Tell me, what is wrong with my CV (2)

Following on from last month's CV review, another brave candidate has submitted their CV for you to offer constructive criticism. Below is their profile (with all personal details removed) and little about their search for new employment so far. Can you offer some tips about where they may have been going wrong and what, exactly, can be improved about their CV?

"My preference is to work in the investment banking sector, within the business domain, as senior business analyst or project manager. However, I am unable to secure an interview after usual interest because I think my CV is not focused either in IT or business or on a particular technology or business functional area are eg. fixed Income, equities etc. My experience over the last 13 years is varied as I have actively sought to work in all areas of investment banking and I think that has now disadvantaged me."

Personal Profile

A very highly motivated, dedicated and adaptable individual with over 10 years front office Investment/Corporate Banking experience in challenging senior positions encompassing Project Management, Business & Financial Analysis, Management Consultancy and Software Development. Has delivered innovative and creative business solutions across all areas of Investment Banking (FX, Fixed Income [IRD, Credit Derivatives and ABS], Custody and Equities) in London, New York and Paris. Additionally, has accumulated a wealth of front office banking product knowledge (Trainee Japanese Equity Trader 1996) and current technologies including eCommerce models, internet/intranet technologies (IBM Websphere Portal technologies), Trading Platforms, Information Architecture, Electronic Transaction Systems (ETS) and databases.

Enjoys building relationships across business divisions and has experience of managing local and global teams and personnel. He has also managed projects from conception (usually by the business) through implementation. He is a highly effective communicator, a personable team player and Manager whether leading a virtual or direct team, provides a clear vision, is consistent in his approach and takes responsibility for ensuring the deliverables meet quality standards & industry best practices.

Key Skills:

· Understanding of Trade Processing - Equities, Swaps, Options, Fixed Income, FX etc..

· Understanding of dealing room technology, organization & practices (6 years spent on UK & US trading floors)

· Securities and Futures Authority (SFA) Registered Representative (1996)

· Clear understanding ITIL and COBIT Governance

· Understanding of full development life-cycle plans for projects using a defined methodology

(PMF), agreeing and defining deliverables, identifying risks, timescale and executing and controlling the project to budget & deadlines

· Understanding of full RUP, SDLC methodology, Business Process Modeling (BPM) and tools (Rational ReqPro)

· Ability to translate complex technical concepts to a technical and business audience

· Confident communicator, ability to liaise with all levels of personnel within the client, partner or own team environment locally or in foreign countries

· High-level technical knowledge of diverse technologies including eCommerce, B2C & B2E, financial web portal development, Siebel CRM, SQL, Java, HTML, XML, Internet Security, financial protocols eg FIX, RixML and FpML

· Good understanding of web User Experience (User Needs, Visual & Info Design, Navigation, Information Architect etc.)

· Understanding of Bank card business, the transitions process, chargebacks and disputes and the bank card issuer and the acquirer

Career Highlights:

· Currently working in the Middle East (Bahrain and Dubai for American bank)

· Worked in USA for international securities firm (New York) for 3 years

· Worked in Western Europe (Germany, France, Lusitanian, Austria, Netherlands)

· 12 years of successful career in the Investment Banking sector covering Treasury and Equities Products

· Project managed global role out of proprietary CRM (New York, Hong Kong and Paris) in 1996

· Introduced e-CRM via Siebel/Janna to bank's New York office, first steps towards global Siebel CRM in banking sector

· Managed successful proposals and implementations of global Siebal CRM in 2001 for HSBC

· Developments e-commerce and portals for HSBC (Equities), JPMorgan (custody) and BNP Paribas (FX portal)

· Delivered e-Commerce Equity Research Database for HSBC James Capel (1997)

· Worked with IBM (New York) developing fundamental banking e-business strategy and User Centric Design (UCD)

· Wrote 'The Account Management Guide' for Sales & Trading

· Completed ISEB Diploma in Business Analysis (from PwC)

