Ask-A-Recruiter: Showcasing International Experience

Contributed by Caroline Ceniza-Levine of SixFigureStart

I recently returned to the States after 7 years of living and working as an in-house attorney in Japan. (I am fluent in Japanese.) U.S. employers seem to be thrown off by the fact that my resume/experience is very Japan-heavy. How should I address a language expertise/long experience in a country other than the States if I don’t want to be limited by that in the job search?

This question is really about framing what you have done in the context of what you want to do. A specific skill or experience does not necessarily limit you. It may give the recruiter a predisposition, but that is up to you to change. The questioner is responsible for translating her Japan experience to whatever she wants to do. She cannot assume that the recruiter should understand the value of the experience in and of itself or that the recruiter will know how to translate the experience to the job at hand.

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Top Companies for Work/Life Balance

by Pamela Weinsaft (New York City)

The issue of work/life balance presents challenges for employers as well as employees. As there is no one-size-fits-all set of benefits that would satisfy all employees, the smart companies—and the ones that are successful—are the ones that put in place a smorgasbord of benefits that support employees in their quest to juggle home and work responsibilities.

Within its 100 Best Companies list, Fortune magazine highlights ten companies that have created cultures and offered benefits that afford their employees the best work/life balance. Interestingly, although many of the 100 Best Companies were from the Fortune 500, only one Fortune 500 company was among the best companies for work/life balance in 2008. Read more

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The Athena Factor: Reversing the Brain Drain in Science, Engineering, and Technology

by Heather Cassell (San Francisco)

In May 2008, The Center for Work-Life Policy (CWLP), a New York-based research organization, released The Athena Factor report, an in-depth examination of women’s career paths in science, engineering, and technology (SET) companies. The research project, undertaken by 43 industry experts—dubbed the Hidden Brain Drain Task Force—included four online surveys, 28 focus groups in global cities, and one-on-one interviews conducted over a two-year period.

“This is the first look at women in SET in the private sector,” says Karen Sumberg, The Athena Factor co-author and CWLP Assistant Vice President of communications and projects. Studying women in science, engineering, and technology isn’t new. What is new, Sumberg says, is that this report is about women in real-life careers in these fields in Corporate America or globally, rather than academia.

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Managing Operational Risk in Today’s Environment

We invite you to discuss, with your industry peers, operational risk management practices and ways to quantify them through metrics. We will address how firms compare procedures and will share information on benchmarking.

The Workshop will include a panel discussing risks associated with 130/30 strategies, especially as it relates to 40-Act funds, and how to reduce risk on managing collateral, 3-way reconciliations and cash movements. We will address risk on subprime instruments as well. There will also be a panel on data, including discussion on data feeds, security set-ups, trading related data and audits/controls related to data. Other topics covered during this one day event on operational risk are ops risk function in an organization and Basel II capital requirements.

The Workshop registration fee includes full program, Workshop materials, continental breakfast, refreshment breaks, and lunch. All sessions are subject to change.

* $795 per registrant for AMF / SIFMA member firms
* $995 per registrant for non-member firms

For more Information and Registration

(Note: No refunds will be made for cancellations after July 14, 2008. All cancellation requests are subject to a $100 processing fee.)

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The Search is On for Top Professional Women in London

by Jane Lucken (London)

The annual Women in the City (WIC) Lunch & Awards celebrates the achievements of professional women working in London, Canary Wharf and Mayfair. This year’s event will be held on November 28, 2008, at which time the winner of the prestigious Woman of Achievement Award will be announced.

Nominations are now being accepted for the women working in any of the following categories: Accountancy, Alternative Investment, Financial Services, Insurance Services, Legal Services, Management Consultancy, Property & Facilities Management. The winner of each category will be announced on October 28th. Winners are selected from a short list made up of the Category Winners and are chosen based on demonstrable leadership skills, as well as their ability to develop women in their own teams, build and nurture networks and promote women’s progress within their sector and the wider business world.

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Voice of Experience: Marianne Brown, CEO of Omgeo LLC

by Pamela Weinsaft (New York City)

A true pull-yourself-up-by-your bootstraps success story, Marianne Brown, CEO of Omgeo LLC, spoke with The Glass Hammer about her unusual path to the top and why she’s succeeding there.

