The primary role of Equity Research is to support investors in their decision-making process. As an analyst, you are required to understand industry trends, scrutinize the company’s position within the industry and then conduct a detailed financial analysis. You need to develop investment strategies and propose appropriate opportunities to invest.

Your work will focus on highly specialized information in one of the industries that Equity Research covers.

Equity Research is composed of the following industry groups:

1. Automobile/Machinery
2. Materials
3. Lifestyle
4. Technology
5. Telecoms/Media/Utilities
6. Financials
7. Macro (Strategy/Technical)

You will begin by participating in a four-week orientation program in our Tokyo office. You will learn Japanese business manners, and will also be introduced to all divisions of Nikko Citigroup. Following the orientation, you will rotate through NCL’s divisions to learn the roles and functions of each for a period of 2–3 weeks.

We also have an in-house program called the Mentor Program. Your mentor will provide you with career guidance for the medium-term.

After you are assigned to work in a sector team, you will visit the overseas offices of Citi Investment Research. Your objective will be to establish a close working relationship with both the leading analyst, and equally importantly, with the local analyst sector team (especially junior members). You will be encouraged to find methodologies which are not employed in Japan, but which may have a practical application here.

Following the orientation program, new graduates are assigned to one of the 33 major sector/industry groups as Research Associate.

For promotion as Research Analyst, you should have proven your competence in the following areas:

1. Financial analysis and model building
2. Analysis in your respective sector
3. Writing ability
4. Client presentation and marketing ability
5. Teamwork
6. An understanding of the economy
7. An understanding of business strategy

As you gain more experience, you will generally assume greater responsibilities, work with increased independence and contact clients with higher frequency. You have the chance to make rapid progress in your business career by assuming these responsibilities at an early stage.

We seek excellent graduates from a variety of colleges and universities. Ideal candidates are polite and considerate, and possess a high degree of intellectual curiosity and strong motivation to learn.

Successful research candidates share many common traits. They are:

1. Quick learners, who assimilate facts quickly, process a great deal of detailed information, and organize and remember it.
2. Thinkers with sense of the global context
3. Good at working with clients and colleagues in a team
4. Enthusiastic, ambitious to make progress, improve, and assume greater responsibility
5. Self-composed, calm under stress
6. Flexible, adaptable to business change, innovative with an ability to think outside a set framework
7. Enthusiastic about learning specialized subjects, able to visualize overall global business, and willing to work

The best applicants for us are distinguished by the following traits:

1. An abundant interest in the securities industry, particularly in the equities market
2. High intellectual curiosity, searching for both new and creative ideas and innovative strategies that transcend divisional and professional boundaries
3. Strong ability to win and sustain the loyalty of the most demanding clients
4. Clear entrepreneurial drive and initiative
5. Exceptional verbal and written communication skills
6. Good proficiency in Japanese and English languages

It is the rare candidate who exhibits all of these qualities; however, we set a high standard for the division because equity research requires one of the highest levels of expertise. All members of our division need to possess these qualities to compete successfully against competition which is of world-class quality.