The Annual CFA Russia Career Day 2014 was held on November 20, 2014 by CFA Association Russia and the Moscow Exchange for young investment professionals representing major areas of the finance industry. The three-hour meeting brought together top managers/HR directors of major market participants, and CFA members and candidates.
 

 
CFA Career Day for Investment Professionals is a special format of dialogue between employers and applicants, which gives participants the opportunity to not only learn about corporate policies, career and professional opportunities, but also to have a direct access to recruiters. "Labor market in finance is quite fragmented, and each employment agreement is unique. This is why our goal is to bring together representatives of various segments of the finance industry, to give candidates a complete view of available opportunities. We are pleased to provide both parties of this meeting the possibility of personal communication"- said Vladimir Tutkevich, Executive director of CFA Association Russia.
 

Conference participants spoke about vacancies and internship programs and shared their vision of the present and future of labor market in the financial industry.

 At the beginning, HR Directors of the Moscow Exchange, Ernst & Young, ATON and Credit Suisse told about prospects, opportunities and career development paths for potential candidates. In their presentations leading HR specialists discussed their approaches to recruitment, training and motivation of employees as well as recommendations to prospective applicants.
 

The second part of the discussion was dedicated to the state and trends of labor market in the investment sector. Demand for investment specialists was the subject of following reports:

• General labor market trends in 2014. Tatiana Bartyuk, Antal Russia.
• Current labor market trends in consulting. Olga Kozlova, HR Director Althaus Group.
• Building a Career in Investor Relations in Russia. Neil Withers, President of CFA Association Russia.
• The impact of the economic and political situation in the job search in the financial sector». Anastasia Glebova, CEO Recruitment Boutique S.M.Art.
   

Speakers agreed that despite the financial downturn, more professionals are interested in pursuing an investment career, and many employers are willing to consider and hire successful candidates. Additional professional certifications, such as the CFA or other similar designations is a significant advantage when applying for a financial vacancy. CFA certification has been traditionally considered a proof of candidate’s far-reaching goals and a strong positive indicator for the employer. Summarizing the event, Vladimir Tutkevich said:  "Financial crisis forces everyone to rethink their personal strategies and take more responsibility for career planning. In any case, serious professionals are always in high demand".
 

The event ended with an informal setting, in which participants continued to discuss their plans for professional development. During the coffee break, participants could leave their resumes and chat informally with senior and HR managers.

If you missed Career Day for Investment Professionals you can always take part in one of the many special events organized by the CFA. To do so, follow the announcements on our website http://.