This document provides information to help job seekers target careers in Toronto's in-demand financial services sector. It outlines the major employers and segments within the sector. It identifies several in-demand career clusters, including financial advisory, compliance, risk management, insurance, IT, and business analysis. For each cluster, it lists representative roles and provides tips for job seekers. The tips include searching across the whole spectrum of financial institutions, thinking beyond job titles, building on existing credentials and experience, and showcasing soft skills to employers.

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Helping job seekers target in-demand careers
in Toronto’s financial services sector
Professional Development Event
June 16, 2014 Kamini Sahadeo
ksahadeo@tfsa.ca
416 933 6787

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Who We Are
 Build Toronto as a global financial services hub
 Public-private partnership:
 2001
 2009
 Creation of Centre of Excellence (2008/09)
The Toronto Financial Services Alliance (TFSA)
Centre of Excellence in Financial Services Education (CoE)
The pre-eminent source for information about:
 Careers and educational offerings in the Toronto
region’s financial services sector and
 A hub for linking talent to employers in the
region
Talent Research
Education Program
Alignment
In-Demand Careers
Funded by the Ontario Government (Ministry of Training, Colleges and Universities)

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Toronto’s Financial Services Sector is a major employer
1. 2010 and 2011 data based on GDP forecasts, not actuals; therefore these figures may be significantly revised as actuals data is released.
Toronto FS Employment
220,000 Employed in FS
2/3
Of Ontario FS
employment
1/3
Of Canadian FS
employment
Toronto FS Employment by Segment
Note: Based on Toronto Census Metropolitan Area for NAICS 52. Occupations based on NOC-S classifications.
Source: Statistics Canada Labour Fore Survey 2009
50
250
200
150
100
0
By occupation
232,000
Professional occupations
Other skilled functions
Specialized or functional
managers
FS Technology
Clerical functions
Sales and service
Senior management
By industry
232,000
Banking
Insurance
Investment management,
brokers, dealers & related
116,000
23,000

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•>>12 domestic banks >>45 foreign bank subs/branches
•>> 5 largest domestic entities >>129 securities firms
Banks
•Headquarters for: 57% (60) of lifecos in Ontario
•2 of the largest 10 global life insurers
•53% (130) of P&C insurers
Insurance
•87% of MF industry
•+/- C$650 billion assets under management
Mutual funds
•5 of the top 300 global pension funds
•3 rank among top 50 global based on assets under
management
Pension funds
•TMX, 3rd largest exchange in North America
Stock exchange
TIP #1: Job search should include the whole spectrum of
financial institutions…

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Partial Structure of a Large Financial Organization
Segment 1: Personal and commercial
Source: Hay Group, CoE Job Profiles, September 2011
TIP #1 (cont’d): …as well as a range of roles within each

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TIP #2: Think beyond the label
• Risk management
• Compliance
• Fund accounting
Accountant
• Non-IT business analysis
• Process analysis
Financial
analyst
• Compliance
• Regulatory affairsLawyer
• Health insurance underwriter
or claims adjudicatorNurse

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In-Demand Careers
Financial Advisory & Investment Management
Compliance & Audit
Risk Management
Insurance
Information Technology
In-demand Clusters
Financial Advisor, Specialized
Investment Advisor, Portfolio
Manager, Research Analyst,
Investment Banker
Compliance Officer, Internal Auditor
Risk Modeller, Adjudicator, Risk
Analyst
Insurance Underwriter, Actuary
Infrastructure Engineer, Systems
Developer
Representative Roles
Responsible for understanding the financial goals of clients and coming up with the
right investment strategy or financial management plan to help meet those goals.
The types of clients that seek the advice of these experts include individuals, groups
and organizations.
FIs depend on the trust people have in their organizations, their products and their
services. People in compliance & audit roles monitor, review and investigate internal
processes and functions, and ensure they comply with laws and regulations.
FIs help people buy houses, build businesses, etc. They therefore must manage the
various risks. The 3 main categories: (a) Credit Risk e.g. if a borrower does not repay
what they owe to the FI (b) Market Risk eg risk of loss from market fluctuations (c)
Operational Risk e.g. any failures from internal processes, systems or products.
Insurance Underwriters analyze research and evaluate the risks inherent in individual
insurance applications. They select what elements will be covered and negotiate the
terms, costs and conditions with insurance brokers. Actuaries provide guidance to
insurance underwriters, company executives, risk managers and portfolio managers on
the nature of risk exposure to the company/portfolios and on terms, premiums and
capital required to insure against claims.
Technology today is a key driver of change in Financial Institutions. It touches every
aspect of financial service operations and plays a critical role in the delivery and
provision of financial services and products. Collectively, technology focused roles are a
large segment within the financial services and are in demand across the sector
including banks, insurance, pension administration and wealth management.

