Graduate work in Dubai

Anonymous wrote

I am British. I speak Arabic and English fluently. BA Banking and Finance degree from a British university (1st class). 2 years work experience in finance. 1 year work experience in sales. I am looking for a graduate scheme or a job to go and work in Dubai. Any websites? employers? suggestions?


The Middle East regional manager of WH Marks Sattin replied

It is tough to give an exact diagnosis on this without knowing what sort of finance and what you were selling, but one clear bit of advice that I would give to anyone would be that in the current market you are most likely to find a job doing almost exactly what you were doing last. With jobs, broadly, few and far between and employers cutting back on training and development expenses they will more often than not be in the market for someone who can "hit the ground running".

Speaking Arabic is an advantage in the Middle East, but at a junior level in your career you would probably need to be already in situ to get a job.

Best of luck

WH Marks Sattin


Click for the latest accountancy and finance jobs in the Middle East

On the right track for an investment management job?

Anonymous wrote:

Hi DOCTOR,

I have just completed my post graduate diploma in Business Administration because I felt I should have more practical based knowledge which can help me to secure position in any industry and started doing CIMA. I am also planning to do Investment Management certificate recongised by FSA. I want to have a combination of CIMA with investment management so that I can gain position in financial institution as fund accountant and can work as an Management accountant just to increase the chances of getting job. AM I ON THE RIGHT TRACK? YOUR REPLY WILL MOTIVATE ME TO STICK WITH MY PLAN.

A consultant at WH Marks Sattin replied:

If you are serious about building a career within Financial Services and in particular Investment Management then the academic path you have chosen to pursue will prove to be very advantageous. It is definitely advisable to undertake either your CIMA or your ACCA if you want to gain an accountancy position within this sector and not studying towards or completing the qualification can hold a number of people back whilst their peers progress upwards. The CIMA is particularly suited if you are looking for Management accounting type positions and the routes these can offer long term.

With regards the Investment Management Certificate (IMC) it is a qualification that clients can often request when recruiting for positions within Investment Management and in particular for Fund Accounting roles. Personally I would say the certificate is a definite advantage to have, although not having the IMC should not hinder your progression once you have managed to make the initial breakthrough into this sector as it is the experience you have that is most important to clients.

Best of luck with all your studies and securing your ideal job.

WH Marks Sattin

Click for investment management jobs

Restarting career after illness

Anonymous wrote:

Dear Doctor

I am trying to restart my career after a break due to illness. Trouble is I am 54 and obviously it's not the best time. I am qualified with a pretty decent CV and some solid experience. What do you think is the best way to overcome the tendency amongst agencies to discard anyone that looks a bit wrinkly?

Steve


A consultant at WH Marks Sattin replied:

Steve, I firmly believe that your age will not be a factor. If you are the right person for the job then this will not be an issue. However, as you rightly point out, this is a competitive market and there are individuals of all ages, experience and abilities that are finding it tougher to secure a job. However being a qualified accountant with 'solid exerpience' sounds like you have a decent background to open doors. If you have a flexible approach and treat each company and job on merit that your agency presents to you, then this will maximise possibilities. However it is impossible for me to proactively advise you on the best steps without seeing a fuller CV. Please send through your full details and then a consultant from the relevant industry team and call you to discuss in more details.

Best of luck

WH Marks Sattin

Getting into finance with an MBA

Anonymous wrote

Hello,

I have got MBA degree (not from UK) and have got around 6 years working expereince in Sales and Customer Services and a bit of research work as well. Recently moved to UK and now am planning to move my career towards finance and accounts as it is hard to get a job in marketing without the english or US accent. I am 34 years old and now i am not sure what to do. Sometimes i think its better to do CFA sometimes i think about ACCA or CIMA. I am not sure what will be the job market due to the recent credit problems in future. I am planning to do my CFA level-1 in June 2009 with that i am looking for an Entery level oppertunity in one of the Financial secotrs. My future aim is to be a consultant in one of the better consultancy firms. Could you please guide me how to enter into the job market with all this expereince. I am even ready to work without pay for sometime to learn and explore. Please advise taking my age factor also into consideration.


A consultant at WH Marks Sattin replied

To be honest, it will be very difficult for you to enter the classic corporate finance sphere. As you are aware, the current market conditions have not only diluted the overall demand for bankers and corporate financiers – it has in turn increased the number of highly qualified finance professionals who have been made redundant.

What can be seen now is a huge number of strong candidates and a limited number of roles. The corporate finance and PE clients can be a lot more picky about candidates nowadays, and are generally asking for stronger more experienced CVs. In turn, some experienced candidates are being pushed into consulting – which will ultimately make your entry into that domain very difficult.

