Job interviews can be stressful. If you are preparing for your next investment banking job interview, you will want to make sure that you are conscious about how you answer questions and words that you choose to use. Here are three things not to say in an investment banking interview.

Can’t – If you are being asked about a skill or experience, using the word “can’t” or “impossible” will not be motivating or impressive to your interviewer.  These words have negative connotations and avoiding their use in a job interview is advised.

Fired- When discussing your past job experiences, it is best to avoid the word “fired” if possible. If you were fired, and you are asked directly if you have been fired, you have no choice but to answer honestly. However, if you are asked why you left a previous job, using words like “laid off” and “downsized” have a better undertone than “fired.” Obviously, do not lie to a potential employer, that will only come back to haunt you, but using more delicate words is your best bet.

People person- Using a cliché such as “I’m a people person“ can be a huge turnoff in a investment banking job interview.  Even if you are a “people person,” you do not want to sounds so generic. Pick a different way to state that you are good with people. You can mention your excellent customer service skills or interviewing skills. Find a way to spin the topic to not sounds so fluffy and give a more concrete picture of your skills.

You have been on the job search for some time and you finally have your first investment banking interview. However, you have a family emergency on the day of your interview; can you reschedule your interview? Of course you can; however, you need to make sure you following these tips to reschedule it smoothly and properly.

1-     Let them know as soon as you know – If you need to reschedule your interview, make sure you let the company know as soon as possible.  Yes, last minute issues can arise, but if you know you have a funeral to attend on that day and you know ahead of time, it is best to let them know as soon as you can to be courteous.

2-     Be polite – Make sure you are polite and apologetic for having to reschedule your interview. Talk directly with the person you schedule the interview with to make certain they know what has happened. If possible, reschedule immediately. Do not depend on a voicemail to ensure they received your message.

3-     Follow up – Follow up a rescheduled interview with an email to ensure there is no confusion. Also, be sure to use this follow up to thank the interviewer for rescheduling the interview. Be sure you show up for your next interview for sure.

Though you should do your best not to reschedule your interview, there are reasons that you may need to. Whether due to a family emergency or illness, if you do need to reschedule your interview, make sure you do so politely and in a timely manner.

As an investment banking job seeker, you may have considered hiring a recruiter. Hiring a recruiter can be a great way to find job leads and have someone on your side as you maneuver through today’s competitive job market. Here are a few tips in finding a good investment banking recruiter:

1-     Find a recruiter that specializes in investment banking. There are many types of recruiters available to job seekers. It is important to find one that specializes in placement within your field. This provides you the best way to find a job quickly.

2-     Find a recruiter that you are comfortable with. It is important that you feel comfortable with the recruiter that you choose. You want to be able to develop a working relationship with him or her and be honest about what you are looking for, what you are interested in, and your investment banking experience and education.

3-     Ask about their requirements and business practices up front. Understanding how the investment banking recruiter you are interested in works is important. You want to understand their business practices, how they work for you, what they expect from you, and how you should stay in contact with them.  Discussing this up front will help you decide if a recruiter is one you will feel good about having working for you.

4-     Repeat business. It is good to remember that, once you have found an investment banking recruiter that you are happy with, you should remember to use them again in the future if you find yourself looking for another job.  Loyalty on your side will help the recruiter feel connected to you and make it easier for you to find your next job as well.

Finding an investment banking job in today’s competitive job market can be challenging. It takes work, tenacity, and determination to stand out from the crowd and land that job. Here are some ways to find an investment banking job in today’s market.

Resume – One of the best way to find a job is to get your resume out there. When job-hunting for a investment banking job, it is imperative to have an up-to-date resume ready at all time. Carry them with you and send them out to every company you are interested in working for.

Job Listings – Follow the job listings online and in your local paper. Though your best bet is to find a job through a friend, colleague or networking professional, you will want to exhaust all avenues. Online job listings can be a good way to find jobs, and using social networking job boards can be an excellent resource.

Follow Up – Ultimately, you will have the best luck if you always follow up. Follow up resumes you send out, networking connections you make, applications you fill out, and every job you apply for in any way. Following up can be the difference between being considered for a job and not. Following up on a job application can help you stand out from the other applicants and give you another chance to tell the prospective employer why you are the best person for the job.

Self-marketing is a very important part of today’s job seeking. An investment banker who is looking for a job needs to understand effective self-marketing. Here are a few way to self-market your investment banker skills and work toward getting your next job as an investment banker.

Website – A popular way to market yourself is to develop a personal website. Many investment bankers have personal websites to utilize during their job hunt. It is good to include the personal website address on your resume and business cards. Attaching it to your email signature line is also a good practice.

Email – Job seekers should always take the time to have a professional email address.  When looking for a job, it is best to have an email that is your name at a proven email address like my.name@gmail.com. This is not a good time to use your favorite cartoon character or hobby as your email address.

Social Networking – For today’s job seekers, it is important to be involved in social media. You need to make sure that your Facebook, Twitter and other social media pages are in good shape and professional. You want to use them to promote a positive image of yourself and allow interested employers to see something positive about you.

Forums – Forums on professional websites are an excellent place for you to visit and network with others in your field. It is good to participate in the forums and not just lurk. Starting conversations and asking for advice is good. It is best to be involved and not just try to self-promote. You will want to make sure you read the forum policies to see if you it is allowable for you to advertise that you are looking for a job. Remember to utilize your signature on your posts. This is a good way to lead prospects to your personal website or Facebook page.

We all know that it is imperative to have a good resume that is up-to-date and ready to go at a moment’s notice. Whether you are writing your first resume or updating your investment banking resume, here are some good tips to follow.

