For many graduates of the CFA program, entering the labour market is like entering a vast jungle of career opportunities. How does one land a job that puts them on their preferred career path?

The investment industry is vast, comprised of many sectors. Commercial banking, brokerage, private equity, venture capital, investment banking, trading, asset and wealth management – these are some of the major sectors. Business school graduates will appreciate that the knowledge that they acquired are used across all sectors.

Nevertheless, those entering the workforce for the first time must learn to accept some realities. Those that do will have a stronger chance of being successful. Here are a few core ingredients for success that I have observed during 20 years of staffing investment firms.

1. Graduates must ensure that their level of academic accomplishment is top notch. Few firms accept mediocrity in today’s world–where competition is abundant and the bar is quite high. Grades, GPAs and academic accomplishments are the foundation for serious consideration in any sector of the investment business. It tells an employer that you are among the best of what the market has to offer. Nobody settles for second place today. However, having top grades doesn’t guarantee a job. But it does get you immediate attention and some serious consideration, especially when getting in the door for an interview is the first step.

2. Active involvement in outside activities and demonstrating leadership can often be the key differentiator for many employers. Working in a store for minimum wage while completing the MBA/CFA program tells an employer (and search professionals) you are sociable and involved. It tells the corporate world you have a strong work ethic, discipline, have multi tasking capabilities, and the ability to share, interact, persuade and desire achievement. The ability to make sacrifices for the opportunity to increase one’s economic value is says a lot about their character.

3. The ability to learn unique skills provides one with a clear competitive edge. In an ‘all other things being equal’ world; it is those unique skills that that is going to get you noticed and set you apart. It is not always about ‘the best’ candidate for the role. But the one who can best set him/herself apart may very well win the role. Being fluent in several languages is a consistent attention getter.

4. Individuals who engage in individual and competitive sports are often the same successful individuals found in the business world. It shows you are motivated by goals and may likely embrace the challenges the financial industry has to offer. An individual engaged in competitive sports tells an employer he or she has the competitive mentality to be ‘a winner’ in the marketplace. Some of the most assertive and competitive candidates I have met were amateur and professional hockey, badminton, squash and CFL players.

5. The ability to engage in a thorough job search is one of the most important, fundamental attributes to obtaining the career one want. I can’t emphasize this enough. The work ethic to get your first or second job requires structure and discipline. Looking for a permanent job is a full time commitment each and every day until that position is secured. This means making at least 25 calls a day, five days a week. If you don’t follow a routine or structured pattern for obtaining a job you’ll be like a cork in the ocean hoping to find shore.

6. Experience is not always the key factor. Individuals who have a strong work ethic, a systematic approach and sheer persistence in looking for a new position, will almost always prevail over those who have the same intellectual and academic skills. By selling and marketing yourself, you can show that you have the same potential to sell and market a company’s ideas and products if required. Individuals with strong values and discipline are also far more likely to be successful in the job because they already have the essential character traits demonstrated by getting the job in the first place.

7. Finally, don’t make the mistake of always ‘asking for a job’. Bad idea! The premise is not to get to home base but advance to first base. Always ask the key decision makers (or influential individuals within a company) for an informational interview–nothing else. Find out what the individual does and the firm in general. Share knowledge, discuss market trends, company activities and the rest will flow from there. The idea is to get in front of decision makers and influential people. Inquire, show interest, and ask intelligent questions. Impress them gently without asking for anything, creating expectations or being aggressive. Job opportunities are often created from nothing more than informational interviews initiated by a simple phone call.

In summary, these tips can help you to improve your job search and more importantly, the quality of your life. Applying a disciplined process to any endeavour makes for a better result.

I have been a consultant in the executive search industry for almost twenty years. I can tell you my own journey began with nothing more than following exactly what I recommended. I made a phone call for an ‘informational meeting’. The prospective ‘employer’ told me she wasn’t hiring. I replied, “I never asked you for a job.”

She invited me in and gave me two hours of her time at her office. We connected. The rest is history.