The ACCA and CIMA qualifications you referred to in your query would be helpful for accountancy roles. In terms of corporate finance the CFA would be more relevant, although please bear in mind that gaining a CFA would not in itself QUALIFY you to perform or land a corporate finance role. Hands-on experience is more preferred, and that is fundamentally what clients are looking for from a candidate.

Ultimately, my advice for you would be to try to move into a sales or customer service role within a bank; study for your desired qualification; and then see if it is possible for you to transfer internally.

Good luck with your efforts.

WH Marks Sattin


Click for the latest financial services jobs

Moving into corporate finance after ACA

Ben wrote:

Hello Doctor,

Like many posts previously, I am an auditor (financial services) at a big 4 (2 years exp) and have almost completed my ACA. I am looking to move into corporate finance in the future and was wondering which of the following moves would be most helpful: -

A move to insolvency
A move to a business analyst role
Undertaking a CFA
Undertaking a masters of applied finance.

Cheers

Ben


An associate director at WH Marks Sattin replied:


Ben,

Great news that you are being proactive and considering your alternatives before it's too late. As you've clearly established, it is harder to move into corporate finance as a newly qualified ACA now than in previous years. If you have the opportunity to take a secondment in something that gives you valuations skills, then these will be the most applicable to M&A, therefore please explore business modelling or valuations if possible.

However, of the options you give, insolvency is the most 'in vogue' alternative at present. This will open doors for you into a DCM corporate finance career more easily than M&A, but restructuring advisory is certainly a growth area. The Business analyst route will perhaps be the most interesting, but anything that takes you away from transactions/deals tends to a challenge to come back from. As you already have a CA, a CFA is no added benefit as a stand alone alternative. They will however, demonstrate your interest in 'front office' activities and if you can complete this in conjunction with a move to insolvency then this could be the ideal compromise. A masters of applied finance would be challenging, but again is not needed in addition to your ACA - you've already demonstrated your technical competency.

WH Marks Sattin is holding an open evening for newly qualified ACAs on October 22nd at our offices from 6pm. Why not come along and speak to some consultants in more detail? Just send your CV and confirmation of attendance to acacareerevening.uk@whmarkssattin.com and we will send you an invitation.

Best of luck

WH Marks Sattin


Click to see our latest ACA jobs

Assurance/Internal Audit - should I get experience before moving to the UK?

S wrote:

Hi Job Doctor,

I'm an American student and a Senior at University (In the U.S.), obtaining degrees in Finance & Accounting. I want to start my career in the UK with a focus on Assurance/Internal Audit. I have an full-time offer from 3/4 of the Big 4 firms for Assurance/Audit for May 2009, and I will be CPA qualified in September 2009.

Should I be applying to firms directly in the UK for positions right after I graduate (a.k.a should I be applying NOW for contracts/internships in 2009)? Or should I get 1 year of experience in the U.S. in Audit, complete the CPA and then apply/attempt a transfer?

Thanks so much for your advice,

- S

An Associate Director at WH Marks Sattin replied:

Dear S

You clearly sound proactive, switched on and exactly the type of candidate firms would be delighted to get on board. Given your career goal in assurance/audit, there is no better training ground than the Big 4. The markets in the UK are competitive at the moment and you will be in a stronger position as a fully qualified CPA to make the move than you would be now, with more options available to you. Good luck with your exams and please do contact us when you are ready to move.

Best regards

WH Marks Sattin

Getting into financial services

CasUaL_Co0LxGuYx asked:

Dear Doctor,

I have completed my ACA Advanced stage exams and now looking to gain my 450 days of pre-requisite experience for case study exam and membership. I have experience of working part time as bookkeeper for 3 years and also recently on an ongoing temporary accounting position in a charity. What do you think are the prospects for me and given the range of opportunities at WH Marks Sattin, I believe I could find a thriving position. Could you please also let me know about opportunities in the Middle East.

Many thanks in anticipation

Best regards.


A WH Marks Sattin director replied:

Thanks for your comment on "internship in investment banking". If you are seeking a career into financial services but as of yet do not have a background in this, then any experience you can gain to demonstrate your interest in this sector will be well regarded. However, as an experienced accountant and upon completing your qualification, it is possible to make the move directly into financial services in a similar role to the one you are doing now. I would recommend targeting the smaller banks/boutiques as a stepping stone as the reality is that the larger institutions will favour candidates with previous banking experience - and in the current markets there will be stiff competition. The best way for us to advise you more accurately on specific opportunities that suit your background will be for you to send a full CV so a relevant consultants can call you to discuss.

