Application: https://tinyurl.com/erfi2324

How is recruitment conducted for the Equity Research Department?

Recruitment is split into 3 phases. Round 1 involves the submission of two essays, a 7-page stock pitch as well as your CV according to the instructions in the application form. Round 2 is an on-site assessment. Round 3 (the final round) consists of an interview by a panel of society seniors from the Equity Research department.

I am a first year undergraduate, will I be disadvantaged if I apply?

No you will not be. In fact, we have many analysts who are first year undergraduates. The skills and knowledge we look for in candidates are generally not taught in classes.

Do I have to be from the faculty of business/economics to apply?

We are faculty agnostic. Our analysts are from diverse backgrounds including Law, Computing, Arts, Engineering and even Yale-NUS.

How many analysts do you take in per year?

It depends on our manpower needs for the semester. Our sector coverage teams tend to be lean and can range from 2 to 3 analysts.

How heavy is the workload for each analyst?

A good benchmark would be a typical 4MC module. You will be required to learn quickly and also execute pitches with little supervision.

When are your department meetings held?

Our department meetings are held on a weekly basis and are scheduled every Saturday morning. Meetings usually begin at 9am and will end by around 12pm. Barring any public holidays, our department tends to run on a particularly tight schedule which means that incoming analysts should be prepared to attend meetings every Saturday. Do also note that there may be periods in which sessions may overrun due to various other society wide meetings and events coinciding with our department meetings.

Will the department be recruiting a new batch of analysts in the second semester?

We recruit based on our manpower needs. Our coverage teams generally comprise 2 to 3 analysts. We recruit new analysts on a need basis and various sectors may decide that 2 analysts are sufficient. We highly recommend applying in semester 1.

How is the analyst program structured?

We have a well-structured analyst program that ramps up in intensity over the semester. Incoming analysts should be prepared to carry out individual pitches. Each sector will publish company teasers followed by a full initiation report. Training will be provided in addition to learning material. Nonetheless, analysts are expected to hit the ground running from day one and put in the time and effort to hone their own knowledge of fundamental analysis throughout the semester.

Application: https://tinyurl.com/erfi2324

What is fixed income?

Fixed income broadly refers to those types of investment securities that pay investors fixed interest or coupons payments until its maturity date. At maturity, investors are repaid the principal amount they had invested.

What is the focus of the fixed income department at NUS Invest?

We focus on emerging Asian credit. We believe this is the most relevant scope for our analysts in adding value to their understanding of the asset class in this region. This will enable them to speak intelligently on this topic to recruiters and investment professionals in Asia.

What does the fixed income department do on a weekly basis?

On a weekly basis, we will be going through topics on the technical aspects of fixed income and changes in the global macro space that affect key fixed income indicators such as bond prices and bond yields. Once we have gone through the basic technicals, the leadership will start bringing in more advanced topics and case studies in the credit space to aid the analysts learning. At the end of each semester, analysts will be tasked with completing a credit research piece on a company of their choice in their allocated sector. 

What is FI recruitment like?

FI Recruitment is done in conjunction with ER, and is split into 3 phases. Round 1 involves the submission of two essays, a 7-page stock pitch as well as your CV according to the instructions in the application form. Round 2 is an on-site assessment. Round 3 (the final round) consists of an interview by a panel of society seniors.

Do I need to have a lot of prior knowledge of fixed income to join the FI department?

No, it is not the single determining factor in your selection. However, during the recruitment, we will definitely reward candidates that are aware of global happenings and display an analytical mindset when it comes to understanding these happenings, answering questions and tackling the problems set out. We are of the strong belief that technicals can be trained and we are looking out for a strong hunger and desire to learn and willingness to put in the necessary effort. 

What material would you recommend prospective analysts read up on before submitting their application or undergoing their interview?

For those without prior knowledge of accounting, understanding basic accounting and where debt sits on balance sheets is an important aspect to know. In today’s Internet age, there is almost nothing that you need to know about finance as an undergraduate that can’t be found for free on Google. Doing simple Google search on fixed income as well as on specific things you read in the media or see on TV that you don’t understand would go a long way in helping you establish a foundation that technicals can be subsequently built on.

Application: https://tinyurl.com/globalmacro2324

Is prior knowledge or experience needed?

No, but a keen interest in the financial markets, economics or current affairs will be helpful.

Do I need to know technical analysis (TA)?

It is not required but prior knowledge will be useful. Regardless, you will be exposed to TA strategies during your time with the Global Macro department.

How would I be assessed for the application process?

There are 3 rounds in total. The first requires you to answer several essay questions. The second round involves dissecting and analysing a news article that our team will be providing. The final stage will be an online interview for the team to get to know you better.

What can I expect to learn from joining the Global Macro department?

A student can expect to be equipped with the skills to analyse the relationships within the macro environment and how they affect the prices of different assets. Through his or her time in GM, they will also hone their ability to communicate their views and findings about the markets effectively.

Is the Global Macro department only meant for students pursuing a career in Sales and Trading (S&T)?

