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Just registered in the site and thought this would be a good place to get some good advice which I really need.
I graduated a few years ago with a Bachelor's degree in Finance. I have not been able to find a good job in the Finance field. I feel that I am very underqualified for the field. I also had no luck finding good unpaid internships, except for one which was a waste of time as they only had me do filing work.
The only jobs that I have been able to find are literally just minimum wage sales jobs, as I didn't want to just stay home with no job.
What can I do to make myself more qualified? When I walk into an interview, I want to be able to feel confident about the finance field and feel like I am perfect for the jobs. Would taking courses in Finance help me? Or are those not really worth it? Any advice for me? Please point me in the right direction. I feel so clueless.
I am currently living in the U.S but I'm not originally from here, so I am not really aware of what the business world is like here.
Just registered in the site and thought this would be a good place to get some good advice which I really need.
I graduated a few years ago with a Bachelor's degree in Finance. I have not been able to find a good job in the Finance field. I feel that I am very underqualified for the field. I also had no luck finding good unpaid internships, except for one which was a waste of time as they only had me do filing work.
The only jobs that I have been able to find are literally just minimum wage sales jobs, as I didn't want to just stay home with no job.
What can I do to make myself more qualified? When I walk into an interview, I want to be able to feel confident about the finance field and feel like I am perfect for the jobs. Would taking courses in Finance help me? Or are those not really worth it? Any advice for me? Please point me in the right direction. I feel so clueless.
I am currently living in the U.S but I'm not originally from here, so I am not really aware of what the business world is like here.
Thank you so much.
What city are you in? The good finance jobs are in larger cities. And there are no good unpaid internships in finance. All the good ones pay and recruit through colleges.
Location: East of Seattle since 1992, 615' Elevation, Zone 8b - originally from SF Bay Area
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Look at all of the local government agencies, such as cities, counties, state, airports, and utility districts. Check any government job clearinghouse sites (like the one below) daily. Public agencies are more likely to hire paid interns,
and though they almost always require experience for permanent jobs, if they like you as an intern they often give preference.
The overseas bachelor's may very well be limiting you because employers don't have an equivalent measuring stick nor do they know much about your school.
I wouldn't take more undergraduate coursework. I would try to find a school where you can get a master's. The degree itself may not help that much, but it at least acclimates you to the American business world and puts you back in the college recruitment pipeline.
I have accepted a position with a financial software firm that is more than doubling my income. Although it is not a finance position, I believe the following would be beneficial to you.
Learn financial software. I self-studied for an Excel Expert certification and passed it. Mastery of Excel is basically assumed for finance positions, but this cert can help you stand out.
Other recommendations would be to learn R programming, SQL, SAS, SPSS, eViews, virtually any sort of statistics or modeling software. I found that my own economics program barely touched on any industry standard software and practices. This is a big deficiency that would really give you a leg up.
You may also want to get a trusted American friend to review your resume or even consult a professional resume service. Dallas is a pretty hot market, and if you can't get something there, I'm not sure the location is the problem.
A lot of good ideas here already. These days I feel like people are more interested in what you can do than what your degree says. There are a few lists out there of out-of-the-box type business jobs that are a good way to build experience. A quick Google search turned up a few:
[url=http://www.payscale.com/college-salary-report-2013/business-jobs]Jobs for Business Majors by Salary Potential[/url]
[url=http://online.king.edu/business/10-business-careers-you-probably-haven%E2%80%99t-considered/]10 Business Careers You Probably Haven[/url]
[url=http://collegelife.about.com/od/CollegeMajors/a/What-Can-I-Do-With-A-Degree-In-Business.htm]A Degree in Business -- What Can I Do With a Degree in Business?[/url]
Seek a position with an accounting firm then work toward a CPA.
My DD graduated with a degree in Finance, worked for Ernst & Young, became a CPA, hired as a Controller and is now a CFO.
See OP, it's easy!
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A few different possibilities
