Caspian Davies sits down with the ReadyBridge co-founders to discuss the challenges facing graduates looking to start a career in financial services.

It’s a job to get a job. With nearly 200 applicants per graduate role in the financial and professional services sectors across the UK, breaking into the industry as a postgraduate student is becoming increasingly difficult as competition grows year on year.

This is a problem that business partners John McConnell and Daniel Gordon have recognised. With nearly 70 years of combined experience in financial services in Europe, Hong Kong, and the Middle East, Daniel and John are seeking to help students trying to break into the finance industry through their newly created enterprise, ReadyBridge.

As the former CEO of ICAP Equities Asia and Bernstein Autonomous, Daniel understands “that it’s enormously challenging for students currently, as the selection process is really difficult and feedback is rarely given.” He adds that “the world has changed, but university courses have not kept pace,” leaving students ill-prepared for the industry they’re trying to enter. John, who’s worked for banks such as Goldman Sachs and Kleinwort Benson before becoming Head of Sales at Bernstein Autonomous, shares this view—recognising that students need extra help to “beat the bots” that have become so ingrained in the application process.

And it’s for good reason. As last week’s turmoil in the stock markets showed, it’s important that we have qualified and experienced professionals in the financial services sector who are able to handle the increasingly tempestuous nature of global economics.  John says “it remains an amazing and rewarding industry to work in, but with high barriers to entry”. As a result of seeing the challenges graduates were facing finding jobs in the industry John and Daniel decided to set up ReadyBridge earlier this year.

Part of John and Daniel’s mission is to end some of the stigma around joining the financial services industry. Potential applicants are often deterred not only by a lack of connections but also by the perception that the industry remains a largely male-dominated space. “I think firms are trying to address this issue and are working to diversify their hiring,” Daniel says. “It’s a different environment now, and firms are doing a better job at this.” Daniel goes on to talk about how important it is for applicants to differentiate themselves in a world where there is little grade disparity, and “being ready and having the confidence to come into the industry so that you are well equipped to deal with the challenges new joiners face.”

ReadyBridge is a company set up by John and Daniel to source, train, mentor, and place representative graduate-level talent into financial services companies. As part of the ReadyBridge offering they run a 45-hour course in partnership with Kaplan, an industry-leading financial training company, that develops proficiency in all skill sets related to financial services—from accountancy to global economics to understanding the capital structure. But alongside this course, John and Daniel also provide tailored mentorship to all members of the programme. “Time is not something you can buy, and so it’s hard to replicate,” says Daniel, “but with nearly 70 years of experience at the top of the industry, we feel as though we can equip students with the necessary armoury to enter the industry and make an immediate impact.” John adds, “companies are trusting our students to be exemplary applicants, as we’re providing tailored expertise to students to ensure they are financially ready when they start their new career.” ReadyBridge is further offering a bursary scheme for their course, working with social mobility organisations and universities to ensure that 25% of ReadyBridge students are fully funded.

John and Daniel understand the challenges facing students today. By offering their expertise to students of all backgrounds, they aim to support those who “may be slightly less advantaged in some areas.” Through this programme, ReadyBridge may just be the service to help students build knowledge, technical skills and confidence in the areas where universities are falling short. For those that want to learn more about ReadyBridge they should visit the website.