Absolutely not. Our members have always been interested in a variety of fields apart from S&T, including Private Banking, Asset Management, Investment Banking and even Management Consulting! Your time with the Global Macro department will serve as a solid foundation for any career path you wish to embark on.

How is the commitment like?

We have weekly department meetings on Saturday mornings. But we will have breaks during mid-terms and finals to prepare for our exams. The main deliverable as an analyst will be a semester report for your assigned country and its economic outlook.

Which team will I be attached to? Can I choose which country or economy to cover?

The directors will be assigning each analyst’s coverage for the upcoming academic year. However, you may highlight your preferred choices during the interview in the final round.

Application: https://tinyurl.com/quantfin2324

What does the Quantitative Finance department do?

The Quantitative Finance (QF) Research Department aims to explore in the areas of quantitative investment and algorithmic trading strategies grounded in mathematics and statistics. Being scientifically-inclined, we keep ourselves aware of the forefront of academic research whilst conducting our own in-house research. We focus on both theory and implementation that equip our members with knowledge and skills employed by industry professionals today.

What is the recruitment process for the QF department like?

The recruitment process comprises two stages. The first stage is an online survey where you will have to solve math/coding questions in order for the recruiters to assess your aptitude. The second stage is a short interview where we will further assess if you are a good fit to our department.

How is the commitment level like?

We have department meetings every Saturday morning where we conduct workshops, sharings and discussions. You will have to work on projects with your teammates. The commitment level is akin to a 4MC module.

How big is the QF department?

The QF department has 20 members excluding the executive committee, on par with the rest of the research departments.

What is the difference between a Quantitative Finance Researcher and Quantitative Finance Engineer?

Both Quantitative Researcher and Quantitative Engineer attend the same meetings and work together on the research projects. The main difference is that Quantitative Engineers are more inclined to programming and Quantitative Researchers are more inclined to mathematics. Each project team has to include least one engineer and one researcher.

What can I learn in the Quantitative Finance Department?

You will have the opportunity to be introduced to the fundamentals of quantitative finance, knowing how to apply quantitative skills in trading. You will get the opportunity to learn common machine learning and deep learning models which are widely used in the realm of quantitative finance today. You will also be able to equip yourself with useful coding skills such as R and SQL.

How can I prepare for the recruitment process?

Brush up on your problem solving skills and some basic coding skills. You may want to learn a programming language on your own, preferably python, R or C++. Most importantly, remember to just be yourself!

How difficult is it to get in QF department?

The competition for a place in the QF department is usually quite intensive, as per all departments in NUS Investment Society. You can expect roughly a 5:1 ratio between applicants and offers.

Do I have to be in specific majors to be considered?

No you do not have to be in any specific major. We are not biased against or towards any major. However, we do expect you to be mathematically inclined as that is crucial to being a good quantitative analyst.

Application: https://tinyurl.com/brandmgt2324

What does the Brand Management Department do?

In Brand Management, your job scope as an executive will include marketing collaterals designing, events coverage and blogpost content creation to maintain and enhance the strong brand name of NUS Invest. Your work in the aforementioned aspects will be displayed to the public and will be a direct reflection of NUS Invest’s image. Hence, majority of your time here will be spent on content creation and working on branding campaigns, alongside research projects and various other initiatives.

Do we need to have investment knowledge and investment skills to apply for this department?

As long as you show that you have the passion and interest in learning about finance and investment knowledge, you are welcome to join us. There will be classes conducted internally to help prepare you for a career in finance and marketing. 

What will we learn in this department?

As leaders of NUS Invest, we are committed to teaching our members financial knowledge that will prepare you for a career in the industry. On top of that, in Brand Management we also impart useful technical skills for a career in branding and marketing. By the end of the year, we hope that all our members will at least be able to have takeaways in finance, investments, and marketing. 

What is the recruitment process?

There will be 2 rounds of recruitment. The first round will be online survey and submission to let us know more about you and find out your skills suitability, and the second round will be interviews where you can expound your passion to join us. 

What are you looking out for in candidate?

There is no requirement in technical knowledge but we are generally seeking passionate individuals who are committed, responsible and willing to learn. 

What is the commitment level?

Usually, there will be weekly meetings on Saturdays where everyone share the work that they have done and prepare for future submissions. On top of that, members will also have to do photo/video coverage for our bigger events such as Invest Fiesta and our flagship 101 Workshops. 

Application: https://tinyurl.com/humanresource2324

What is the role of a HR executive?

HR executives can expect themselves to be exposed to the internal functions of the society. They will play an essential role in reaching out to our strong alumni network as well as executing internal events such as cohesion to bond the society. As a department, we will also be publishing our very own research report on hiring trends in the finance industry. Other than the HR aspect, executives will gain financial knowledge through the department meetings and internal workshops conducted.

What are the skills I can pick up as a HR executive?

As a HR executive, you will be given opportunities to take charge in the planning of internal events. This allows you to hone and develop your leadership skills as you work with the team. As executives will be spearheading the research report, they would gain valuable technical skills and knowledge in the finance and HR industry. We are also committed to teaching and exposing executives to relevant financial knowledge and better equip them for a career in finance.

Do I need to have prior investment knowledge?