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In-Demand Careers (cont’d)
Project Management
Business Analysis: Non-IT
Operations
Contact Centres
In-demand Clusters
Project Management is the application of knowledge, skills and techniques to execute
projects effectively and efficiently in team-based environments. Typically projects
address major business challenges such as risk management, aging infrastructure,
regulatory reform, mergers and acquisition integration & customer loyalty or are aimed
at furthering strategic priorities such as increased e-business and mobile banking,
increased presence in emerging markets & replacement of core systems.
Non-IT Business Analysis roles focus on identifying the changes to an organization
that are required for it to achieve strategic goals - structural, process and financial. As
organizations continually improve the quality and due diligence of business operations,
talented analysts will remain in demand throughout the sector.
Operations roles focus on the timely and efficient processing and reconciliation of
transactions/information for the smooth functioning of the organization, including
productivity, reduced costs and customer service.
These are alternative distribution channels that provide sales and services to customers
over the internet or telephone. These channels play a pivotal role in allowing
organizations to reach and serve a broader market. Roles fall within 4 primary areas:
sales and service, account management, control and help desk.
Project Management Office Director,
Program Manager, Senior Project
Manager
Financial Analyst, Process Analyst,
Performance Analyst
Claims Adjuster, Fund Accountant,
Recovery Associate, Transaction
Processor
Customer Contact Manager,
Customer Service Representative,
Quality Assurance Specialist,
Relationship Manager, Scheduler,
Technical Support
Business Analysis: IT
IT Business Analysis roles help organizations discover where to use technology and
how to make it work – they are key links between the people who design and build
systems and those who use them.
Business Analysis Practice Manager,
Business Analysis Manager, Business
Analyst
Representative Roles

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TIP #3: Build on existing experience & credentials
• Focus on quick entry to
workforce at a level
commensurate with skills &
experience
• Avoid entry level for more
experienced individuals
Develop Canadian
experience & track
record
• Very often, a short
college/university continuing ed
part-time certificate program is
all that is needed to plug any
gaps in the short-term.
Resist the urge to
accumulate
degrees or
designations
Case study:
• mid-30s lawyer from
China, initially aimed at
enrolling in business
degree in order to enter
Canadian FI.
• better strategy:
• work for Chinese
law firm in Canada
• build experience in
target sectors eg
financial services, IT
• build networks
• take short
Compliance
certificate

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Examples Description
Active listening Able to understand and infer client
needs, based on conversations, to
provide quality advice
Strong oral &written
communication
To explain complex information or
strategies simply & clearly
Network & establish
relationships with clients
Ability to build trustworthy and credible
client relationships
Customer-service &
consultative approach
Strong desire to help clients advance
their personal financial goals
Confidence & resilience Cope with setbacks & survive difficult
circumstances
Discretion & commitment Client confidentiality
Ethics & integrity Willingness to adhere to codes of
professional conduct
TIP #4: Showcase the soft skills

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Credentials & technical skills are important BUT
Employers want to be sure that you have the competencies to function in the workplace
Sample in-demand competencies & skills
Knowledge Areas
Audit practices & processes
Financial sector business
functions & operations
Consumer finance
(mortgages, bonds, etc.)
Investment products &
trading of financial
instruments
Investment & sales
management
Project & change
management
Regulatory & legislative
policy & procedures for the
financial sector
Technical Skills
Database architecture &
design
Statistical analysis &
modelling
Financial analysis
Research analysis &
reporting
Financial Industry –
legislative & regulatory
Policy
Soft Skills
Out-of-the-Box” Thinking:
Creative and Innovative
Decision Making
Adaptability and Mental
Flexibility
Application of High Ethical
Standards
Customer-Focused:
Consistently Delivering High
Quality Service
Data Interpretation, Sense-
making and Communication
Proactive and Goal-Oriented
Relationship Management
Team Collaboration and
Information Sharing
Analytical Thinking: Problem
Solving and Reasoning