All the best

WH Marks Sattin


Click for the latest jobs in the Middle East

Internship in investment banking

Sreenivas wrote:

Hi, I would appreciate a little advice on future prospects....

I am 33 and until recently was working as a chef. I gave it up to join a big 4 firm and am training for an ACA. To date I have had first time passes in my exams and will have completed professional stage in July next year (i.e. 2009). I was wondering if I would have some advantage in applying for an internship to investment banks as it is a career that I have always wanted and I believe that an internship will enable me to understand if I am capable of doing the job. Would very much appreciate your help in this regard.

Thanks


A consultant in WH Marks Sattin's Banking Division replied

An internship in an investment bank is a great way to demonstrate interest in the sector and for you to learn more about the actual job you’d be doing on a day to day basis. Also, many people who do internships are offered permanent roles afterwards. However, a job offer is certainly not guaranteed and you shouldn’t compromise your ACA for an internship. I’d recommend not giving up on your ACA as you’ve already had one career change and it will reflect poorly if you don’t complete it. Once you are fully qualified, you can look into summer internship programs for the investment banks as a means to moving into the sector. An alternative now would be to cover FS clients in your practice experience (if you're not already) - making the move internally onto this sector will equally demonstrate interest to potential employers.

All the best

WH Marks Sattin


Click for the latest investment banking jobs

Not getting enough experience as a Finance Assistant

Vikas wrote:

I have recently qualified as an ACCA. I have done a Masters in Accounting and I am a graduate in commerce as well. For the last 6 months I have worked as a Finance Asisstant but I am not getting the kind of experience and salary which I am expecting. What are the options open to me? Shall I move to practice or stay in the same banking industry in which I am at the moment and also guide me what salary I should expect which will reflect mine qualification and experience.

Thanks

Vikas


A senior consultant in WH Marks Sattin's qualified division replied:

Dear Vikas

That’s a good question, it sounds like you are well qualified to be able to command a decent salary but that you lack the practical experience to match your theoretical prowess. This is illustrated by the fact that you don’t feel challenged after only six months in your current role. The fact that you are thinking of an external move to gain more experience implies that progression in your current position might be difficult and so a move into practice maybe very useful. Small practice firms can give you a wide range of experiences including management and statutory accounts preparation and audit. You can expect a salary in the mid to late twenty thousands for a starting position but I would imagine that this will increase faster as you will be adding extensively to your skill set. I would advise you to send your CV to our practice team. As I always stress to candidates, make sure that your CV is of the highest quality with absolutely no spelling or grammar errors, as this can limit your chances of getting to interview stage.

All the best

WH Marks Sattin


Click for the latest public practice accountancy jobs

PhD to management consultancy?

Anonymous wrote:

Hi

I graduated with a PhD (in history) in 2005 and then took the last three years off to have two babies. I have worked throughout my degrees and have managed large budgets devoted to implementing I.T. training. I would like to work outside of academia and have been told that some firms accept PhDs as management consultancy trainees. Do you think there's any chance of that with my background in the Humanities?

Thanks


A manager in WH Marks Sattin's Management Consultancy Division replied:

Dear Anonymous,

Many thanks for your question. It is true that Management Consultancies take on Phd graduates, however this is traditionally at the lower end of the corporate ladder. Many firms such as McKinsey, BCG, Bain etc. can be found at the “Milk Rounds” of top Universities as they invest huge amounts of time and money into campus recruiting. Traditionally they look for numerate, engineering or science disciplines of study, however due to the variety of firms within Management Consultancy there is always going to be demand for excellent academic performers irrespective of their chosen field of study.

I hope this is of some help. Best of luck in your search.

Regards

WH Marks Sattin


Click for our latest management consultancy jobs

Difficulty finding a good role despite recent MBA

JMG wrote

Hi,

I'm a recently completed my MBA at a top ranked European programme. Prior to the MBA I worked primarily in real estate corporate finance, dealing daily with DCF's NPV, financial modelling, debt restructures, SME equity analysis all what assume to be a core part of project finance.

Now, upon graduation, I had a position with a top 4 in the CEE region, however my contract was rescinded due to the current crisis and now I'm 5 months out of school, sending out at least 10 apps a day, and I hear absolutely nothing back.

The thing is, I have friends from the MBA with no prior financial experience who have managed to secure position at lucrative institutions.

Simply put I don't know what I'm doing wrong? People have said that my CV is strong, yet I hear nothing. Please advise.

