A good grasp of the basic knowledge of the industry is the most essential requirement to pursuing a global financial industry career. One needs to:

　　Adopt a helicopter view of the business.

　　Know the key building blocks and drivers of the business.

　　Be familiar with the name of the industry leaders and their differentiating traits.

　　Understand the trends and the microeconomic factors that could affect the industry.

　　Be aware of the major challenges faced by the industry.

　　The financial industry is a knowledge-based business, where the flow of information and making sense of it are the key ingredients for service providers to design solutions in meeting the business and financial aspirations of their clients. To this end, employers look for people who have outstanding knowledge, are curious, and have a strong desire to learn.

　　The starting point for you is to learn more about the industry in which you are seeking a career-the financial industry. You must have a clear and comprehensive understanding of the industry’s anatomy and its key business categories.