Naturally, it’s your utmost desire and goal to get a finance job right out of college. After all, it won’t be long before the loan sharks are knocking down your door to repay what you’ve borrowed to finance your education! Finance is one of the most competitive professions in America – especially at the entry level. Yet, it’s still possible to find great finance jobs immediately if you follow these tips.
1. Intern.
An internship will give you real work experience before you graduate, which is precisely what employers will be asking about. For your interviews, you’ll then be able to give specific details about tasks you performed, experiences you had, and people you met. Best of all, many companies offering internships will select from that pool when it comes time to hire.
2. Start Early.
Don’t wait until you’ve thrown that black square cap in the air to begin looking. Start your search in the summer before your first year of college to find four different internships to aim for prior to your graduation. Most finance internships are paid, so you really have no excuse.
3. Diversify.
When you select internships, aim for different industry experiences to diversify your portfolio and figure out which type of finance jobs are right (or wrong) for you. Try working in bonds, equity, trading, portfolio management, banking, stocks, an economic think-tank, etc.
4. Work Hard.
Lastly, even if you end up doing more copying or coffee errands than you’d like, work your hardest. Express an interest in learning the ropes and talk to as many people as you can. Think of your internships as opening doors to future full-time finance jobs and amassing information you cannot learn in a classroom. Networking is the name of the game and if you make a stand-out impression, you can expect to land a finance job after graduation.