R.A.I.N. Conference Call Series - November 11th Highlights

On Wednesday, November 11th, R.A.I.N Career Institute was joined by Nicole Hu on the first bi-weekly conference call of the new academic year. Nicole shared her experiences on coming from China to Canada to pursue her MBA and shares how she ultimately secured a full-time position as a Corporate Banking Analyst with Scotiabank's US Power and Utilities group. 

Highlights of our conversation with Nicole are below for those who were unable to tune-in: 

At the beginning of the call, Nicole described some of the major factors that are key to land a role in Corporate Banking as an international student
“In terms of corporate banking, one of the most important skillsets that can differentiate candidates is grasping a complete understanding of the technicalities of credit analysis. Along with that, since corporate banking tends to be a client facing role, having great social and networking skills can go a long way in landing an interview. Buying into the Canadian culture is also crucial as it helps to find common ground with people as well as to gain different points of view. The ability to showcase a genuine interest and passion for finance and the work goes a long way in terms of securing a position.”

In terms of what she didn’t expect coming into the corporate banking industry “I had heard a lot of how it corporate banking was not as prestigious as investment banking, but I have really enjoyed the work and working with my team. Although it is in the front office too, the hours are shorter and there's a better work-life balance than in other areas of the bank. There are a lot of legal documents that one needs to get accustomed to, but as time passes on, you catch onto the language and it becomes second nature. The transition from the Toronto office to the New York office has been quite smooth as well. The culture in New York is more fast pace, but there are also a lot more opportunities to prove yourself.” In the Q&A portion of the call, students had the opportunity to ask Nicole questions - including what previous internship experience they look for in investment banking recruiting and tips for securing a first internship: “I understood the importance of networking as soon as I started my MBA as it required me to get an internship at the end of the first year. That element of my MBA that I found to be the most beneficial was the ability to leverage my school resources and get to know more people who have already had significant experience in the industry. I also found that maintaining a good GPA is also a key especially if you don't have relevant work experience. For my first internship, I joined the trading floor at CIBC which is extremely intense compared to the credit analytics team I joined at Scotiabank. The role is usually seen as the feeder for the corporate banking team as it gives you similar work experience and also the chance to network within the corporate banking team” “Lastly, I would say start making connections in the industry as early as possible, keep in touch with them by sending a follow-up email every once in a while to show continued interest.” “Always be inquisitive and ask for feedback to show interest and the willingness to learn. This helps building the relationships in the industry and will certainly help in the future.”