There comes a time in everyone’s career when you may find yourself with a gap in your financial modeling employment. Though this is typically not a big deal to most people, having a gap on your resume when applying for your next job can be a big deal. Here are some things to consider should you find yourself without a financial modeling job to keep your resume ready for your job search.
Graduate School
When you find that you are out of work and haven’t had much success in securing your next job, you may find that graduate school is a good option (or, if you haven’t ever attained your Bachelor’s degree, now might be a good time). Graduate school typically will pay off in the end. If there are two qualified people being considered for the same job, the one with the advanced degree (or degree period) will likely get the offer. Why is that, you might ask yourself, when we all know that a degree does not equal experience? Well, because, if nothing else, it demonstrated self-discipline and commitment to the field, which many companies look highly upon. Additionally, you may find you can only go so far on the corporate ladder without that golden sealed piece of paper so a degree or advanced degree can be an investment in a successful future in financial modeling.
Become a Consultant
If you have been in the field of financial modeling for a while, you may find that down time is best spent keeping your knowledge and skills up-to-date by working as a financial modeling consultant. You can do this by working as an independent consultant for another firm or starting your own consulting firm. If you have the knowledge and experience you will find that someone, somewhere is looking for your advice. Defining yourself on your resume as self-employed as a financial modeling consultant is much better than a gap in time stamped “unemployed.”
Volunteer Work
Once you have attained that initial degree or advanced degree and still find that you are unemployed within the financial modeling field, you may find that volunteer work is a good way to gain some experience and keep those gaps off your resume. For instance, volunteering for a business association or a not-for-profit organization can be an excellent way to keep your skills sharp, gain experience, and fill that resume. You can get started on this right away, even while you are looking for your next financial modeling job. Don’t be afraid of volunteering, it shows commitment to the field of financial modeling as well as a desire to give back and keep yourself working and sharp instead of sitting around labeling yourself as “unemployed.”
If you find that you have some time between jobs, instead of letting your resume reflect a gap in employment, be sure to consider some options to keep your employment history intact, uninterrupted, and productive. Whether you choose to volunteer, take some classes, or become self-employed, you will find that your endeavors will be helpful when updating your resume before that next big financial modeling job interview.