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What they are outstandingly good at - the competencies they excel at
What they enjoy the most - the competencies they most enjoy using
Evidence that they have those competencies - examples of how those
competencies have been used
Identify the
differentiators
Prepare a
brochure
Sales
pitch
Strengths & interests
Resume
“Elevator pitch”
TIP #5: Effective & targeted marketing

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Summary statement
Is written last, should connect the resume
with the position being applied for
Immediately below target career
Inventory of key competencies
Knowlede areas, technical skills, soft skills
Select the ones that are most relevant to
target career
Inventory of accomplishments
Create a list, have several for each
position held
Use 2-3 per position, listed in bullet points
beneath position description
Target career
Choose 1 or 2 that fits with above Just below contact details
Self assessment
Eg values, interest, passion, strengths Summary statement
PUTTING IT ALL TOGETHER
Location on resumeDescription

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DEVELOPING
HIGH-IMPACT ACCOMPLISHMENT STATEMENTS
 Made a difference on the job or in the community. What was it and how did you make it
happen?
 Saved time or money for an organization, team or club; quantify your accomplishments
 Received recognition or an award for a job well done
 Organized an event which had a successful outcome
What was the SITUATION you faced? What were the problem(s) or issue(s)?S
A
R
What ACTION did you take? What did you do in response to the problem or issue? What
skills did you use?
What were the RESULTS you obtained? What was the benefit of your actions?
They can be qualitative (e.g., improved employee morale) or quantitative (increased
customer base by 10%).
Step 1: Think of a time when you:
Step 2: Organize into accomplishment statements using the SAR acronym

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What was the Situation faced? What Action did you take? What impact or
Result did it have?
When I took over the role of
Manager, Corporate Finance I
discovered that the company was
often paying invoices late. I
approached my Director with an
idea that did not require much
time, money & resources.
I analyzed the situation and spoke with
the key players to get a more indepth
understanding of the process. Assembled
a 10-person team from across the
organization and developed a database
and redesigned processes which enabled
invoices to be paid well before the
deadlines
More timely payment
of invoices resulting in
over $1M in savings.
ACCOMPLISHMENT STATEMENT
Initiated and led a 10-person project that solved an enterprise-wide
problem in billing & invoicing which had gone unsolved for over 5
years, resulting in over $1M in savings in interest and penalties, and
improved vendor satisfaction levels.
DEVELOPING
HIGH-IMPACT ACCOMPLISHMENT STATEMENTS

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Example
Zara Mbosi
53 Forest Lane 416 555 1234
Toronto ON M1M3M3 zmbosi@hotmail.com
Risk Manager
- credit risk - statistical modelling - customer focussed
- financial economics - analytical thinking - relationship management
Experience
Biz Inc., United Kingdom June 2011 – Mar 2013
Boutique consulting firm specializing in risk management and strategic consultng.
Credit Practice Leader – responsible for the oversithgt of risk exposure of the customer
base. Liaised with regulatory bodies to ensure the organization was in compliance with
regulatory standards.
- example 1
- example 2
Sample profile

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Self-introduction….”elevator pitch”
Career History
I’ve spent the last __ years in the __ industry. I have worked with __ (eg.
organizations, projects, people). Most recently I was __ (title) with __
(organization, kind of business, mandate).
Achievements
One highlight for me was __ (mention a significant achievement). I also had the
opportunity to __ (mention more).
Strengths
My strengths are __ and what I mean by that is __ (eg. My strength is customer
focus, meaning that I carefully listen to understand the customer’s needs and
accurately communicate the required procedures to follow)
What’s next
I am interested in opportunities in __ OR Now I want to take my __ (area of
expertise, experience, strengths) and use them in a role that seeks to __ (results
you can provide)

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TIP #6: Getting out there
• Appearance
• Voicemail greeting
• Phone & in-person
conversations
Looking & speaking
professionally at all
times
• Research the organization and
role
• How their skills, competencies
& experience are a good fit
Speaking about their
value to the
organization
• Getting out & speaking to
people in person – Linked In is
NOT a substitute for true
networking
Importance of in-
person meetings

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Explore In Demand
Financial Services Careers
www.explorefinancialservices.com