Climbing the Ladder in Finance: The PIE Framework for Funding Professionals

Early in my profession, I missed out on promotions regardless that I labored arduous. As an engineer by coaching, I assumed my success can be performance-based. I mistakenly thought that my worth to a corporation can be measured solely by my technical expertise — how shortly and precisely I might compute the costs of advanced monetary derivatives.

It wasn’t till years into my banking profession that I spotted my mistake: I had ignored picture and publicity. Harvey Coleman’s 1996 research on profession development revealed that profession success depends upon a mixture of efficiency, picture, and publicity (PIE). Actually, solely 10% of success correlates to efficiency, whereas picture accounts for 30%, and publicity for a staggering 60%.

When you’re delivering outcomes however are nonetheless being handed over for promotions, it’s time to take inventory of the lacking items in your PIE.

Picture: Your Repute at Work

What are you recognized for at work? In my first job as a overseas alternate (FX) gross sales skilled at a Singapore financial institution, I didn’t do properly as a result of I lacked social expertise. Though I improved my promoting expertise considerably after a 12 months, the poor impression my colleagues and managers had of me was fastened. It was tough to vary their minds. If I had stayed on, I’d have been a mediocre salesperson at finest. So, I left to pursue my grasp’s in finance.

After I joined Citi in 2001 as a derivatives structurer, I confirmed a robust curiosity in educating. I volunteered to conduct product coaching for each shoppers and colleagues. In a short time, I constructed a fame not simply as a talented structurer but additionally as a superb coach. This fame led to invites from gross sales heads throughout Asia to coach their groups and clients, considerably enhancing my private model.

The way to Construct Your Private Model

Develop a signature talent, one thing that’s completely different out of your core experience however will be integrated into your work.

For example, for those who’re a junior analysis analyst in an asset administration firm, you possibly can develop video modifying expertise. By providing to shoot and edit movies for senior colleagues presenting at funding conferences, you can be seen as a priceless staff participant whom they need to deliver alongside to occasions.

When you have already labored at your present firm for greater than a 12 months, altering your inner model is usually a problem. I recommend specializing in creating your exterior model and letting it affect your inner standing.

Volunteering with a CFA society, organizing occasions, or serving as a speaker liaison are nice methods to do that. I’m proud to be a speaker on the CFA Institute LIVE 2025 occasion in Chicago subsequent Might. Share these experiences on LinkedIn and different retailers, as I do, to showcase your capabilities as a grasp networker or organizer. Your employer will see you in a special mild. Study to be a storyteller. Tales resonate extra deeply than details and figures. Use your tales to let folks find out about your character, skills, and values. They’re essential elements of your private model.

Publicity: How Nicely Do Folks Know You?

Publicity is about guaranteeing that the proper folks — your colleagues and senior leaders — are conscious of your contributions. With out visibility, you gained’t get promoted.

I discovered this the arduous method. After I was a vice chairman (VP, a mid-level rank) at an American financial institution, my boss went on vacation and requested me to current the weekly market replace to the gross sales and structuring groups throughout Asia on his behalf. I informed him I couldn’t host the assembly as a result of I used to be busy making ready for my skilled exams. However this was simply an excuse. In actuality, I feared public talking. He acquired one other VP to do it as a substitute. By year-end, when it got here to promotion nominations, guess who my supervisor selected to advertise to director stage? That’s proper, not me, however the different VP.

When you carry out properly in your job however don’t converse up in conferences, you’re making it tough for managers to find out about your work. Even when your individual boss desires to advertise you, nobody else within the firm will assist you as a result of they hardly know you. It comes right down to this straightforward equation:

How good you might be × Your presentation expertise = How good folks suppose you might be

So not solely should you do good work, however you need to additionally seize alternatives to let folks know in regards to the work you do.

The way to Improve Publicity

Communicate Up Throughout Conferences: Share your insights, ask considerate questions, and ensure your voice is heard.

Volunteer for Excessive-Visibility Duties: For instance, supply to emcee the corporate’s annual dinner.

Pursue Worldwide Alternatives: Inside transfers to completely different places of work or international locations can considerably increase your publicity. I labored in London and Hong Kong throughout my profession, and these stints allowed me to construct relationships with international leaders.

Have interaction with the International Group: Attend CFA occasions outdoors your house nation to attach with a broader community.

Full Your PIE

Promotions require extra than simply arduous work and outcomes. By mastering the PIE framework, you’ll place your self for long-term profession success.