A senior consultant at WH Marks Sattin replied

Dear JMG,

I completely understand your frustration with the present job market – it’s not easy out there for job hunters currently.

Looking at the brief rundown of your background above, it sounds like you have something to offer corporate finance clients but you may have been finding that, due to the number of redundancies from the larger banks, those firms that are looking to hire are able to pick candidates that have recent experience of the role, rather than MBA graduates that may still need training.

My advice would be to utilise your MBA alumni network to target company’s that have specific MBA recruitment drives for 2008 as well as doing your homework on which firms are actually looking to hire. This is where a recruitment consult can add a lot of value as they are able to use their market knowledge to get your CV to firms that definitely are hiring and would be interested in your background, as well as being able to speak to the decision maker to highlight your suitability for their firm.

If you would like more advice feel free to give us a call and one of our consultants would be pleased to talk to you.

Best of luck

WH Marks Sattin


Click for the latest corporate finance jobs

A career in taxation

Carmen wrote:

Hi,

I have a degree in accounting and graduated in 2006 and have completed part 1 and 2 of the ACCA and I went in to a job in sales ledger.

I have now realised that I want a career in taxation but obviously lack accounting experience in other than that gathered from sales ledger.

When I apply for jobs as a trainee accountant or accounts assistant they ask for 1-2 years on experience in a similar role. Even when I apply for temporary jobs they tend to assign me to sales ledger role which I aready have experience in and want to move away from.

I feel stuck as I feel I apply to these positions in vein.

Can you advise me on how to kick start my career.

Thanks


A consultant in the taxation team replied:

Dear Carmen

You mention you have an accounting qualifictaion and as such would have gained exemptions from the ACCA qualification. It makes sense to take advantage of such exemptions and complete the ACCA qualification. This will provide a broad base of both accounting and elements of taxation and can be studied either in-house or in practice. We recommend that you do this with a practice firm as you will benefit from a peer group, and a corporate culture of taking professional exams. It is also important that your work experience reflects your studies.

You effectively need to apply directly (rather than apply through an agency) to practice firms .If you are determined on a career in taxation, you can elect to take the ATT / CTA route without taking an accounting qualification. Please contact the Chartered Institue of Taxation for further information.

All the best

WH Marks Sattin


Click here for the latest taxation jobs

A career change to Banking

Move2008 wrote:

Hello

I am currently working at an advertising agency and have spent the last 11 years working in sales and negotiation roles for various media owners in the advertising industry. What are the chances of me being able to get back into banking (e.g. a back office role in an investment bank)? I'm 34 and I used to work for Bank of America many moons ago (1992/1993) but realise this experience is slightly out of date to say the least. Any help of general advice would be greatly appreciated.


A member of the WH Marks Sattin banking team replied:

Unfortunately with the current state of the financial markets, still reeling from the effects of the credit crunch and processing considerably lower volumes of trades than in the proceeding Bull markets of the last few years, I think you will find it difficult to move back into what has recently become a very competitive job market in back office investment banking – particularly given the 11 year gap in your experience relevant to the banking world.

There are lots of candidates currently looking for back office work with very current experience – our best advice would be to stick with the advertising for a year or so and reappraise the banking situation then. In the meantime, if Banking is something you would still like to pursue, then we would suggest refreshing your skills with a suitable training course.

All the best

WH Marks Sattin


Current WH Marks Sattin banking jobs

Shifting to pre-sales or sales consulting

Krishna wrote:

Hi

I need advice related to shifting to pre-sales or sales consulting from Product Management (or Development). Please let me know your advice.

Below is the brief resume for your perusal.

• 7 Years Experience at SAP AG and in total 9 years experience in IT
• More than 4 Years Financial Product Management in SAP Mid-market Solution
• Financial Solution defined in Payment, AP, AR, Treasury (Roll-in from Customer)
• Financial Service - Banking Product Development Experience
• Multi-Cultural Team Co-ordination Experience
• 1 year Experience in Marketing
• Studied Engineering with Post Graduate Diploma in Business Management (Major: Marketing)
• Strong Communication and Client Facing Skills

Thank you and best regards

KK

A consultant in WH Marks Sattin's management consultancy team replied:

My advice would be that going down the consulting route, you would need to look at leveraging the strong experience that you have gained in the past and particularly in the recent past. A Product Management orientated consulting role may not be what you are specifically looking for but in order to get into a Consulting role at your current career stage, you need to be utilizing your strongest and most applicable skills. There will be a lot of learning and development that you will need to do in a Consulting role so in the short term, you need to apply your strongest skills.

