Job opportunities in Finance - Polish graduate (Miami: fit in, insurance)

[lyzwad]

Hi there,

I am a recent graduate (M.Sc.) of Finance and Accounting and I am strongly convinced with moving to Miami from Poland (central Europe). At the moment I have Stockbroker license and I will acquire Investment Advisor license soon - both of them are recognisable only in Poland, the second one is very similar to CFA exam. Neverthless, I do have theoretical basis of US capital market and some practice.

I know financial and regular English preety good and no Spanish at all. My question is: is it possible to start a job in Miami around my field of interest with my qualifications? Would I have chances to fit into Miami's financial companies or should I forget about it and consider only 'typical' kind of jobs?

Thanks for advice!
Dominik

[Fl1150]

Miami has the largest number of international banks in the country outside New York City so I think you would have plenty of options. Knowing Spanish would be an asset but is not needed to get a job here that I know of. Try looking at this site https://www.employflorida.com/vosnet/Default.aspx

[himain]

You'll need Spanish trust me. I couldn't even get an Admin Assist job because I didn't speak Spanish.

[bale002]

Originally Posted by lyzwad

Hi there,

I am a recent graduate (M.Sc.) of Finance and Accounting and I am strongly convinced with moving to Miami from Poland (central Europe). At the moment I have Stockbroker license and I will acquire Investment Advisor license soon - both of them are recognisable only in Poland, the second one is very similar to CFA exam. Neverthless, I do have theoretical basis of US capital market and some practice.

I know financial and regular English preety good and no Spanish at all. My question is: is it possible to start a job in Miami around my field of interest with my qualifications? Would I have chances to fit into Miami's financial companies or should I forget about it and consider only 'typical' kind of jobs?

Thanks for advice!
Dominik

In terms of international banking and finance, Miami banks excel in trade finance, mainly with Latin American countries, and wealth management sales, mainly with Latin American clients, but the people who actually design the wealth management products and broker the securities transactions are sitting mostly in New York. There are relatively few independent capital markets (issuance and trading of stock, bonds, currencies and derivatives, hedge funds), investment banking, and wealth management firms headquartered in Miami.

If the main goal is a career in the capital markets sector of finance, your best bet is to start in New York.

If the main goal is to come to Miami, I would suggest studying to get a Florida insurance license in addition to your stock brokerage and investment advisor licenses and/or, with your accounting background, pursue a path to become a CPA or, even better, a career in international corporate tax law. Having said that, the capital markets side is not impossible in Miami, but much lower chances than in New York (or even Chicago or San Francisco, for example).

Chances are that you will not land any employment in trade finance without Spanish and/or Portuguese and good contacts in the trade finance department of a bank with a branch in Miami.

[lyzwad]

Thanks for support! As I see opinions are divided, even among US citizens . I don't reject learning Spanish but it will take a while and it would be nice to use my skills in finance-related job rather than working as a waiter or so.

[manny118]

Miami/South Florida has private equity shops and smaller boutique investment banks. However these employers are generally looking for prior experience in finance. Miami is not like New York, Chicago, LA, San Fran, and Boston that has many large finance employers with organized rotational programs and training for new hires. In Miami you need to be able to hit the ground running and it helps to be in a niche area of law or finance to improve your chances of employers hiring you if you are from out of country or out of town and may require relocation costs.

Miami is also not a deep job market for high finance, so if things don't work out there may not be anywhere else in the city to go. People will tell you about Miami being an international finance center but in reality it is just a big deposit center for Latin America. The real finance work gets done in other US cities.

[FlyMIA]

Originally Posted by himain

You'll need Spanish trust me. I couldn't even get an Admin Assist job because I didn't speak Spanish.

Lower level professional jobs like an Admin Assistant tend to require Spanish. I know plenty of financial advisers, lawyers and doctors in Miami who can't count to 10 in Spanish.

[FlyMIA]

Originally Posted by lyzwad

Hi there,

I am a recent graduate (M.Sc.) of Finance and Accounting and I am strongly convinced with moving to Miami from Poland (central Europe). At the moment I have Stockbroker license and I will acquire Investment Advisor license soon - both of them are recognisable only in Poland, the second one is very similar to CFA exam. Neverthless, I do have theoretical basis of US capital market and some practice.

I know financial and regular English preety good and no Spanish at all. My question is: is it possible to start a job in Miami around my field of interest with my qualifications? Would I have chances to fit into Miami's financial companies or should I forget about it and consider only 'typical' kind of jobs?

Thanks for advice!
Dominik

It's possible. Spanish in the finance industry is a big plus down here. Russian and Portuguese are other languages in demand in Miami.

I assume you are from Poland and have a polish passport? You will have to try to not only find a job in the U.S. but a job/employer that will help you get a visa. Not an easy task.

[MiamiResident]

Originally Posted by lyzwad

Hi there,

I am a recent graduate (M.Sc.) of Finance and Accounting and I am strongly convinced with moving to Miami from Poland (central Europe). At the moment I have Stockbroker license and I will acquire Investment Advisor license soon - both of them are recognisable only in Poland, the second one is very similar to CFA exam. Neverthless, I do have theoretical basis of US capital market and some practice.

I know financial and regular English preety good and no Spanish at all. My question is: is it possible to start a job in Miami around my field of interest with my qualifications? Would I have chances to fit into Miami's financial companies or should I forget about it and consider only 'typical' kind of jobs?

Thanks for advice!
Dominik

No one will hire you. There are too many business graduates in South Florida.

[Rekichi]

Originally Posted by MiamiResident

No one will hire you. There are too many business graduates in South Florida.

He's got a MS in Finance AND Accounting , two fields that will easily trump any run of the mill business majors, and he has certifications.

Most companies are requiring either a Bachelors in Finance, Accounting, or an MBA. Business graduates simply do not have the analytical skills of a Finance degree or the knowledge that an Accounting degree gives to compete effectively.