Credit Suisse
ONE YOU. One Credit Suisse.
Jennifer Salerno
Americas Head of Firmwide Campus Recruiting at Credit Suisse
Name: Jennifer Salerno
Position: Americas Head of Firmwide Campus Recruiting
Education: Boston College, Psychology Columbia University, Teachers College, MA in Higher Education Administration
Location: New York, NY
How did you get your start at Credit Suisse?
Immediately following undergrad, I went into a masters program in higher education administration because I wanted to work in career services professionally. In graduate school, I met campus recruiters from large investment banks who were pursuing the same program. They exposed me to the world of campus recruiting and made me think it would be a good career choice for me. The professional experience in recruiting would also make me a better resource for students if I chose to work in higher education in the future.
What “insider tips” do you have for anyone interviewing at Credit Suisse?
Make sure you prepare. Research Credit Suisse and the industry, try to connect with current CS employees through your alumni network, or do an informational interview so you know what a certain job is like. Read the Wall Street Journal, the New York Times, Bloomberg, and The Economist to learn about and be able to showcase your knowledge and passion for the industry. Know your resume inside and out so you can connect your professional and academic accomplishments to the skill set necessary for the job to which you are applying. Be careful with all correspondence with the company, including your resume, cover letter, and emails, to ensure there are no typos, mistakes, or grammatical errors. It is critical to always conduct yourself in a professional and positive manner, as this goes a long way during the recruiting process.
What kinds of mistakes can a candidate make that will take them out of the running for a position?
It is very important for candidates to always maintain a professional and positive disposition. Some mistakes that candidates make include being overly casual during an informational meeting or interview, making negative statements about former employers, demonstrating a lack of preparation, being tardy, and having low energy or enthusiasm. Grammatical errors and typos in any correspondence reflect negatively on a candidate.
What is the office culture like?
At Credit Suisse, we don’t want people to be cookie cutter. It’s definitely a meritocracy and a non-hierarchal culture. Junior people have access to senior level management early on in their careers and can make a difference right away. Credit Suisse is also good about providing junior level employees the training they need so that they can flourish in the company. We aim to train new hires to become future leaders of the firm.
What is the biggest misconception about working at Credit Suisse?
The biggest misconception about working here is that the primary focus of your life is always work. Credit Suisse employees are engaged in an array of other activities. For instance, there is a tremendous commitment to philanthropy here. We have volunteer activities around education, microfinance, the environment, and disaster relief, and last year, we had about 15,100 employees participate in volunteer activities. We recently implemented our Global Citizens Program, where employees are eligible to go to an emerging market country for up to three months to volunteer with a nonprofit in education or microfinance. We also have a range of employee networks to make sure we’re addressing all the different facets of an employees’ life, and they offer many extracurricular outlets to complement our employees’ day-to-day work.
Position: Americas Head of Firmwide Campus Recruiting
Education: Boston College, Psychology Columbia University, Teachers College, MA in Higher Education Administration
Location: New York, NY
How did you get your start at Credit Suisse?
Immediately following undergrad, I went into a masters program in higher education administration because I wanted to work in career services professionally. In graduate school, I met campus recruiters from large investment banks who were pursuing the same program. They exposed me to the world of campus recruiting and made me think it would be a good career choice for me. The professional experience in recruiting would also make me a better resource for students if I chose to work in higher education in the future.
What “insider tips” do you have for anyone interviewing at Credit Suisse?
Make sure you prepare. Research Credit Suisse and the industry, try to connect with current CS employees through your alumni network, or do an informational interview so you know what a certain job is like. Read the Wall Street Journal, the New York Times, Bloomberg, and The Economist to learn about and be able to showcase your knowledge and passion for the industry. Know your resume inside and out so you can connect your professional and academic accomplishments to the skill set necessary for the job to which you are applying. Be careful with all correspondence with the company, including your resume, cover letter, and emails, to ensure there are no typos, mistakes, or grammatical errors. It is critical to always conduct yourself in a professional and positive manner, as this goes a long way during the recruiting process.
What kinds of mistakes can a candidate make that will take them out of the running for a position?
It is very important for candidates to always maintain a professional and positive disposition. Some mistakes that candidates make include being overly casual during an informational meeting or interview, making negative statements about former employers, demonstrating a lack of preparation, being tardy, and having low energy or enthusiasm. Grammatical errors and typos in any correspondence reflect negatively on a candidate.
What is the office culture like?
At Credit Suisse, we don’t want people to be cookie cutter. It’s definitely a meritocracy and a non-hierarchal culture. Junior people have access to senior level management early on in their careers and can make a difference right away. Credit Suisse is also good about providing junior level employees the training they need so that they can flourish in the company. We aim to train new hires to become future leaders of the firm.
What is the biggest misconception about working at Credit Suisse?
The biggest misconception about working here is that the primary focus of your life is always work. Credit Suisse employees are engaged in an array of other activities. For instance, there is a tremendous commitment to philanthropy here. We have volunteer activities around education, microfinance, the environment, and disaster relief, and last year, we had about 15,100 employees participate in volunteer activities. We recently implemented our Global Citizens Program, where employees are eligible to go to an emerging market country for up to three months to volunteer with a nonprofit in education or microfinance. We also have a range of employee networks to make sure we’re addressing all the different facets of an employees’ life, and they offer many extracurricular outlets to complement our employees’ day-to-day work.
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