eFinancialCareers

Networking only when you need a job, and only with people in your field. Don't wait until you're thirsty to dig the well. If you're an introvert, try reaching out to online social networks to meet real-world contacts. That's what Tina, a young woman downsized from Bear Sterns' back office did, Navis says. She posted messages on www.craigslist.org and www.meetup.com, asking if anyone wanted to meet for coffee to talk about... Read more

The mood on Bay Street is turning sour. Until now, Canadian banks have been insulated from the turbulence of the U.S. financial markets. Most avoided sub-prime mortgages and other risky investments and maintained high capital ratios, a sign of a financial institution's health. However, that's all changed and bank CEOs now openly worry the U.S. recession is drifting northward. As their bottom lines come under pressure, banks are beginning to trim their... Read more

To many, the annual performance review is about as welcome as a colonoscopy. Could any good ever come from a one-on-one where your boss – no matter how much he might respect your work - is required to detail your strengths and (mostly) weaknesses? Surprising as it may seem, experts answer in the affirmative. "Performance reviews are one of the few chances for employees to receive honest feedback that determines whether... Read more

TD Bank Financial Corp., parent of Toronto-Dominion bank, and its corporate cousin TD Ameritrade Holding Corp. are continuing to hire workers, giving good news to Canadian job seekers worried about financial problems flowing north from the U.S. Toronto-based TD Ameritrade Holding has been adding sales and support staff to attract and retain customers - to the point where personnel expenses soared by $27.7 million, or 25.6 percent, in its quarter ended... Read more

A recent burst of mass layoffs from Canadian securities firms coincides with continued opportunistic hiring by those same firms. The Globe and Mail reports that Canaccord Capital announced a 10 percent staff cut last Thursday – eliminating 170 jobs mainly involving support roles. Yet Canacord recently hired two senior ex-JPMorgan bankers to run its fixed-income business, as well as making other hires in New York from JPMorgan and in Britain... Read more

The news hits you like a truck: the financial institution you work for has agreed to be acquired. Now what to you do? While it might feel like your fate has been snatched from your hands, experts lay out several steps you can take to improve your chances of keeping your job after a merger. Through both words and deeds, you'll need to mount an active effort to prove your value... Read more

The Canadian securities industry continues to bask in the glow of positive publicity. Whether that translates into job gains in finance remains to be seen. Canada had its biggest monthly gain in employment in at least 30 years in September, as employers added 106,900, about 10 times more than what economists had predicted, according to Bloomberg News. A survey from the Investment Funds Institute of Canada found that 78 percent of... Read more

Is your performance review coming up? Do you think it has any value, beyond fulfilling a bureaucratic requirement before your boss can raise your salary? The Wall Street Journal recently published a long essay attacking the insitution of the performance review. The essay was written by Samuel A. Culbert, a management consultant, author and professor at the Anderson School of Management at UCLA. The real "primary purpose" of performance reviews, Culbert wrote,... Read more

In the financial job market, when it comes to education and credentials, the more the merrier. So how do you determine which are right for you? At a time when many job postings ask for a master's degree and/or a professional designation, earning both is important "if you want to see your resume go to the top of the pile," says Tom Robinson, head of educational content for the CFA... Read more

Battered by its exposure to the U.S. real estate market and attempting to rebuild its securities business, Canadian Imperial Bank of Commerce got a $1.05 billion (Canadian) investment from the U.S. private equity firm Cerberus Capital Management. The investment will be in CIBC's U.S. residential real estate portfolio, which as of June 30 had a fair market value of $1.18 billion, according to the Toronto-based bank. Cerberus' investment will be... Read more

People throughout the financial industry are nervous right now. Whether your firm's under pressure or not, it's always smart to have your resume up-to-date, to be in touch with your network, and to be ready to launch a job search should the need - or the opportunity - arise. To help, we've compiled some of our favorite articles on networking, organizing your job search, resumes, cover letters, and interviewing. Retaining... Read more

Buoyed by the strong Canadian dollar, banks are on the hunt for acquisitions. Unfortunately for job seekers, they are finding their best deals in the U.S. Royal Bank of Canada, the country's largest bank, reportedly held acquisition talks with embattled Wall Street firm Lehman Brothers Holdings, indicating the continuing interest of Canadian banks in snapping up distressed companies in the U.S. In April, shares of Bank of Nova Scotia tumbled after... Read more

Sometimes, the toughest question in a job interview is, “Do you have any questions?” Vicky Oliver found out the hard way. The author of 301 Smart Answers to Tough Interview Questions recalls interviewing for a position at Vogue early in her own career. When the hiring manager asked if she had any questions, Oliver replied, "Just one: When do I start?" That flippant reply cost her the job, she says. Now, she... Read more

Effectively building - and leveraging - a network of professional contacts is essential to your ultimate success. But if glad-handing isn't your style, networking can look like a high hurdle. The good news: There are several ways to make effective networking more comfortable. The Myers-Briggs Type Indicator, a widely used personality test, defines people according to where they get their energy on the extrovert-introvert scale. Typically, extroverts get theirs from interaction... Read more

For many job-seekers, working with search firms is an emotionally laden topic. We asked recruiters and career counselors for some do’s and don’ts to help you make the most of opportunities these agencies can offer. The first step is to understand their role in the hiring process. If you believe the recruiter’s mission is to “help you get a job” - as one eFinancialCareers reader commented on a story - then... Read more

Inducing recruiters to pay attention to you is a lot like borrowing money. If you don't ask until you desperately need it, then you're sure to be rejected. So if your current job isn't on the chopping block yet but might get axed next year, now is the time to reach out to people who can open a door to new opportunities. A recent Forbes article offers several tips for attaining... Read more

Are you involved in your college's alumni network? You should be. When networking with your fellow alumni, you're talking to people who speak the same language as you: You all understand the work it took to make you a member. You have built-in loyalty to your school and your peers. Whether on a local or national level, the alumni network will support you throughout your entire working life. And there's an... Read more

Some people scour jobs boards, others network like there's no tomorrow. Whatever your job-search strategy, here's five tips to help you stand out from the pack. Think Strategically "You never want to get caught behind changes in the marketplace," says Dawn Fay, New York-based regional vice president of Robert Half International. "When the market changes, it's often subtle, so stay ahead of the game." That means reading as much as you... Read more