off-limits to bankers... Read more

Trading up for talent, banking boutiques are feasting on Wall Street's castaways. While many laid-off bankers seek a new home within the vibrant hedge fund sector, smaller sell-side firms also are dipping into the pool of top candidates unleashed by the industry downturn. A recent Reuters story points to Thomas Weisel Partners, Wedbush Morgan Securities, and Evercore Partners as boutique firms engaging in opportunistic hiring lately. San Francisco-based investment bank Thomas Weisel... Read more

Candidates for high-level openings at financial services firms can expect psychological testing to be part of the hiring process. In recent years, such testing has increased, and observers say the trend will continue. Investment firms, after all, like basing their decisions on in-depth analysis. With billions of dollars at stake, they want to ensure they hire the right people to manage staff and make important strategic decisions. "All firms are trying... Read more