· Completed Business Acumen Course at Henley Management College

· Completed eLearning courses on (1) Bank Treasury Management (2) Fund Management (3) Introduction to Credit Derivatives (4) Introduction to Fixed Income, FX & Equities (5) Corporate Finance (6) Budgeting & Financial Mngt

Career History:

US bank (Manama, Kingdom of Bahrain)

August 2008 - Present

Senior Business Analyst & Team Leader

Lead Business Analyst and Project Manager on number of high profile projects including Internet Mobile Banking, IBM Websphere Banking Portal (Business Requirements, Portal Governance, UX, IA) and also Credit/Charge Card transaction processing, Charge-backs and migration in Bahrain and UAE.

UK retail bank (3 month contract. London, UK)

April 2008 - June 2008

Senior Business Analyst & Lead Functional Architect

Lead business analyst and functional architect responsible for business analysis & design of Lloyds TSB's flagship internet banking (IB) Portal during the study phase of the project. The portal provides pre and post login user centric retail banking functionality, Jay was responsible for identifying & re-platforming 'AS-IS' Use Cases for Release 1.

Wealth manager (3 month contract. London, UK)

Feb 2008 - April 2008

Business Analyst & Information Architect

Reviewing, analysing and modifying the Information Architecture (IA) documents for Portal. Also worked closely with an external Web Design company developing the look and feel using User Centric Design (UCD) concepts for the Wealth Portal.

Big Four accounting firm (London, UK)

April 2006 - Dec 2007

Business Consultancy & Analysis

Role:Balanced Business Scorecard, B2B eCommerce

Worked on number of high-profile projects with senior management & stakeholders (external and internal). Responsible for producing Requirements Management Plan, the Business Requirements of stakeholders and producing the Functional Specification using RUPs methodology (including AS-IS/TO-BE Business Process Modeling [BPM] using modeling tools) to help determine solutions to business problems, and advise senior business representatives on how solution tools aligned to the firm's architecture can be exploited to help overcome business challenges, realise efficiencies and provide effective returns on investment. His 2 major projects as Lead Analyst - Change & Release Management (using ITIL framework) business process modeling (BPM) and Platform of the Future Project using IBM Websphere Portal technology (gathering & managing requirements for Portal migration [inc. data migration], defining User Interface using UCD [usability & accessibility]).

Own business (Liverpool, UK)

Aug 2004 - Dec 2005

Senior Business Analyst & Marketing Director

Took timeout from his banking career to pursue business ownership by getting involved this company. He created a brand of restaurant and bar chain in the north of England.

Investment Bank (London, UK)

1 June - 31 Dec 2003

Senior eBusiness Analyst/ Project Manager

Role: Fixed Income FX Portal e-Business Analyst

Reporting to Foreign Exchange head of e-Business, I managed the business analysis process for Bthe banks' new FX internet portal (using IBM Websphere). This included UI and Data migration, integration of various FX legacy platforms and retirement of the some of the older silo FX platforms. A challenging project that involved liaising with business sponsors from different business and technical background and understanding of Credit Derivative Product. Wrote the Portal integration requirement specification for FX Dealer, FX Research and Credit Derivatives, on-boarding workflow processes for various ETS (eg FXDealer, SwapsWire, FXAll), registration/log-in requirement specification (CRM & E-Trading Platforms), client profiling/customisation requirement specification, Internet security policy & standard (SSO, Self Service etc) and UAT.

Investment Bank (USA & UK)

June 2001 to March 2003

Business Analyst/ Project Manager/EMEA e-Product Manager (Vice President)

Key Role: Custody Portal (T&SSOL) Manager/ Product Sales and Marketing (web application sales in EMEA)

Reporting to the head of Treasury and Securities EMEA Product Manager, I managed the development of the e-commerce roadmap for the EMEA Treasury & Securities Services Online Portal (T&SSOL). Documented business requirements for front & middle office users in London and New York, particular focus on look and feel, portal standards, Internet security and implementation of a 3rd party email system (Tumbleweed Secure email) and setup workshops for internal and external clients. Furthermore, Jay was involved in pre - post custody web application sales (primarily static data via News & Reference thin client application) in EMEA helping to streamline product sales presentation and post support.