Management Consultancy as a long term goal would be something that would broaden your horizons in terms of the skills that you will develop and the avenues that this type of work will open to you. When making that initial transition however, I would encourage you to think about the long term plan and benefits.

I hope that helps. Best of luck

WH Marks Sattin

Management consultancy jobs

Getting into finance as a graduate

Anonymous wrote:

I am French and I am a graduate in economics and management from a French university and have been looking for a job (in finance, banking, economy related areas) in numerous agencies for more than 5 months and every time it is the same reply: "You don't have enough experience" but the point is I have to find this experience. Now I don't know where to look? Can you advise me? I'm really eager to learn and work.

A senior manager in WH Marks Sattin's Banking and Finance division replied:

As a raw graduate, I'm afraid you will have been receiving the same response from many Banking agencies as our clients tend to come to us for qualified candidates. Most Banks have their own in-house graduate recruitment schemes which means that they do not need to come to agencies like ourselves for this level. There are specialist graduate recruiters out there and I suggest that you target firms like this. I understand your frustration, however I would suggest logging onto the Banks' websites directly and clicking on their graduate recruitment links.

Best of Luck in your search.

WH Marks Sattin


Jobs in banking and finance

Internal Audit roles In Middle East

Anonymous wrote:

I am an ACCA, CISA, CIS qualified Accountant with experience in internal auditing in the Mining and manufacturing sectors. I notice you frequently advertise positions in the middle east . I want to know how good my chances are in this market. I do not speak arabic and currently i am based in Zim


The regional manager of WH Marks Sattin Middle East replied:

Dear Sir/Madam,

Three very strong points to your CV are that you have top 4 experience, mining is an economically robust and globally mobile industry and you probably have both financial and IT audit experience. The factors weighing heavily against you is that the Middle East is an exceptionally popular destination at the moment for their booming economies and hence competition for jobs is very strong. The other factor is that business here are fast moving away from "emerging market" status to developed, modern economies and, to continue this charge, Western developed economy experience holds a great deal of sway here.

If the the majority of your experience is based on the African sub continent, and particularly Zimbabwe, you may find difficulty working on the more attractive Gulf economies such as Bahrain, Abu Dhabi and Dubai, but may wish to target Saudi Arabia or Kuwait which also share strong demand, offer excellent salaries but do not benefit from such a strong supply of candidates. Arabic language is not so important in the majority of companies, as long as your English is fluent.

Yours

WH Marks Sattin


Jobs in the middle east

Big 4 ACA Manager

Anonymous wrote:

I am a Manager in the Internal Audit/Risk Management department for a Big 4 firm (with FS focus). I do have prior experience in financial audit while I was studying for the ACA qualification.

Currently planning on a career change into Equity Research and with greater focus in financial analysis and away from the risk and controls work.

What are the current prospects in the market and what level should I aim to enter.

Appreciate any advice.


A member of the private equity team at WH Marks Sattin replied:

Unfortunately, with these current bear market conditions the vast majority of banks and stockbrokers have limited the bulk of their recruitment to candidates that are currently within equity research, which somewhat restricts the opportunities for candidates looking to make the move from the accounting firms.

To increase your chances of securing an equity research role when the markets pick up, there are two areas that you can look to develop: firstly, you should perhaps think about an internal transfer to a role that will improve your financial modeling and company valuation skills, such as within your firm’s Transaction Services or Corporate Finance teams. Secondly, a genuine interest in the stock market that goes beyond, say, the major stories in the FT will stand you in good stead as you will need to demonstrate an understanding of the markets during the interview process.

Best of luck.

WH Marks Sattin Private equity jobs

Working in the UAE at an executive level

Anonymous wrote:

I am a Chartered Accountant with Big 5 experience. I have wide exposure from Banking, Manufacturing, trading and other industries. I am currently (past 15 years) in the Information Technology field in managerial position with extensive experience in global implementations and initiatives. I am 48 years old and am based in the USA. I have prior work experience in UAE and am looking to move there for work at an executive level. Do you assist someone like myself in this pursuit?


The regional manager of WH Marks Sattin Middle East replied:

Dear Sir/Madam,

I am afraid without a CV I cannot judge exactly what skills are transferable, but a couple of general rules which are relevant are:

1. Temporary work is legally not viable in Dubai. You can sign a one year contract, but daily or hourly rates are not possible as employees must be sponsored on a companies work permit and short term mission visas are being discussed at governmental level, but are not yet available. Most IT implementations rely on temporary workers for short term projects and as such companies tend to turn to management consultancies for that sort of work. The closest work to that which may suit is in a PMO department doing project/cost accounting on initiatives.

