From Liberal Arts Major with No Finance Experience in the UK to Equity Research in… Mexico

Ask anyone what banks have been doing over the past few years, and you’ll get the same answer: “Laying people off! Cutting! Downsizing!”

Now, that’s not quite true because hiring has actually fluctuated from year to year, but the basic point is true: the finance industry has shrunk quite a bit from the last bubble in most countries in Europe and North America….

Except for Mexico.

As banks scaled back their hiring in New York and London post-crisis, they bounced back to growth much more quickly in Mexico, Brazil, and other countries in Latin America.

Today, you’ll hear just what a difference this trend made for one reader who went from no finance experience and a liberal arts degree in the UK to equity research at a bulge bracket bank in Mexico.

So pull out a tequila shot, or two, or three, and get ready for yet another story of defying the odds to get into the industry:

Graduating Into the Crisis 101

From Non-Target School to Sales & Trading to Commodities Banking in Western Canada: How to Break In and Survive as a Female in Finance

Ladies, have you ever wondered what it’s like to work in investment banking as a female?

And guys, don’t leave us just yet – you’ll be pretty interested to learn how you can transition from a non-target school to sales & trading to commodities investment banking… and how another region of Canada differs from the previous cities we’ve covered.

In this interview, we’ll speak with a female Commodities IB Analyst who works in Western Canada for one of the “Big Five” Canadian banks.

Here’s the play-by-play:

• How to break into IB in Canada, even if you come from a non-target school – the application process as well as the interviewee’s experience at 3 different banks
• Why online applications (might?) actually be more effective in Canada, or at least not disappear into a black hole quite as quickly
• What it’s like working in commodities IB in Western Canada for a “Big 5” – the tasks, hours, and culture, and why working in a “regional office” has its advantages
• Working in IB as a female – everything from how many females actually work in the industry to the personalities of female bankers – and yes, even how to dress and how banking will impact your personal life

A Unique Background

From Big 4 Accounting to Private Equity at a Canadian Pension Fund: A One-Way Ticket to Earning More and Becoming a Deal-Maker?

A few of the previous interviews/articles I’ve done on Canada have attracted… a bit of controversy.

By “a bit,” I mean, of course, “lots of violent and hateful comments threatening myself and/or the interviewee.”

So the logical thing is to try it one more time.

This one’s a bit different from previous interviews, though, because our interviewee skipped investment banking altogether and moved straight from a Big 4 firm into private equity at a large pension fund – one of the top exit opportunities in Canada.

Here’s what you’ll get from the story he’s about to share:

• How to move from an accounting role at a Big 4 firm to a financial advisory role, and then finally into private equity – and skip banking altogether.
• What to expect in the recruiting process at a Canadian pension fund, and how it compares to traditional private equity recruiting.
• What the pension fund industry in Canada is like, and why you’ll almost certainly have to work at one if you’re interested in PE there.
• What it’s like on the job at a pension fund, from hours to culture, work, pay, and more.

From Financial Advisory to Private Equity