A Former Freelance Writer on Wall Street

You might think that it is almost impossible to grab a job on Wall Street having graduated from a liberal arts college and now working as a freelance writer in New York. I must admit I never thought I'd be able to make it either, for one, I never had the urge to learn anything about finance and investments.

I thought I didn't like analytics. Those thoughts led me to think that I could never make it onto Wall Street. I would be like a wolf in sheep's clothing, pretending to be someone I simply wasn't -- that making a living off of an occasional writing assignment was all I deserved. At the same time, deep down I wanted more than that. A regular place to go for work wouldn't be so bad after all. Pay in finance can be great and people can be smart. I'd get to be with interesting people instead of my lonesome tiny Upper West Side studio.

I wanted a new kind of job and started to research on the internet. I learned there was demand for people who want to learn more about the world, who are curious by nature, who have good grades and who may be willing to learn finance and investments. I was all of the above but needed more business outlook. My liberal arts education was great in many ways but it didn't prepare me for the tough job market in Manhatten. I was looking for a compressed, yet rigorous course that would teach me the essentials of finance and investments and in addition also prepare me to contribute to a good company right away.

I found such a course. It even encouraged people like me who had graduated from liberal arts colleges to apply.

I have benefited far more from the program than I thought I would. During that summer program I learned finance theories and applied skills from seasoned executives, active and former traders and successful entrepreneurs, who had been through countless situations during their professional lives.

With the guidance of the Swiss Finance Academy's summer program I managed to land a job at a top bank. Their program has edged me up in many different areas of my day to day responsibilities and in my profession.