2. To get a job in Dubai experience must world class, current and an exact fit to a job spec. The work you are most likely to be selected for will reflect exactly what you have been doing over the past two to three years and within the industries you are currently working in. This is for two reasons; the first is that Dubai is immensely popular as a destination for aspiring high flyers from all over the world. Each job positing we list in Dubai receives around 6 times the number of responses than a job in London, which is traditionally the most desired working destination in the world. Competition is tough, employers can afford the best and will only go through the convoluted process of recruiting from the US if the application is perfect.

3. Experience is valued highly here, whereas other markets can value youthful potential as the greater asset.

I hope this helps

WH Marks Sattin

http://www.whmarkssattin.com/dubai

ACCA and then MBA?

Anonymous wrote:

I live in the UAE, and I have just finished by Bachelors in Finance, however, I am condsidering doing ACCA and then later on doing an MBA in Finance. Is it a wise go?? Or should I do an MBA and then maybe an ACCA??On the other side, I do not have much working experience (less than a year).Please advise...

The regional manager of WH Marks Sattin Middle East replied:

Dear Sir / Madam

Most good MBAs won't let you join until you have had five years working experience, so although there are work arounds, I would avoid them. The ACCA is an accounting qualification and it is wise to complete this as early as possible combining it with valid accounting experience. After that I would consider the MBA, but for the right reasons only. Doing an MBA is fantastic for personal development, but it is not a qualification. Many people take it as a passport to a new career, but it is merely there to sharpen and develop already existing business skills. Bear in mind they are expensive and time consuming, but really do make people think about and go about business better.

All the best

WH Marks Sattin
http://www.whmarkssattin.com

Changing career into corporate finance

Anonymous wrote:

Hi

I am a 41 year old Solicitor in Family Law. I have a 2:1 degree in Law and Postgraduate Diploma in legal practice.

Older qualifications include AAT/BTEC in Business and Finance (22 years ago!).

I want to change career and Corporate Banking is of interest to me. Relationship Manager.

I realise I will need to send some speculative applications, I have the transferable skills but will need Finance Training.

What are the prospects of such a Career Change? How on earth do you send speculative applications avoiding HR to the large banks eg. RBS and Barclays.

Their websites are geared up to online applications which I assume will go straight to HR.Your advice would be very much appreciated.


A senior manager in WH Marks Sattin's corporate fnance team replied:

Many thanks for your comment on our Job Doctor site.

In all honesty, we do not really recruit into the Relationship Banking divisions of our clients, however I hope these few points may help. I agree with what you say with regards to online applications. Yes, these will be run and monitored by their HR staff and there is a high probability that they dismiss a high percentage of applications if they are from different industries.

You also have to take into consideration the state of the market and ask if banks are going to be hiring into this function? Many of our clients are either letting people go at present or simply not hiring and consolidating the staff they already have.

I think the best option to change career at this time is to try and apply for a few roles both directly to the banks and maybe to agencies who specialise in this are of banking. Networking is also extremely important especially as Relationship managers should have the ability to utilise contacts from the outset. Sometimes it is a case of "who you know, rather than what you know".

I hope these brief points may be of assistance and I wish you the very best of luck with your job search.

Private equity job prospects in the UK

David wrote:

Hi

I am currently based in South Africa but am very seriously considering a move to the UK. I am 41 years old and have a varied background in corporate finance, private equity, venture capital, asset-based finance as well as an e-commerce start-up. I am a Chartered Accountant (South Africa) as well as a CFA Charterholder. I would be interested to learn what you would advise about my job prospects in the UK. I have a preference for a job with some type of investment focus rather than pure advisory, but am open to suggestions. I’ve sent this email as a first step but would welcome a telephonic discussion.

Kind regards

David


A senior manager in Marks Sattin's Private Equity team replied:

Many thanks for your interest in the opportunities we've advertised and apologies for not always being able to provide individual feedback on each individual application. Private Equity in the UK is hugely competitive. Given the recent economic trends affecting the global market place, competition for these positions have increased significantly with the numbers of M&A and Leverage Finance bankers currently in the market place. As such clients are in an increasingly luxurious position of being able to hand select the 'perfect' cv. Most in demand are individuals at the investment analyst or associate level - top ranked M&A bankers from the Bulge brackets with a second European language and impeccable academics are particularly sought. At the more senior level a demonstrable track record is a must and for UK or European houses, a investment history and network of contacts is imperative. International relocation is by no means impossible but individuals need to have a unique selling point to compete against the home grown professionals and should be prepared to be flexible and take steps towards their ideal job.

