Finance Investor Wasif Vimawala Offers 5 Pieces of Invaluable Advice to New Finance Graduates

For most young adults, graduation marks a significant transition from formal education into the workforce. However, many professionals often look back in retrospect and wonder what they could have done better. Finance investor, Wasif Vimawala provides valuable insight for new graduates hoping to find a career in the financial sector.

1. Get plenty of Work Experience Before You Graduate

While a strong GPA is important, do not expect would-be employers to get too excited about what graduates know. Instead, they will want to know what they have done. To that end, graduates should get plenty of work experience through internships and other relevant opportunities before they hit the labor market full-time.

Wasif Vimawala suggests building a skills inventory as early as possible. Include both technical skills, as well as soft skills that are increasingly becoming important in the work environment, such as leading teams, resolving conflict, negotiating successful outcomes, and more.

2. Do Not Just Join Clubs — Participate!

Most high achieving finance graduates are part of at least one, but often several clubs. To really stand out from the pack, and to build extremely beneficial relationships and networks, it’s important to participate and get involved. Employers want to know more than that graduates were simply members of a club or multiple clubs. They want to know what they did to help achieve projects, make improvements, carry out plans, and so on.

3. Do Not Get Stuck in a Finance Box

The finance industry is extremely broad and covers everything from brokering massive M&A deals to providing client-focused financial advice. Along with analytical and accounting skills, graduates should develop strong skills in marketing and interpersonal communications. Wasif Vimawala claims that today’s top employers are looking for well-rounded new hires, and graduates who can demonstrate their versatility are very much in demand.

4. Get Advice from Alumni

Most alumni — and pretty much all of them listed in a school’s alumni directory, are more than willing to offer some wise advice and point new or impending graduates in the right direction. Alumni are busy individuals and it is unreasonable to expect them to set aside hours to share insights and experiences. However, they are usually willing to respond to a short and polite email or have a 15–30-minute chat when it is convenient for them to do so.

5. Do Not Be Obsessed with a Career in Finance.

Wasif Vimawala claims that even if graduates cannot directly apply all of their knowledge in a different career field — such as in the creative arts or as a health care practitioner, they will still be ahead because of their ability to focus, concentrate, and learn new concepts. Simply put, earning a degree in finance is extremely tough. Individuals who do it have developed fundamental skills, such as self-discipline and analytical thinking, that will serve them very well, regardless of what they do or where they go.

Last but certainly not least, it goes without saying that most people who earn a degree in finance are looking forward to making a contribution in a directly related field, such as commercial banking, investment banking, asset management, real estate, personal financial planning, and so on. However, graduates may learn quickly that their passions lie elsewhere. This should not be viewed as a setback, but instead as an opportunity to explore another career path that may be more rewarding.

For more information about Wasif Vimawala: https://www.linkedin.com/in/wasif-vimawala-3a7933170/