Securities firm (New York, USA)

Aug 1998 to Feb 2001

Senior Business Analyst / e-Commerce Project Manager (Vice President)

Investment Banking - Equities & Fixed Income

Relocated to New York to setup the Business Development Group and helped manage the firm's e-commerce initiative in New York. He wrote requirements specification for front office web users in London and New York, focusing on look and feel, portal definition and standards (OS, browser, style, legal, and compliance), Internet security and research distribution standards. He was lead business analyst in the firm's Storefront initiative with IBM, working closely with them to produce engangement presentation documents - market analysis (competitor analysis), user experience (UCD), technical/business infrastructure, on-boarding (self service) and provide progress updates and demo hsbc.com portal to senior management and CEO on a regular basis. Was second Project Manager for HSBC's Contact Management System (Siebel CRM) and lead in developing Internet research standards with 'RixML.org' and 'themarkets.com'.

Securities firm (London, UK)

April 1996 to Aug 1998

Business & Financial Analyst / Project Manager (Assistant Vice President), Global Institutional Marketing (Equities & Fixed Income)

Was hired into Global Institutional Marketing, headed by a Managing Director, to setup its IT infrastructure and re-create the department in New York, Paris and Hong Kong as way of knowledge transfer. Project managed number of core business solution tools from inception to implementation such as accountant management tools (UK & International Multi-Product MI Reporting System), client contact management systems (Pre-cursor to Siebel CRM) and various small to medium scale front office solutions. These tools and application were subsequently transferred personally by Jay at the request of HSBC's CEO to New York and Paris.

Boutique investment bank (UK & France)

Aug 1994 to April 1996

Senior Financial Analyst, Equity Derivatives

Japanese Equity & FX

Worked for the Japanese Equity and Warrants department, supported traders and research analyst with Operational maintenance ('C' programming a Risk Mngt System) and System Design & Implementation. In addition, Jay trained as an Equities Trader on the Japanese warrants desk, specialising in derivatives products.

Qualification & Training

(1) B.Sc. (Hon) Computer Systems Technology (1994)

University of Westminster, London, United Kingdom

Majored: Computer and Network Architecture.

Minor: Software Development and Project Management

(2) National Diploma in Mech/Electrical Engineering (1990)

Westminster College, London, United Kingdom

Majored: Microelectronics. Minor: Mechanical Processes (5) ISEB Business Analysis Diploma (2006)

(3) Business Acumen (Five Day Programme, 1996)

Henley Management College

(4) Securities & Futures Authority (SFA) Registered Representative (1996)

(6) IBM Rational Unified Process (RUP's - Requirements Management with Use Cases & ReqPro) (2006)

(7) Fund Management (2 day course) (2001)

I.T Skills:

MS Access 2000, 97,v 2.0 IBM Lotus Notes Data Modeling

MS Word 2003, 97 Visual Basics 5.0 Sybase/Microsoft SQL

MS Excel 5.0, 7.0, 2003 'C++' Programming BPM & Workflow

MS Powerpoint IBM Websphere Portal & WCM UML (Rational Rose)

MS Project Manager 98/2000 Macromedia Fireworks 2/3 Visio 2003

Hobbies & Interest

Travel: Traveling and has traveled extensively across Europe, Australia, Asia and North America.

Sports: Athletics, Football, Kick-boxing and Horse Riding

If you want to get in touch with this candidate (or to hire him/her), please email them at <a href="mailto:dawnraider@aol.com"dawnraider@aol.com. And if you too want to submit your CV to be reviewed on the site, please email <a href="mailto:editor_gulf@efinancialcareers.com"editor_gulf@efinancialcareers.com.