Best ways to start a working career

I will begin college in Europe starting from next month and have my bachelor degree in finance by 2013. What I really hope for is already getting a job in my first year at a firm to start building a reputable CV and gaining essential working experience for working towards higher positions. However, most firms seem to higher people who are in their last year of their bachelor degree or otherwise have progressed further than I currently have.

I was wondering if there are any firms in Central Europe that offer internships or some kind of training programs for starting college students like myself?

So in other words, any lower tier firms which are excellent starting points? Its evident no one goes straight to eg. a top 3 IB or consulting firm just like that.

I'd concentrate on grades if I was you and not worry about internships for another year or so.

Originally Posted by Flambeur

Click to expand...

I'd concentrate on grades if I was you and not worry about internships for another year or so.
Yup .. take harder/higher level courses as well an get any designations those higher level classes you can.

Not sure about the EU, but in Canada most universities offer "Honour's" programs, that consist of higher level courses + research. Anything similar usually stands out on a resume.

Really .. anything that makes you stand out, or limits the number of other students with "the exact same degree". Work experience is good, but I just did summer work terms and managed quite well.

Joining a student organization and getting some kind of function can help too. Last year I was the webmaster, this year I'm doing finances, should look good on my CV.

Originally Posted by imschatz

Click to expand...

Yup .. take harder/higher level courses

bad advice

1.) Graduate with good grades in a field that is marketable (it doesn't have to be money related - it could be anything but you need to know what you want out of it). 2.) Use at least one summer break working within the field you are interested for experience 3.) Get in touch with alumni from your school ASAPto build a relationship with them by asking for advice/guideance on how to reach your goal and to simply get your head in the right track - especially as many of your peers won't have considered it this early. It's not gauranteed you will graduate and get a job that is ideal for you, but you will certainly build the skills necessary to get you where you want to be. Keep an open mind as well, you will never know what opportunities that will come your way that will open new doors to you. By the way, participate in extracurricular activities - social and or academic fraternities, clubs, sports, study abroad. These are skills and experiences that will round you out (socially and also learning to work within organizations) and make you a stronger candidate.

If you lack the educational or professional background, an associate's degree may be a good place to start to see if you're willing to make the necessary educational commitment.







_____________________________________________________________________________
Want to get-on Google's first page and loads of traffic to your website? Hire a SEO Specialist from Ocean Groups seo pecialist

Goldman Sachs has a reputation to recruit undergrads early in their career. However, at your level (unless you already mastered technical analysis or made hundred of thousand dollars trading derivatives via your uncle's account), I think you must at least show some academic excellence at school for a few years.

_____________________________________________________________________________
Want to get-on Google's first page and loads of traffic to your website? Hire a SEO Specialist from Ocean Groups seo pecialist [/quote]

Originally Posted by Pantisocrat

Click to expand...

Goldman Sachs has a reputation to recruit undergrads early in their career.

That's because they need people to perform soul crushing work for them.

I agree with Flambeur...keep your grades up now when they should be the easiest--it will buoy your average later.

I don't know how different it is for europe, but what you do the summer after your first year is really unimportant...I detailed cars/managed the lot at a car dealership, a friend of mine who is now an ibanker worked in a corn field for some unrelated research company.

Your second year, you will probably want a more substantive internship...but really that is just so that you have stuff to talk/write about to get your 3rd year internship (as long as you can make it sound good--it doesn't have to be something super-awesome).

your 3rd year summer internship is pretty important though--it could turn directly into an offer or it could open doors to other companies and look good on your resume.

From this you can see that the grades at the beginning are probably more important. Your 3rd year internship will be based on completed grades for the first two years and maybe the first half of your 3rd year (so your freshman grades could be 50% of the consideration and its when you get to take the easy ****). Your full time recruiting will only be looking at your first 3 years of grades so even if you decide to turn over a new leaf at the end and get perfect grades your 4th year, that won't be seen by any employer until AFTER you have graduated (and most people try to line up a job long before that).

I'm going to go against the trend here and say that jobs/internships should absolutely be on your mind right now. It's never too early to start getting real experience and networking.

Definitely do keep your grades up, so probably getting a job during the school year is not the best idea. However, it's never too early to get experience on your resume. Start networking now, and then line up something for the summer since you won't be worried about grades during summer. (probably unpaid internship is best. at your level you will likely get better experience with something unpaid.)

Anything small, even if it's doing bitchwork for your friend's uncle's accounting firm can be leveraged toward your next internship. Before you know it, you will have a few summers of good experience that you can talk about in your IB interviews Junior/Senior year.