A self-professed academic overachiever in high school, Ms. Brown described her university experience simply: “fun won out”. Since she was, in her own words, “debt adverse” and paying her own tuition, she left school temporarily to get a job and earn some money. That job with ADP Brokerage Services, initially as a clerk/secretary, was the beginning of her illustrious career in trade management services.

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Safe Horizon’s Junior Council heads to the Hamptons for the 3rd Annual Hamptons Party!

Safe Horizon’s Junior Council hopes you will join them in the Hamptons for their 3rd Annual Hamptons Party – Beachfront Blues & BBQ on July 26th. The Hamptons Party draws a diverse group of young professionals to support Safe Horizon’s work moving victims of violence from crisis to confidence.

A weekend affair, this year’s Hamptons Party will include four unique events.

The Council will kick off the weekend with aWelcome Celebration on Friday, July 25th at local hot spot the Stephen Talkhouse to get an early start on the weekend’s festivities.

On Saturday, July 26th, guests will be invited to join the Council in the VIP tent at the Bridgehampton Polo from 4-6pm. Immediately following the match, transportation will be provided to the Beachfront Blues & BBQ Dinner.

The Beachfront Blues & BBQ Dinner will be held at a private residence in East Hampton where the celebrations will begin with cocktails at 7pm. At 8pm guests will enjoy a beachside BBQ dinner, live music and dancing under the stars while celebrating the work of the Council and Safe Horizon.

Following the dinner, guests will gather at ultra hip club DUNE Southampton for the Beachfront Blues & BBQ After Party where guests will enjoy more dancing to a deejay playing all of the latest music.

To Purchase Ticktes

To learn more about the Junior Council

For more information call 212.577.7749

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Adventures in Trading

Contributed by Suzanne Bodlovic (Chicago)

I am deep in the woods, up high on a mountain. It is the dead of night. With a map, compass and a backpack full of gear, I am with my teammates and we are looking for our next checkpoint. We are lost and have been racing for the last 15 hours. We are still nowhere near the finish line. Tired, hungry and cold, with blisters on my feet, I am ready to quit. I tell myself to dig deep and find the inner strength to push through. Focus on good thoughts and ignore the negative – just make it to the finish line.

I am back at work on the trading floor, making markets for my own trading account in a pit full of sweaty men who are out for blood. The tension in the air is thick. I am mentally drained and my position is going against me. Even though people surround me, I am alone, and must rely on my mental strength to get me through the day.

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Rosalind Lockyer and the PARO Centre For Women’s Enterprise

by Natalie Sabia (New York City)

PARO Centre for Women’s Enterprise in Ontario, Canada is a not-for-profit organization that empowers women by guiding them toward their goal of business ownership. Founded in 1995, PARO—the name is derived from a Latin word meaning “I Am Ready”—focuses on addressing the challenges women face as entrepreneurs and primary caregivers. Rosalind Lockyer, the Founder and Executive Director of lives the organization’s motto every day.

“I have taken women’s studies, I have been a teacher and I’ve had my own business and I feel like women know what they want to achieve, but don’t always have the resources to go about it,” Lockyer said. She continued: “I was told I could do anything I wanted and that is true, but only up to a certain point. When I noticed that it became more difficult, I learned how to prioritize my goals to succeed and that’s what I want to teach other women how to do.”

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Highest Leaf Awards Expand to Chicago

The Women’s Venture Fund held their first Chicago-based Highest Leaf Award ceremony on July 9th at the offices of Goldman Sachs. The event awarded four exceptional women for their willingness to take risks, leverage resources and for their commitment to helping women succeed.

The Women’s Venture Fund was founded over a decade ago by Maria Otero and has since grown into one of the leading organizations in the New York metropolitan area. Since then, WVF has helped over 13,000 women meet the various needs of their growing businesses. WVF offers informational courses, financial support, and mentorship opportunities, and educates women on how to think like entrepreneurs, read financial statements, and develop HR, management and marketing skills. Read more

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