ANDERS NEMETH The founder of KTH Finance Society who decided to pursue a career in New York In January 2013, Anders Németh was named a Partner of the Financial Services practice group of Oliver Wyman in New York after having been with the firm for only six years. He got an offer to join Oliver Wyman’s New York office right after he graduated from KTH and the Stockholm School of Economics (SSE). Anders was also the founder of KTH Finance Society, making this a highly anticipated interview for Capital Magazine. The other side of the Atlantic any of us dream about a career in the Big Apple. Being the financial hub of the world, New York attracts millions of people around the globe looking for a breakthrough in their careers. The competition might scare some, but Anders’ experiences tell otherwise.
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“I did nothing complicated to get here. I applied for a position at our New York office, did the interviews, and got an offer. All you need is drive and a little bit of luck.” It is still quite an unusual sight to see a Swede at an accredited firm like Oliver Wyman in New York. Anders admits that competition is tough. Most companies spend most of their time and resources on their American “target schools”. However, as he himself exemplifies, it’s not impossible to make it to New York. “My tip for students who really want to work here is to not give up and to be relentless in their pursuit of what they want to accomplish. Many people seem to believe it’s impossible to land a job here, but it’s not as hard as one might think. It’s about being proactive and driven. If you know someone who works at a big bank in Sweden or Europe, contact him or her. If you don’t know anyone, do some research and cold call some recruiting departments. With an education from a good institution like KTH or SSE, all you need is for someone to read your resume and pay attention to it. At the end of the day, if we interview someone we like, it doesn’t matter where they come from—we will find a way to get them started.” Not everyone will make it to New York, but that does not mean that one cannot pursue an international career. Anders recommends that those people focus on firms that offer internal transfers and rotational programs. “There are a lot of opportunities out there for those who would like to eventually spend some time abroad. If I hadn’t joined my firm in New York, I probably would’ve started at the Stockholm office and then taken advantage of one of our rotational or transfer programs. They have an extraordinary team in Stockholm that is very successful and growing rapidly. It would certainly have been time very well spent.”
26 INTERVIEW / ANDERS NEMETH