Hi - looking for a little career guidance. I started my career in OTC derivative operational risk at a top tier US bank - my specialism was interest rate swaps and I was responsible for looking at processes and accessing operational risk. This involved alot of project management and alot of talking BS. I spent three years in this role and longed to be in front office. So i moved into portfolio management at a leading high profile global buy side firm where i am a assistant portfolio manager - my role is split between being an execution trader for IRS, CDS, Bonds & futures, a risk analyst - doing stress testing, tracking error analysis etc, a research analsyt for emerging market corporates and also responible for providing market colour to portfolio managers. Now - i do quite enjoy my role. It pays well and the work like balance is good but as sad as it sounds i miss my old role - operational risk. Im also a competition level public speaker and I never get the chance in my current role so ideally id like to get into something that incorporates the two on a daily basis. Im currently writing a book on operational risk as a project really just to get all my thoughts on the subject down on paper so i can start to think how best to move my career in this direction. Im thinking of setting up as a training consultant and offering my services to investment banks, asset managers & hedge funds as a trainer - to come in and train to staff about building effective controls and processes. Operational risk is hot right now - with so many high profile issues showing that financial services firms are underinvesting in this area - Kerviel at Soc Gen, Maddoff, rogue trader issues at Merrill and Credit Suisse, US regulators on the verge of changing the face on the CDS market with a change in product structure and also imposing central clearing, general increased regulatory scutiny from market regulators - all these suggests that banks will have to beef up in operations and this is where im hoping my services come in. The problem is - how to set myself up - im only 26 and have 4 years experience which is a joke yet i know that im more knowledgable in this matter than people with 20 years experience and i have a passion for this area of work. Most people just fall into it because they couldn't get into trading and just plode along - it frustrates me because I know i can add significant value in training and consulating to investment banks. I guess i want to know your thoughts on how to market myself in such a capacity to potential clients and also just your thoughts in general on my plan? Any advice welcome.
