Impact investment is the fastest growing sector of the financial industry. In a 2019 deal that signalled the scale and potential of the sector’s future, Schroders, a global investment manager, acquired a majority stake in BlueOrchard.
The time when impact investing is the norm is coming and many people are already seeking out roles in the sector. Below are a few tips for getting a job written by Ian Povey-Hall, Consultant at Acre, who specialises in recruiting professionals in impact investment, ESG, and sustainability.
Top Tips in Getting a Job in Impact Investment:
Know your specialist skills
Even though it tempting to see job hunting through your own eyes, it’s important to consider what employers may be looking for in candidates. As a result, consider what specialist skills you have and how these may be useful for your next employer.
What can you offer to your next firm that they don’t already have?
In the impact investment space, the focus is to see the worlds traditional investment converge with broader industry sectors, such as sustainability, climate science, and policy. Asset owners and asset managers will be looking for candidates that can bring unique skills to an organisation to give them the competitive edge in the marketplace. This could be educational qualifications or experience in impact or mission-driven businesses.
Knowledge of the investment market
if you are looking to get into the impact investment space and have not previously worked in the financial services sector, a vital point to consider is to gain a thorough understanding of the investment market and how it works. Whilst you may be interviewing for a role that is not investment-based or client-facing, your potential employer will still want you to understand the nuances of the industry.
Clarity of desired workplace
Knowing what type of job you want is crucial. What is also imperative is where you want that job. As with any industry, impact investment has a diverse array of workplaces and they vary significantly by size, scope, and intention.
There are the large, multi-national established investment houses that are busily building their impact practices running alongside the smaller, boutique firms that focus on impact investment and that alone. By having clarity over what environment best suits your skillset and experience will enable you to make the correct long-term decision.
Purpose and values alignment
The last tip is straightforward: find a company that matches what you stand for and what you believe in. By truly understanding your purpose in life and what values remain important to you will guide you in your job search. Organisations that align to your way of thinking are likely to have working environments, fellow colleagues, and management teams that will be complimentary to your view of the world. Seek them out as this workplace harmony will pay dividends in the short, medium, and long term.
Written by Ethical Compass in Collaboration with Acre.
For more information visit: www.ethicalcompassmgmt.com
Source CSRWIRE
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