Andre Buckles: MarketsWiki Education Virtual World of Opportunity 2020

Andre Buckles is the vice president of talent acquisition at the Options Clearing Corporation. He has been hiring people for more than two decades for a number of financial companies, including Northern Trust and Zurich North America. At the MarketsWiki Education virtual World of Opportunity 2020 event in June, Buckles had some tips for students looking to get hired in the financial industry. During the pandemic, concern about how to get to an office you are unfamiliar with was replaced by things like making sure you have stable access to the Internet and being transparent with the interviewer about circumstances that couldn’t be dealt with ahead of time. Buckles said that before a virtual interview, it’s important to make sure your devices - phone, laptop, etc. - are charged and have a good signal, and that you have a quiet, private space to conduct the interview. In general, he said, it’s important to connect with your interviewer during the interview by showing them why you are interested in working for their company. “You want to think about how you’re engaging with people," he said.

Buckles also explained how the OCC has adapted its hiring process to the coronavirus pandemic, bringing in 62 people since March 17, the last day the OCC welcomed new employees in person in its offices. The pandemic brought challenges that tested Buckles' expertise, but virtual hiring is now the norm, so we all need to be prepared for it.