For further information, please email privateequity@markssattin.co.uk and continue to apply for jobs that are of interest to you.

All the best in your search

Moving into Corporate Finance following ACA qualification

Anonymous wrote:

Hi, I am a final year student at Nottingham University studying Finance, Accounting and Management. I want to work in Corporate Finance or a related discipline. I reached final assessment centre stages for both PwC and KPMG before being informed that they had filled all their vacancies in this area. Both have given me the opportunity to apply for audit instead of my original service line, as this is all that is now available in Manchester. If I were to join audit and qualify as an ACA, would it be possible/easy to move into Corporate Finance, M&A advisory etc once qualified?


A manager in Marks Sattin's corporate finance team replied:

Many thanks for your email. As a niche recruiter within the Accountancy and Finance market, we are specialists at finding ACA candidates, opportunities within the Corporate Finance teams within Investment Banks, Advisory Houses and Top 4 Practices.

This is one of the most competitive areas of recruitment as there are always too many candidates for not enough roles when it comes to qualification time in Quarter 3. There are steps however to put you ahead of the game:

• Qualify with first time passes. Many of our clients are only willing to interview candidates that have a perfect academic and exam record.
  
• Fight for a secondment to a deal focused team such as Transaction Services, Lead Advisory or M&A.
  
• Keep up to date with the Financial markets. Many ACAs we meet have a basic lack of general financial understanding and struggle with Corporate Finance interviews.
  
• Undertake the new Corporate Finance Qualification (CFQ). This should give a great overview of the markets and modelling/valuation techniques.
  

The ACA is a fantastic qualification to have and will give you many options when you qualify. The training schemes are well respected and will give you the skills and client exposure to allow you to apply for many roles at your level upon completion.

Good luck with your exams and job search and please feel free to email with any further questions.

US to UK

Anonymous wrote:

I am a U.S. citizen, qualified CPA, Masters in Accounting with Big 4 and Banking experience. Is it easy to make a switch to the U.K? Are companies willing to take on expats both legally (visas) and financially (relocation costs)? Or is this a tough sell in the current market?

Thanks


A senior consultant at Marks Sattin replied:

Hello

In order to fully answer this question I believe we need more information regarding previous experiences. Making a move from the US to the UK is definitely feasible however certain factors need to be considered. It is impossible to give a definite answer to this question until we ascertain where your skills lie.

I would be more than happy to discuss this further so by all means email me at jobdoctor@markssattin.co.uk and your message will be forwarded to me. We can then see if we can help you in your move.

Sorry I can’t be more helpful, but as I said I am happy to chat about your options.

All the best

WH Marks Sattin

www.whmarkssattin.com

A career change to Energy Consultancy

Ahmad wrote:

Hello!

I am a Petroleum engineering graduate and I have been working in an oilfield service company (Halliburton) for last four years. My experience is quite thorough in the Upstream side of the business. Is my profile suitable to join as an Energy Consultant? I am seeking a career change at the moment.

Ahmad


A consultant in Marks Sattin's management consultancy team replied:

Ahmad,

As a result of the ever-present desire for top management consultancies to remain competitive within the energy sector, individuals working within many service companies and Super Majors are successfully making the transition into the industry. As a management consultant within the energy sector, you will be required to fully utilise your technical competencies, whilst at the same time further your business acumen on a largely international platform. Please feel free to send me an e-mail with your cv and a good time for me to call, and I will certainly be in touch to discuss potential opportunities.

Please forward your CV to jobdoctor@markssattin.co.uk and it will be passed to me.

Best regards

Is an accountancy qualification essential for working in corporate finance?

Dan wrote:

Is an accountancy background/qualification essential for working in Corporate Finance?

I am currently working for a boutique specialising in lead advisory/broking for sale mandates. Whilst I very much enjoy the work, I would ideally like to gain employment within the corporate finance team of a top 10 accountancy firm or specialist boutique. I believe that this would provide me with the opportunity to develop my career and also to be able to access larger and more complex transactions.

Although I now have 2 years of experience handling deals from inception to completion (typically £0.5 - £5m in value), I am not an accountant by training. Prior to my current role, I was an IFA and worked in financial services for 8 years (including qualifying to AFPC level).

Do you think this will be possible and if so, at what level do you think I could enter?

Many thanks,

Dan W.


A manager of the corporate finance team replied:


Dan,

I hope you are well. Many thanks for your inquiry.

