I am fortunate to have secured a Executive Director/VP2 role at Goldman Sachs’ Front Office Desk(Sell side) Markets
Although I possess a fairly typical op+15-year background in Firmops, CA and was never involved in clients’ interaction,
I was still fortunate enough to be onboarded. I graduated from a non-target European university with an average of 3.6 out of 5.0. I didn’t have any target Ivy/Russel Group as I have graduated mediocre accounting major in one of, not even the most competitive major to start with.
Nevertheless I have completed an budget MBA in London, costing around 16K, which is significantly lower than the fees paid by some of my peers who attended the London School of Economics(110k in contrast). Additionally, due to my communication difficulties as an ex-pat, I enlisted the help of native speakers and copywriters to complete my MBA.
Furthermore, due to prior to last employer’s disciplinary redundancy, HR chose to focus on my last employer and my latest recommendation instead.
Finally if I were a men probably I wouldn’t met diversity targets(GS it is no surprise aims to increase% women in FO)
I have been able to lead my own sales team, set my own targets, and recruit suitable candidates. I focus on recruiting young candidates who are willing to put in the extra effort, work long hours, and not challenge their supervisors. Despite having a background and lack of any qualifications(MBA-ish are considered as qualification level) that may not be ideal for this industry, I am appreciative of the opportunity that I have been given.
I’m keep telling friends that in this business there is no space for too old, experience candidates as they tend to create leaderships challenges and raising questions about operational sense and ways of doing things .I personally recruit only young candidates, who are willing to make extra effort, work long hours and do not challenge supervisors.
Ethics& Integrity: Neither GS nor my previous bank wouldn’t probably mind if I will admit that I’ve spent few years clamming council social housing benefits as well, living with my further family in their council flat and still work as Director(savings ‘000 in the process, just using loopholes).I simply used an opportunity as I was learnt doing at work and play the game.
To summarize I’m not exactly a raw model for junior colleagues(sometimes) better qualified and technically skilled on the job than me, neither in terms of technicality nor especially ethics at all, but as they came to me and once you are in, who cares!
All of the above are true and rather simple to check, so I hope HR is taking notes.