Use a good font. Your resume is not the time to experiment with the newest, fancy font. Be sure to use a standard professional font like Ariel, Courier New, or Times New Roman. Be consistent throughout your resume and use a readable pitch like 10 or 12.

Use a standard template. Research what common templates are used in investment banking and be consistent. There is something to be said for standing out from the crowd; however, you still want to maintain a professional look. In addition, a template will ensure you have not missed vital information.

Have a legible format. The format of your resume should also be professional. Using a template can usually help you find a good format. You can also choose a format that emphasizes the experience and education you wish to highlight.

Know the keywords. It is good to get to know the keywords that are important in investment banking. You will want to use these throughout your resume, especially if you are applying for a position with a large company. Large companies typically use programs to filter resumes based on predetermined keywords.

Supply accurate contact information. Probably one of the most important parts of your resume is the contact information. If you don’t supply good contact info then a potential employer cannot get a hold of you if they are interested. Make sure you give your name, address, the phone number that you prefer, and a good email at least.  If you have a personal marketing website, you should include that as well.

Looking for a new job can be a scary yet exciting process. You want to be as prepared as you can for the process. In addition to preparing your resume and networking, you can make sure you are as informed as you can about the job seeking process.  This means you will want to read up on tips of the trade to be sure you are sharp throughout the process. Here is a suggestion of three books that may help you prepare as you start your job search.

Resume Magic: Trade Secrets of a Professional Resume Writer by Susan Britton Whitcomb. If you are in need of a resume make over or need some tips to improve your resume, this is a great reference to read. With many useful resources from a professional resume writer, you will gain insight on how to follow protocol yet personalize your resume as well as hints on how to include just what the companies are looking for as they read your resume.

Me 2.0: Build a Powerful Brand to Achieve Career Success by Dan Schwabel. This book gives you steps to create, communicate, and keep up-to-date your personal brand. It includes resources on how to effectively market yourself through a personal brand including blogging and social media. The book includes sample templates and discussion of the importance and benefits of establishing a personal brand.

Fearless Interviewing: How to Win the Job by Communicating with Confidence by Marky Stein. This book on interviewing presents a strategy to help you get over interview anxiety and control your interview. With hints on how to captivate your audience, handle tough interview questions, and negotiate a higher salary, this book can help you ace that next job interview.

If you are in the market for a job in the investment banking field, you will want to take a minute to consider your social media accounts before you send out that first resume. It is important to remember that anyone that is considering hiring you will check the internet about you including your social media accounts. With companies continuing to get numerous applicants for each job opening advertisement, companies will use all measures to make sure they are considering the very best candidates.

Therefore, before you send out your first job application, make sure you check what your social media accounts are saying about you. See what companies will be seeing about you when they peek at your online presence. Though you may think you are protected by your social media account security settings, is what is on your social media pages something you want a potential employer to see?

Even though a company should technically not use any information they may learn about you on a social media page, it does not mean that they won’t, so be sure you are happy with what information you are putting out there. It is important to remember that social media has become a big part of everyday life and can say a great deal about a person.  If you are looking for a job, ensure that you are displaying the best possible image; it can be vital in your finding your next investment banking job.

If you are trying to grow your job search possibilities in the field of investment banking, there are few things you can do to help yourself. Following a few of these tips can send you on your way to a more powerful and successful job search.

• Network – The number one way to grow your job search is to network. Network all the time. Join a professional organization, attend meetings and conferences within your field or even take a continuing education course to meet new people and network.
• Prepare a pitch – Build a 30-second self-promotion pitch and have it down cold.  Be prepared to go into it quickly and naturally. Some call it an “elevator speech” as you should be able to tell it to someone you meet in the elevator as you ride to the next floor.  No matter what you call it, it is a great way to be prepared should you meet someone that may be able to help you in your job search.
• Use Your Social Network – Today’s networking isn’t just done at an annual convention.  Today, in order to effectively network in investment banking, you need to build your social network.  Building an online presence and using it to network is a great way to grow your job search. Have a Twitter account and tweet about your interests and what kind of job you are looking for. Post on Facebook your skills and that you are searching for a job. Establish a professional profile on LinkedIn and virtual network with other professionals in the field of investment banking.
• Business Cards – Whether you are employed currently or not, to effectively grow your job search, you need a business card. Have some business cards made up with your current contact information. You can even establish a tag line to include on your cards to make yourself more memorable.  And don’t forget — never leave the back blank. Whenever you hand out a business card, make sure you fill out something on the back of the card to help the receiver remember you.

There are many advantages to attending an investment banking conference.  If you are considering attending a conference within your career field, or the field you are considering beginning a career in, you will want to think about these advantages when making your decision as to whether you will want to attend.

Helps You Stay Up on the Latest Within the Field – A great advantages of attending an investment banking conference is that you will find it helps you stay abreast of what is important or what is changing in your field.  You will find out about new technologies, topics that are important to others in the investment banking field and any news that your field may find important.

Gives You Something to Put on Your Resume – No matter whether you are just getting started in the field of investment banking or you have been working in the field for many years, it is always helpful to have new items to put on your resume. Attending a conference may give you the opportunity to learn a new skill or technology within the field or take a class that can help you advance in your field.

A Great Networking Opportunity – One of the biggest advantages of attending an investment banking conference is the networking opportunity it provides. If you are new to the field of investment banking or trying to get started in the field, a conference is a great way to make connections and maybe even get an interview. Once you are working in the field of investment banking, it is always helpful for you to make professional connections. You never know when these connections will come in handy.