In answer to your question, an accountancy qualification is not essential to working within corporate finance, although being an accountancy recruiter, the majority of our clients do come to us purely because we focus on these type of candidates.

Many banks hire graduates to be analysts who then work their way through the banking structure, meaning that the majority of senior bankers in the City at present will have no more than maybe a straight-forward degree. Many US banks also like to hire MBA graduates with some work experience from another industry.

In short, an ACA or equivalent is not essential but it can help. As mentioned, many of our banking and advisory clients like to hire newly qualified candidates who have had three years of solid training and then will put them through their own training schemes.

In terms of me giving an opinion on whether your experience would suit our clients and at what level, I would have to see your CV. Please feel free to forward it to me at jobdoctor@markssattin.co.uk

All the best

Getting back into banking - international (continued)

Anonymous wrote:

Sorry, I did not mention that I am a British Citizen (recent). Also my IT experience is in Europe (mostly) and India. Will that make a difference?

Thanx


Marks Sattin's regional manager for the Middle East replied:

I am afraid that the relevant experience to us seems to come from India. Being a British citizen would help from a visa perspective, but the major issue is where your experience would have the most credibility.

Getting back into banking - international

Anonymous wrote:

Dear Job Doctor,

I have a Masters degree in Management and Systems and 20 years experience:

- 10 years in Banking (Credit Analyst- 6 years, Mergers Aquisitions & Business Turnaround

- 3 years, Investment Banking specially IPOs and Public Sector Privatisation investment) with a well known Indian bank from 1985 - 1996.

-From 1996 - 2005 I worked as Business Analyst and Project Mangaer in Banking, Energy Trading and Risk Management (Market Risk,Credit Risk. Basle 2.

In 2005 I went into a retail business woth a friend with a view to build a small chain of stores. The business expansion did not go as per plan because of reluctance of my business partner.

I am planning to get back into banking (IT or Credit or Private Equity)preferably in Dubai, France or Germany. Any suggestions will be welcome. I can be contacted on [email address removed]

Thanx


Marks Sattin's regional manager for the Middle East replied:

Thank you for your email and sorry to hear that your business did not go to plan. I am sure that, along with all the frustration, you have found that in setting up a business your commercial skills have developed considerably.

Realistically you may find some problems in the job market. Systems and processes involved in credit risk, market risk and operational risk have progressed significantly in the period, both as a result of regulatory drivers, but also more modern, business reactive techniques. I am afraid that you will have lost credibility against people with more current experience. This is particularly true with international recruitment when a candidate must have either a particularly niche skillset, or a market beating CV to make it worthwhile the relocation and imperfect recruitment process.

The option of freelance consulting is also difficult in many areas of the globe as working visas are available only with employee sponsorship and therefore only permanent. Marks Sattin is developing solutions in several locations, but the issue is worth bearing in mind.

I would suggest that you return to a role in your local market again, where your credibility will be higher, and gain more current experience before exploring international opportunities again.

Regards

Freelance consulting around the world

Rajen wrote:

Dear Job Doctor

I am a qualified and experienced Management Accountant specialised in the area of Activity Based Management and Performance Management.I am specialist in SAS ABM 6.x solution. I am interested in working as a freelance consultant in the differenet parts of the world. I am also interested in knowing more about the outsourcing work availble in this area. Hope to get the information.

Thanks and regards.

Rajen

A senior consultant at Marks Sattin replied:

Rajen,

ABC/M is a niche area where demand for exprienced professionals is growing rapidly, especially within Banking and Financial services. There are a number of consultancy's specialising in the provision of services both to Financial Services, Commerce and Industry as well as in the Government and Public Sectors. More important than specific ABC systems skills such as SAS, Metify, Oros etc is the in depth ABC experience itself, what the key drivers are, and being able to communicate this to both technical staff, finance and the business leaders.

We have placed numerous ABC specialists in 2007 and the trend looks set to continue into 2008 and beyond and more and more companies realise the benefits of effective activity based management and these jobs will be on offer for both temporary and permanent resources. Typical rates for contractors are £300-550 per day and perm salaries anything from £45k up to £90k depending on the size of the organisation.

If you would like to discuss further, please do give us a call.

The Doctor is back!

We hope you had a great festive season.

After an extended Christmas break, the Job Doctor is back!

Apologies to those that have posted questions in the last few weeks. The Doctor has been enjoying the apres ski in the French Alps and hasn't had access to his computer...

He will be doing his best to answer the backlog of questions over the next few days.

Please keep them coming in!