Getting Social (Media) to Find a Job

A recent Wall Street Journal article referenced a December survey of recruiters by business consulting firm Corporate Executive Board, where “nearly 80% of respondents said they plan to increase their use of job-board alternative methods this year, such as employee referrals and other websites like Facebook Inc. or LinkedIn.”

Senate Gridlock Crimps Hiring Progress

It sounds like we may have to wait as long as March to get the previously promised funding increases, so that the SEC and CFTC can proceed with staffing up for Dodd-Frank implementation.  If you recall, I wrote in November about the prospects for hiring hundreds of new regulators.

Hiring Alert: BTIG

An article in Traders Magazine yesterday announced that BTIG will be continuing its expansion by entering the wholesaling business.  Capital commitment will be part of that evolution. 

Hiring Alert: Fixed Income Trading-multiple firms

eFinancial Careers reports that hiring in the fixed income trading arena is picking up.  Specific firms mentioned were MF Global, BNY Mellon Asset Management, Newedge, Bluefin Trading, Scotia Capital, and BB&T Capital Markets.

Wanted: Cyborg with Market Feel

Unless you’ve been in a cave, if you work in trading, you know that the industry has embraced technology.  But what does that mean if you want to stay relevant?  Two recent articles in Traders Magazine talk about how important it is to stay at the forefront of technology trends by building quant skills, while holding onto the skills that made you a successful trader in the first place. 

Hiring Alert: BlackRock

According to Crain’s, BlackRock plans to add 300 jobs in NYC next year, and another 200 by 2015.

No need to wait, though – if you check their jobs site for positions in the U.S., there are quite a few posted in NYC, as well as Wilmington, San Francisco, and Plainsboro, NJ.  They cover a wide range of business units and roles from Tech to Dealer Services to Strategy heads.

Volunteering to Make a Leap

Every day, I talk with people who are doing volunteer work to fill their extra time while they look for new jobs.  It’s a great way to keep a routine, feel good, and give something back.  But most of them are overlooking another possibility – a leap to a new career.

I’m not talking about going to work for a non-profit, although some have done that, too.  I’m talking using volunteer experience to build skills for private industry or to test-drive a new career.

Going Public (Sector)

Most Wall Streeters will tell you that the phrases “SEC Congressional testimony” and “good news” don’t go together.  But Mary Schapiro dropped some good news for job-seekers in her July testimony on the SEC’s restructuring.  Peppered throughout her statements were references to the agency’s need to increase staffing.  So, if you’ve ever secretly considered a transition to the “dark side,” this may be your chance.