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Student in the Laboratory, Lancaster University
Lancaster University
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Original post by Lancaster University
Students are very drawn to Investment Banking careers due to the perceived 'glamour' and high salaries. Having worked as a Bond Trader for Morgan Stanley, JP Morgan and Barclays I get that! Apart from the fact that IB is extremely competitive, what students often don't realise until someone tells them (!) is that IB is only one sector of about 10 sectors associated with Financial Markets which offers interesting and high paid careers. Other sectors to consider include: Investment Management, Wealth Management, Credit Rating Agencies, Vendors, Retail & Commercial Banks, Financial Consultancy, Investment Consultants and more...


As more and more students are driven to go to university with the goal of securing a lucrative career the pressure is on to choose the right degree programme and university. But do financial market employers really care about if you went to LSE or did History instead of Accounting? Last year I supported 46 students from Lancaster secure places in Investment Banking, Investment Management and similar internships and graduate programmes. Yes, it’s true that there are some employers ‘target universities’ but if you have the skills, attitude, experience and grades they’re looking for, it’s still possible to get a job and go to the university that you really want to go too.

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[li]Are you considering applying to a grad scheme and looking for advice?[/li]
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[li]Are you wondering if uni is the only route to get into investment banking?[/li]
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[li]Are you stuck between choosing different unis and different degree options?[/li]
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[li]Are you curious to know what it’s actually like to work as a trader?[/li]
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I’m online to answer your questions and help you out :smile:

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Paul has 30 years financial market experience including bond trading positions with Morgan Stanley, Barclays, JP Morgan Chase combined with a passion around helping students secure Internships and Graduate Programmes. Paul has in-depth knowledge of the investment banking and asset management hiring process. He provides assistance on CVs, applications, interviews & assessment centres providing unique insight and market knowledge.

hi !!! so i'm currently doing this student investor challenge and my team are falling behind! we really don't know how to choose the right companies to invest in, could you give us some tips on how to invest in the London stock exchange ?thanks!
Student in the Laboratory, Lancaster University
Lancaster University
Lancaster
Visit website
high,i'm in year 12 i was wondering what work experience did u do? hope to do at least 1 this year
Hilarious that an account named "Lancaster University" is giving advice on IB when in reality, Lancaster grads stand no chance.
How can I get into finance with no finance experience?

I am a graduate who has 3 months internship at my university and one year at a local authority dealing with council tax and rent enquiries.

Also what are the hours like how did you find work life balance?
Original post by Lancaster University

we sent 46 people interns, palcements and grads to financial market sector ie IB, Asset Management etc..


How many into front office roles? Having done some preliminary research on Linkedin.. couldn't find much evidence of folks in FO (without a masters elsewhere) - happy to be proven wrong.

What were the most memorable moments of your career in trading? What advice would you give to someone heading into the business now? Thoughts on staying a market maker vs going to the buyside (either in execution or in a money management seat)?

What brought you to Lancaster?
(edited 5 years ago)
Original post by Lancaster University
UCL, LSE and OXBRIDGE are all 'target universities' i.e. Banks visit the uni a lot and are looking out for talent.
OXBRIDGE does not do as well as you might think as they don't seem to produce the 'hungry' IB grads who are 'on it' from the first /second year.
If you are in a UK top 20 university then ALL IB and more doors are open to you if you are 'up for it'.
Lancaster is 'Top 10' - we sent 46 people interns, palcements and grads to financial market sector ie IB, Asset Management etc...last year


Since there are so many league tables, which universities are actually classifed as a 'top 20' university?

And do the staff at Lancaster genuinely believe they're a top 10 university in the UK?
Original post by ScotBank16
Since there are so many league tables, which universities are actually classifed as a 'top 20' university?

And do the staff at Lancaster genuinely believe they're a top 10 university in the UK?


they definitely do haha. when I had an interview there for a course (3+ years ago), top 10 was plastered everywhere on campus. a question on a little pop quiz we had asked if we knew if "lancaster was a top 10 university".
Original post by WarwickMaths281
Hilarious that an account named "Lancaster University" is giving advice on IB when in reality, Lancaster grads stand no chance.

Hi WarwickMaths - your comment 4 years ago would have been quite accurate but ever since Lancaster did something a bit whacky and employer a Bond Trader Investment Banker as part of the Careers Team the tide has changed considerably!. Through working with students on Spring Weeks,Internships,Placements and Grad programmes around CVs, Cover Letters, Interviews, Mock Assessment Centers plus passing on 'industry insight' 46 students entered investment banking (Front office)/investment management and related sectors last year.This year it will be 50+.The organisations last years students went to include:

Goldman Sachs
Blackrock
UBS
UBS Asset Management
Northern Trust
JP Morgan
HSBC
Bloomberg
Santander
EY Financial Services
Amundi
Handelsbanken UK
Bloomberg
Bank of America Merrill Lynch
Financial Conduct Authority
Thomson Reuters
Barclays
Bank of America Merrill Lynch
Osmosis Investment Management
Close Brothers
Lloyds Banking Group
RBS
Standard Chartered
Jupiter Asset Management
USS Investment Management


Although 98% of my time is devoted to Lancaster...your own university Warwick value this offer and use me to address UG and PG students a few days a year under my company name Opening City Doors. So if you want IB or similar and you're not going to get into Imperial, LSE , Warwick or Oxbridge, Lancaster have a unique offer..unique as I know of no other uni Careers Team outside 1 or 2 people at London unis..who have Investment Bankers in their Careers Team :smile:
Original post by rumatar
What type of experience would you say is necessary/valuable when applying to SW’s. I will have one years of teaching experience when I apply but would like to know if there would be anything that I could do over summer to positively impact my application?

