09-03-2008, 02:42 PM
Regarding what Crea said, it is true that you can get a job with no japanese skill at all. However, those jobs are almost all for US-based banks Finance divisions, which is more or less accounting (Operations jobs are also primarily in english). It sounds to me like you'd rather be in Sales & Trading, which is more japanese-language intensive, and those interviews will almost certainly be done in japanese. If you have significant experience in the field (and it sounds like you do), they may cut you a bit more slack.
Crea is spot on about you almost certainly be asked "Why Japan" by pretty much anybody you interview with. If I were you, I'd avoid mentioning anime at all in your answer...
Two things worth noting about BCF:
1) It is primarily for recent college grads, so most of the jobs are entry level positions. Unless you have enough experience to be qualified for an associate level position at a bank, be prepared to start at the bottom.
2) If you pass the first round of interviews, most banks will invite you to dinner that night. These dinners are almost as important as the interviews themselves, as you get a ton of face time in front of the people. When you get peoples' business cards while interviewing, figure out who the highest ranked people are and try to sit near them at dinner. At the end of the day, it's the Associates and MDs that make the call, not the analysts. Bring your A game...
Hope that helps
Last edited by ptbrock : 09-03-2008 at 03:06 PM.
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