Insider Perspectives by buy-side/ sell-side analysts

Venue              The Rupee Room
Date                 19 Feb 2010, Friday
Time                 7:00pm-9:30pm
Capacity            Register Early to avoid Disappointment. Already beyond 50 by popular demand and closing soon! [http://www.apesnap.com/event/springboard002]
Cost                 $20 at door [for insights into analysts’ work & life + networking + housepour]

Contact:            Eng Yew at This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it / 96372798

Dear Friends,

Some of you came to our “Evening of Opportunity” event on 12 Dec 09 aimed to help you get into Finance Industry.  We saw a strong turnout of ~40ppl and subsequently received over 20 applications for the Coaching/ Resume/ Equity Research projects under the SpringBoard Program.

During the interview process, we found many with an unrealistic perception of a (buy-side/sell-side) analyst's job – (much like a research fellow working for a professor in university) building models all day long and getting rewards and awards for outstanding research reports sent to bosses, I'm sure those familiar with the investment industry find this quite amusing!

This is why we are now doing this event to provide you with insights into a (buy-side/ sell-side) analyst’s job. We have at least 5 ppl on the panel of both sell-side (Credit Suisse, Yuanta, BNP, Shinhan) and buy-side analysts from long-only funds. The speakers on the panel from Hong Kong, Korea and Singapore will share their experiences and views, with Yo-man as the facilitator on the following talking points.

- How did you join the investment industry?
- How is your typical day like?
- What are your key activities on the job?
- What are the challenges you face/ who are your competitors?
- What do you feel is the most rewarding part of your job?
- Why do some analysts progress faster in their careers, compared to their colleagues/ competitors?
- How does a firm decide which analysts/ sales people to lay off first in the 2008 financial crisis?
- Have you ever regretted joining the investment industry, or what would you have done otherwise?

Have a Happy Lunar New Year, and we look forward to seeing you soon.

Cheers,

Eng Yew & Yo-man

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Dear friends and supporters of the SpringBoard Program,

Thank you for your interest and support of the SpringBoard Program. Since our application deadline on Dec 20, rounds of assessments have been held to select the final candidates for the Equity Research Project, the Coaching Project and the Resume Project.

We received more than 20 applications and eventually decided to accept 11 candidates across the 3 projects. I'm very grateful to have worked with Theng Hee and Benjamin - 2 passionate finance professionals who have put aside time and effort to join me in running the SpringBoard Program, and I'm equally thankful for your participation in this process. While I congratulate our selected candidates, I would caution that this is just the beginning of a rigorous training program that will shape you up for potential employment in the finance sector. For those of you who are not joining us for our Season 1, I encourage you to put in your best application for Season 2, when it comes. I hope those of you who applied this time round benefited from this application exercise, which is much like a job application. More practice for the real thing never hurts.

Also through this exercise, I realized that a significant number of you lack some skills in writing your resume and application, including some accepted for the Program. Ironically, some applicants whom I thought needed help with their resumes and applications did not apply for the Resume or Coaching Project. If you're interested to find out more about how I view the quality of your application, you can contact me to discuss further.

Without further ado, I hereby declare the commencement of Season 1 of the SpringBoard Program. Selected candidates will be contacted directly via the respective coaches for each of the projects.

We look forward to bring you more interesting ideas in few months' time. Good luck in your job search!

Cheers,
Eng Yew
On behalf of the SpringBoard Team

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 Dear SpringBoard Program candidates and friends,
 
Thank you for your support, which saw about 40 people on Sat night. We have reproduced the highlights here - an opportunity to bring us closer to be part of the financial community.

Projects on application:

1. Resume Project
2. Coaching Project
3. Equity Research Project

Deadline: 20 Dec 2009, 5pm (Singapore Time)

Deliverables: following items to be sent to This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it

1. Resume or CV of just 1 page

2. Cover Letter (optional, for Resume Project)

3. Your Answer of within 100 words to each of the following questions:

a. Why do you want to be part of the SpringBoard Program?

b. Which project(s) do you want, and why? *You may apply for more than 1 project. Pls indicate preference.*

c. Use 3 examples from your experiences to show how you're different from others.

d. Describe one of the toughest challenges you have ever faced, and how you dealt with it.
 
Criteria: Show us why we should help you before the rest, based on the following factors:
1. Passion
2. Diligence
3. Performance
4. Spirit of Sharing
5. Chemistry (for Coaching Project)
 
Selection Criteria for Equity Research Project
1          CFA Level 2 candidate and above (or pass a Test set for you) 
2          Optional: Special industry knowledge preferred (for specialist track)
3          High level of PASSION / enthusiasm
4          Good level of Availability

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Event: SpringBoard (Finance) Program Launch

Time: Sat, Dec 12, 7pm

Venue: Marrakesh - Moroccan Lounge & Bar @ Clarke Quay

Benefits: Housepour + Opportunity to Learn & Network with People + Opportunity to join Equity Research Project / Coaching Project

I'm always eager to help those who help themselves, because I firmly believe that everyone has talents waiting to be discovered and nurtured. I hence founded the SpringBoard (Finance) Program to help talented job-seekers get into their desired career paths and excel in the financial sector. (If you wish to become a coach or mentor with our SpringBoard Program, pls let me know. Thanks.)

Under this Program, I have a few projects. Among these are the Equity Research Project and the Coaching Project.

In the Equity Research Project, a good friend and passionate equity analyst will involve you in his equity research effort through a progressive series of research assignments.  He is one amazing personality who is goal-oriented, disciplined, passionate; and he has personally helped candidates with these qualities progress in their careers.

In the Coaching Project, a banking associate with a range of experience in finance and in coaching officers in global banks will hold coaching sessions with you to set goals and work towards them.

Both these good men bring invaluable experience and networks that we hope to share only with those of you who have the passion, commitment and qualities to excel in the finance sector. I will also support the SpringBoard Program by refining resumes and cover letters, where I have helped a few professionals gain employment at global banks and admission to top global university programs.

We welcome your participation at our launch of the SpringBoard Program at Marrakesh Bar on 12 Dec, 7pm, where we will not only present our programs in finer detail but also open our programs for application.

Cheers, Eng Yew