Good question.First of apply September to mid-October.
Your teaching experience should go down quite well.
The rest of it should include:
-Work expereince of any kind -it does not have to be financial i.e customer facing ..factory...restaurant/pub...they want to see people with life experience..very useful for when they ask you at interview "Tell me about a time when you have ....".
-Volunteering..IBs are trying to re-integrate themselves into society after the damage caused by the financial crisis...they want people who will 'give back'...it does not have to be a huge project just some initiative.
-Technology ie.the financial world is moving ever this way ..so -depending on your interests- if you can do anything around coding, data science, artificial intelligence...that would go down well
-Lots of Hobbies & Interests to be the 'well rounded candidate'
Good luck
Original post by Princepieman
How many into front office roles? Having done some preliminary research on Linkedin.. couldn't find much evidence of folks in FO (without a masters elsewhere) - happy to be proven wrong.

What were the most memorable moments of your career in trading? What advice would you give to someone heading into the business now? Thoughts on staying a market maker vs going to the buyside (either in execution or in a money management seat)?

What brought you to Lancaster?

Hi Princepieman...FO is well represented ...what part of my job is (and to share with TSR students) is to show students all the financial
market/investment career options that sit outside of IB e.g. we have 5 students who (in the last month) have secured a year placement at one of the main credit rating agencies ..from there a move to a grad scheme then IB is there if they want it.

One of my most memorable moments was losing £250,000 trading Sterling Bonds in 2 days.I thought I'd stick it out for 3 months until my guaranteed bonus at Xmas.I lasted in trading another 18 years.

I think growth prospects are better Buy Side. Since the Financial Crisis the number of people on Buy Side has grown 20% ..whilst unchanged Sell Side. However if Sell Side is in your blood (like me) suggest go for it!

In terms if advice..try for IB etc but think broadly and explore these other related sectors.

I came to Lancaster via a chance meeting.I was just looking to get into the careers side of thing which I love and then I met a very creative Head of Department at Lancaster !
How old were you when you hit 6 figures?
Original post by Princepieman
they definitely do haha. when I had an interview there for a course (3+ years ago), top 10 was plastered everywhere on campus. a question on a little pop quiz we had asked if we knew if "lancaster was a top 10 university".

So there are 4 or 5 main league tables..I sure you can see which universities are consistently in all tables.
As I've stated on a few posts for those targeting IB if you can get to Oxbridge, LSE, Imperial, (UCL), Durham,
Warwick then they are obviously very strong universities. Lancaster is also strong especially from the point of view of
having specialist careers support for applying to IB and sectors related to IB /investments based on 2017/18 candidate results.

To mention 2 hours 25 mins from Euston :smile:
(edited 5 years ago)
Original post by Presence
high,i'm in year 12 i was wondering what work experience did u do? hope to do at least 1 this year

Hi Presence-the fact that you are Year 12 and on TSR looking at this is a great first step!

In terms of work expereince the answer is ANY. If its financial then great...but any rael world experience e.g. summer camp, reastaurant, retail,volunteering is going to be absolutely fine...the key is to have SOMETHING.
Original post by OxbridgeRejectTT
What degrees would you recommend for IB?

A good fit is the business subjects-economics, accounting & finance, management

STEM (Science, Technology, Maths, Engineering) highly valued also.
Hi! First of all, thank you for your initiative, those are really helpful elucidations! I am applying to university this year and I would like to hear your opinion: do you think I stand a chance of getting into IB by going to Bristol/Durham? If so,which one would you pick?
(edited 5 years ago)
Reply 55
Original post by WarwickMaths281
Hilarious that an account named "Lancaster University" is giving advice on IB when in reality, Lancaster grads stand no chance.


Dude you'r honestly making me embarrassed to attend the same university as you. There is no need for the affected pomposity; members of this forum are just trying to assist one another here.
Original post by akerlofnash
Hi! First of all, thank you for your initiative, those are really helpful elucidations! I am applying to university this year and I would like to hear your opinion: do you think I stand a chance of getting into IB by going to Bristol/Durham? If so,which one would you pick?

the answer to your question is in his answer literally 2 posts above...
Original post by Lancaster University
So there are 4 or 5 main league tables..I sure you can see which universities are consistently in all tables.
As I've stated on a few posts for those targeting IB if you can get to Oxbridge, LSE, Imperial, (UCL), Durham,
Warwick
Your chances would be better! But if you not going to get into that group
-and you want specialist IB careers support and support around applying to sectors related to IB /investments then IMO
(and based on 2017/18 results) Lancaster would rank No 1 of 'The Rest'
2hours 25 mins from Euston :smile:
(edited 5 years ago)
Original post by SomMC1


Oh, I haven’t seen Durham on that list! My bad.
(edited 5 years ago)
Reply 58
Which would be valued more for IB - management at LSE, or economics at Warwick? Many thanks!
Original post by Nukayes
If its personal dont worry but what was your personal story? Undergrad, jobs, MBA's and the sort. Just nosy :smile:

No worries
University>Trip to Japan whilst at uni>1st job Japan International Bank>Discovered bonds/shares/FX>Private WM dealing in FX/Bonds>Junior £ Bond Trader Barclays>Morgan Stanley Bond Trader/Kleinwort Benson £ Bond Trader/JP Morgan £ Bond Trader/Prudential Securities multi-asset class broker/trader>Thomson Reuters>Founder Opening City Doors>Lancaster University Financial Careers Coach

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