Competitive, if only real work experience from SME?

[wsxesz]

Hi,

I work in a junior Strategy and BD role, in a low profile but decent sized SME in the natural resources sector (not Oil & Gas, but more physical commodities trading); have been there for about 1.5 years since graduation. Now, I'm trying to find my way out now because I can't take the politics.

My question is whether I am still viewed as competitive enough for MNCs, banks and the like? i have some experience in capital raising (pitchbook/decks, some structuring), pricing and scenario modeling, and the usual corporate work (market analysis, demand sizing and projections, etc.); but i'm not sure if the lack of a 'brand name' maybe a ding against me.

If it matters, I have a 2nd upper equivalent BComm (or BBA) from one of the better Aussie unis and previous internships in local bank, and a F500 MNC.

Appreciate any help or advice, if possible!

It depends what sort of job you want to join in a bank. If it’s backroom trading support kind still got chance. If you want to get back the same sort of job you now have but in a bank then very unlikely as you will end up competing with all the bank’s MA and experienced outsiders from well known banks.

[wsxesz]

Originally Posted by Unregistered

It depends what sort of job you want to join in a bank. If it’s backroom trading support kind still got chance. If you want to get back the same sort of job you now have but in a bank then very unlikely as you will end up competing with all the bank’s MA and experienced outsiders from well known banks.

Thanks for your reply. Realised I wasn't specific in what I was looking for.

I'm ok to start off again from the bottom in the entry level analyst-type roles (in pricing, finance, whatnot), and am not looking to parachute in to the senior analyst or assoc level. After all, my years of experience isn't that much.

Also, banking-wise, I'm not really looking at the high finance fields (ib, am etc.) but more towards the middle range of corp. credit risk etc.; Eq research would be nice, but unrealistic I think.

Originally Posted by wsxesz

Thanks for your reply. Realised I wasn't specific in what I was looking for.

I'm ok to start off again from the bottom in the entry level analyst-type roles (in pricing, finance, whatnot), and am not looking to parachute in to the senior analyst or assoc level. After all, my years of experience isn't that much.

Also, banking-wise, I'm not really looking at the high finance fields (ib, am etc.) but more towards the middle range of corp. credit risk etc.; Eq research would be nice, but unrealistic I think.

As long as you are not fussy about the kind of job, it should still be possible. But I suggest you try and think through a bit more whether this kind of mind numbing operations role is really what you want, it really is quite different from what you are doing now.

Because once you are in, I don’t think the chances are high that you will be able to get back a similar kind of mid office job in at least the next 4 years. Many people go into ops hoping to move on in the future once they supposedly have one leg in a bank, but often the case is they get stuck for a few years inside and by then they no longer have any marketability outside banking ops making it hard to switch when they realize they don’t have hope of transferring.

Go and talk to any contacts you have in banking ops, more than half of veterans in banking ops belong to this helpless category that want to run, but have nowhere else to run to. It is like Hollywood – for every humble banking ops that make it big to front office or senior management category, there are dozens others who are rotting in oblivion. You have to factor this risk into account.