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Richard Kett
Richard Kett
Richard joined our finance graduate scheme in 2004, but it wasn’t his first experience of Nomura. During his second year at university, he got the chance to do an internship with us. It gave him a good introduction to the organisation – and the chance to see if a career in the City was really for him. “I’d always wanted to work in finance and the internship was a great opportunity to get some hands-on experience. At that time – in 2001 – Nomura was in the press concerning Guy Hands and Terra Firma so I’d read quite a bit about them. They also had a strong relationship with Loughborough University. That was my first job and I really enjoyed it, so after taking a year out travelling after uni, I decided to apply for the graduate scheme. I’m now working full-time in the new products facilitation and control team. Every day is different. I get to work with people in all sorts of business areas, from corporate risk management, to legal, to the trading desks. Although I haven’t been here that long I’m already working on real projects which benefit the company in a number of ways. That’s one of the best things about working here. You find yourself taking on real responsibility early on, with plenty of support around you to help you to succeed. At graduate level, previous experience isn’t necessarily essential; it’s about ability and attitude towards the job. I’d say the most important skill you need to do my job is a strong grasp of figures and a logical approach to problem solving. I did Maths A Level before doing a finance-based degree which helped. I also had a good understanding of IT and various software packages before I started, which has proved very useful. Training is another big plus here. I’m currently studying for my Chartered Institute of Management Accounting (CIMA) qualification. I’ve passed seven exams so far and am hoping to finish by next spring. I’ve also had lots of other training too, to develop both my personal and professional skills – I’ve been on courses covering everything from business writing to Nomura’s products and services. I’m not exactly sure what direction I’d like my career to go in yet, but since joining full time, I’ve just been enjoying getting a good all-round understanding of what the company does in the many different areas within finance. My advice to anyone thinking of joining Nomura? Be yourself and realistic about your relevant past experience and focus on your core strengths.” Click here for more information on learning and development .
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