Finance Job Market & A Better CV?

**flambo** · 2 March 2013, 09:00

After reading more threads here I've realised the question about jobs has already been answered - senior IB dev jobs in London are very difficult to land at the mo.

The CV bit - anyone have thoughts on that?

**BolshieBastard** · 2 March 2013, 10:27

Originally posted by flambo View Post

After reading more threads here I've realised the question about jobs has already been answered - senior IB dev jobs in London are very difficult to land at the mo.

The CV bit - anyone have thoughts on that?

Last year, I got offered a contract for every application I made. So out of the 5 offers, I accepted the 2 I wanted most and fitted my requirements.

So far this year, out of a (literal) tulipload of applications for jobs and follow up, I havent had a sniff of an interview.

I keep on top of my cv. Page one is profile, skills and achievements with page 2 my last 2 or 3 roles and page 3, one liners going back to the late 90's.

IMO, if you are applying for roles on the job boards, you're generally wasting your time tailoring the cv to fit because the agents already have their 3 candidates lined up. How do I know? Past experience of being contacted by agents for roles and having an interview arranged then a few days later seeing the agent advertise the same role on the boards.

If the agent contacts you and asks for your cv then yes, you can tailor or enhance it to fit.

I've asked 3 manager colleagues to review my cv and pull no punches with what they think will improve it. Not being cocky but I dont think they'll come back with anything major because up to the beginning of this year, it was doing its job.

Agents tell me many of their clients are not recruiting and those that are, are taking permies. And Im not talking 1 or 2 agents saying this either.

Im seeing lots of outright phishing jobs advertised. Only yesterday there was a manual tester role advertised in Glasgow, 500 quid a day. Yeah right. That's double what a client in Glasgow would pay a manual tester on a good day, never mind in a tulipe market.

If you look at jobswerve stats, they show something like 13,000 permie advertisments compared to about 8,000 contract.

**flambo** · 2 March 2013, 11:20

That pretty much mirrors what's happened to me. Previously I'd get a call for the vast majority of roles I applied for and would almost certainly land an interview. So far in 2 weeks I've had one interview for a senior dev role for an IB in Canary Wharf after passing a phone screen only to be told 30 mins before the interview, by my agent, that the role had already been taken. Was suitably impressed with that.

Am already looking to chop £100 off my day rate to just get anything in the meantime.

Funny times. But then next week you could get 50 calls and interviews lined up.

Good to brush up your skills though. An getting through a tonne of books a have put a block on my computer to stop me reading reddit

**redgiant** · 2 March 2013, 11:41

Originally posted by flambo View Post

That pretty much mirrors what's happened to me. Previously I'd get a call for the vast majority of roles I applied for and would almost certainly land an interview. So far in 2 weeks I've had one interview for a senior dev role for an IB in Canary Wharf after passing a phone screen only to be told 30 mins before the interview, by my agent, that the role had already been taken. Was suitably impressed with that.

Am already looking to chop £100 off my day rate to just get anything in the meantime.

Funny times. But then next week you could get 50 calls and interviews lined up.

Good to brush up your skills though. An getting through a tonne of books a have put a block on my computer to stop me reading reddit

I'm finding it the same in the FS sector although I'm not a dev (I'm a PM & PMO Lead) and it's been like that since the mid-November. I'm doing p/t consultancy work for several clients (all non FS) for the moment but would like to get involved with a large longer term project again soon ideally.

During the non-billable time I'm putting myself through the PMP exam and skilling up in a few new tools.

**northernladuk** · 2 March 2013, 15:30

IMO the right permie role is not to be sniffed at in the current market. If it comes with a reasonable wage, working on new technologies with scope for training and some excellent experience it would be worth considering to brush up your skills and possibly give you the ability to push your rates up.

Don't be too quick to discount IMO.

**GB9** · 3 March 2013, 21:21

Originally posted by northernladuk View Post

IMO the right permie role is not to be sniffed at in the current market. If it comes with a reasonable wage, working on new technologies with scope for training and some excellent experience it would be worth considering to brush up your skills and possibly give you the ability to push your rates up.

Don't be too quick to discount IMO.

Agree with that and recently had a second interview for s very senior role. Only when it became evident there was a significant sales aspect to it did I say no. Part of me wishes I had just taken the risk but then i'm not used to committing myself to things I am unsure I can deliver. That's a definite no no in the contract market but maybe ok in the permie world?

Other than that, I agree with the erlier comments re: roles. Always been used to getting interviews and then the gig, but recently, interviews have been slow to come, and when I have had them they have been very flaky, with the client not really sure what they are after. And as stated, rates significantly lower and the prospect of having to work away thrown into the mix.

**NorthWestPerm2Contr** · 4 March 2013, 13:25

Originally posted by GB9 View Post

Agree with that and recently had a second interview for s very senior role. Only when it became evident there was a significant sales aspect to it did I say no. Part of me wishes I had just taken the risk but then i'm not used to committing myself to things I am unsure I can deliver. That's a definite no no in the contract market but maybe ok in the permie world?

Other than that, I agree with the erlier comments re: roles. Always been used to getting interviews and then the gig, but recently, interviews have been slow to come, and when I have had them they have been very flaky, with the client not really sure what they are after. And as stated, rates significantly lower and the prospect of having to work away thrown into the mix.

Tough times.....

I hope things pick up by June

**Andy Hallett** · 4 March 2013, 13:32

Originally posted by flambo View Post

After reading more threads here I've realised the question about jobs has already been answered - senior IB dev jobs in London are very difficult to land at the mo.

The CV bit - anyone have thoughts on that?

I don't think a CV writing service will give you anything the folk on here can't, in addition CUK won't charge you £50.

My advice (as always) would be to get to know some agents who specialise in your technology and sector and ask them for their thoughts on your CV.

**MrMarkyMark** · 4 March 2013, 19:29

Ah, the wonderful world of finance

.

At present yearly budgets are being fought for, no one has got their filthy mitts on them yet

.

Areas where the spend will happen, project wise:-

Credit Risk
Market Risk
Operational Risk
Regulatory reporting
Transition
New technologies to crunch the numbers quicker, real time.

A split of consultancies and individual contract. Obviously, chances of being recruited by consultancy for contract, also.

That's how I see investment banking at the moment.

Good Luck!

Finance Job Market & A Better CV?