No, you do not need any prior knowledge. We value a willingness to learn more than your existing knowledge. The internal workshops and department meetings will equip you with the relevant financial know-how to prepare you for a career in finance.

What will the commitment level be like?

Human Resource Executives are required to attend and be present throughout our weekly meetings which are expected to take place/occur every Saturday.

What are you looking out for in HR executives?

We are looking out for candidates who show a strong desire and passion for learning. We believe that the knowledge and skills that we impart will be greatly beneficial to candidates who possess a positive attitude.

How will HR recruitment be like?

There will be 2 stages of recruitment. In the 1st stage, candidates are required to complete and submit the HR recruitment form. Selected candidates will then be invited for the 2nd stage which involves an online interview.

Application: https://tinyurl.com/projectmgt2324

What do you do at the Project Management(PM) department?

PM oversees and executes corporate events to increase financial literacy and improve the branding of NUS Investment society. Through this process, we liaise and build good relationships with financial institutions, industry professionals and alumni.

What sort of events does PM organise? 

PM organises Invest Fiesta, our annual flagship event, that aims to bring students and industry professionals together to increase financial literacy in the wider student community. Among our invited guests last year included speakers from Barclays, Nomura, HSBC, BNP Paribas, Julius Baer, Seedly and DollarsAndSense. 

PM also organises the NUS-SGX Stock Pitch Challenge, an annual competition to connect the corporate and academic worlds of equity research and investment management. This provides a platform for students to compete with each other by pitching their stock recommendations to a panel of judges, comprising of academics, equity research analysts and finance professionals.

Apart from these flagship events, PM plans several university-wide workshops on the various asset classes that NUS Invest covers.

Since PM is an operations department, does this mean that you do not learn any investing?

In PM, we strike a balance between the two aspects of our responsibilities and learning. 

Apart from organising events, we place emphasis on a holistic learning experience for PM executives. PM executives will build their foundation of investing principles through our in-house investment workshops and exposure to our research departments. Additionally, they will be expected to conduct research on upcoming investing topics, such as ESG investing, and deliver a report and presentation in front of the society.  

What are we looking out for in an ideal candidate?

In PM, we value commitment, passion for investing, and an eagerness to learn more than your existing financial know-how. Therefore, we expect members to put in significant time and effort in producing deliverables and actively contributing in all meetings.

Candidates who have prior experience organising events, managing projects and public speaking will have an advantage. Nonetheless, we are primarily looking for candidates who are proactive, driven, and are able to work within a team.

Any advice for freshman who are looking to join the Project Management team? 

We advise all applicants to show that you will commit fully to your responsibility at PM and be proactive in your contributions to the team. Applicants should also possess basic investing knowledge to display their interest for investing. 

Application: https://tinyurl.com/publicrelations2324

What does the Public Relations Department do?

Public Relations department is a newly formed department in 20/21 under the VP External wing, and what we do mainly emcompasses partnerships and collaborations with external organisations. Some examples of the external organisations we could work with include investment clubs of other countries and universities, as well as local banking/investment firms.

Hence, we would potentially work with student investment clubs in other countries such as Hong Kong, as well as notable bulge bracket banking firms in Singapore, and across the world. All in all, the aim of the department is to ensure that the branding and publicity of NUS Invest remains strong through the exclusive partnerships and networks we have.

Do we need to have investment knowledge and investment skills to apply for Public Relations department?

Nope, as long as you show that you have the passion to connect with people, as well as the motivation to learn about finance and improve your investment knowledge, you are most welcome to join!

What will members learn in this department?

A big part of what members can learn is soft skills – networking and communication skills. For instance, communicating with senior executives of international banks and inviting them down for a talk session with NUS Invest members. Members will get opportunities to source for, network with and persuade key appointment holders of external organisations.

Through that, members will be able to pick up core communication and skills and competencies. At the same time, while conversing with external parties, members could also get the opportunity to sharpen their negotiation skills, as they seek to expand the pie and achieve a win-win solution for all parties involved.

What are you looking out for in candidate?

There is no requirement in technical knowledge at all. What we are really looking out for are values and principles – students who are committed, responsible and team players. We want people who work hard, play hard and people who we can develop to become future leaders.

What is the commitment level?

Usually, there will be weekly meetings on Sat where everyone share their progress on external sourcing and partnerships. At the same time, it is also a time for us to gather and learn more about finance and investment knowledge.

How will recruitment be affected by Covid-19?

Depending on the situation and how long it lasts, recruitment interviews and welcome tea may be conducted entirely online. Check out for latest updates on our IG and Facebook nearer those dates.

Lastly, why should you apply for the Public Relations department?

Other than gaining soft skills as mentioned in Q3, a key reason why you should apply is because right from the start, you will be entrusted with key responsibilities and be directly involved in meaningful and purposeful work. Instead of being engulfed with huge administrative tasks, you will be doing things that matters. You will make an impact on your personal growth, and play a huge role in improving the branding of NUS Invest and student community life in NUS.

As we hire based on a candidates’ values and potential, our promise to you is that you will be given huge autonomy to take ownership, lead key initiatives and make a difference to the NUS Invest student community.