Careers in Risk

We Aberdeen Strategists tend to see ourselves as the bastard step-siblings of the Department of War Studies (WSD) at King's College London KCL. We're also constantly discussing where we hope to work once we finish the program later this year. As such, I took great interest in this recent podcast from the KCL WSD, entitled Careers in Risk and featuring analysts from AKE Group and G4s. The WSD is going to be featuring some additional podcast with other prospective employers for KCL WSD graduates in the coming weeks.

Careers in risk management - this being my own background - are of particular interest to the majority of the Strategists, because such positions tend to boast comfortable compensation, and the world certainly isn't getting any less dangerous so there's (theoretically) a degree of job security. At the same time, most of my peers lack the requisite backgrounds for an easy transition from postrgraduate study into risk management careers, such as foreign area expertise, language skills, or risk management credentials. As such, it's going to be interesting to see where folks wind up after we've finished. I've already mentioned some of my preparatory efforts for the eventual job search, and I'll probably try to help the other Strategists as they look for work during dissertation season this Summer. I think I may have a few cards up my sleeve for myself, but the thing about looking for work is that it's more like that ridiculous Texas Hold 'Em nonsense than respectable Five Card Stud: your success doesn't just depend on your own cards, but also on the cards on the table. Hopefully, I've built up enough credentials and contacts in the last few years that I'll be able to coast into something. And, with a little bit of tenacity and some of my experience working as a hiring manager, I may just be able to help some of my peers to find gainful employment as well.