This file contains a description of a current Citi employee and description of the employee experience through a set of questions and answers.
My advice to prospective candidates is to reach out to alumni and any other contacts they may have on Wall Street. Candidates should spend as much time as possible with people in the business that they want to pursue. The candidates who are most successful during the interview process are those who have learned the subtleties and the language of our business.

]]> I joined Citi’s Global Loan Sales desk in May 2002 after spending 16 years at JP Morgan. At JP Morgan, I spent four years in Investment Banking, five years in Commercial Lending and seven years in HY Bond and Loan Sales.

]]> The thing that excites me most about my career is the fact that I am involved in a product that has exploded in popularity over the years. The leveraged loan market has fueled the recent surge in private equity firm activity. The size and volume of Leverage Buyout activity that we have seen over the past 12 months is unprecedented. I get a charge out of seeing Citi sponsored transactions on the front page of the Wall St. Journal.

]]> I have been extremely fortunate over my five year tenure at Citi because I have attracted some great mentorship. I believe that good mentorship is extremely important to the career development process. My mentors have been very helpful in helping me navigate the Firm and interpret feedback from managers. In addition, my mentors have helped me gain a significant amount of exposure to senior management.

]]> The leveraged loan market is currently going through a tremendous amount of change. In May of 2006 dealers started trading Credit Default Swaps (CDS) referencing senior secured loans. This event has sparked the entrance of a number of sophisticated new investors into our market. Much like we have seen in the bond market, in order to be competitive in the leverage loan market in the future, participants will have to be well versed in cash (bank and bond) as well as synthetics (CDS).

]]> I see myself managing a sales team in five years. Over the past 20 years, I have honed solid product, sales, communication and negotiating skills. In addition, I am already part the leadership structure of the Loan Sales Desk. A sales management position is a natural next step.

]]> I have two passions outside of work; 1) spending time with my six year old son and 2) studying martial arts. I am an advanced student of Northern Shaolin Kung Fu. I even find time to compete in martial arts tournaments a couple of times a year, in both open hand and weapons events.

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Name: Joseph T. Wilson Jr.

Title: Managing Director

Education: BS North Carolina A&T State University, MBA Cornell

Program: Capital Markets Structuring & Origination

Level: associate

Region: North America

What advice would you offer prospective candidates on transitioning from school to the workplace?: My advice to prospective candidates is to reach out to alumni and any other contacts they may have on Wall Street. Candidates should spend as much time as possible with people in the business that they want to pursue. The candidates who are most successful during the interview process are those who have learned the subtleties and the language of our business.
If asked about your career at a dinner party, how would you describe it?: I joined Citi’s Global Loan Sales desk in May 2002 after spending 16 years at JP Morgan. At JP Morgan, I spent four years in Investment Banking, five years in Commercial Lending and seven years in HY Bond and Loan Sales.
What about your career excites you the most - gets you out of bed in the morning?: The thing that excites me most about my career is the fact that I am involved in a product that has exploded in popularity over the years. The leveraged loan market has fueled the recent surge in private equity firm activity. The size and volume of Leverage Buyout activity that we have seen over the past 12 months is unprecedented. I get a charge out of seeing Citi sponsored transactions on the front page of the Wall St. Journal.
How has Citi supported your career development?: I have been extremely fortunate over my five year tenure at Citi because I have attracted some great mentorship. I believe that good mentorship is extremely important to the career development process. My mentors have been very helpful in helping me navigate the Firm and interpret feedback from managers. In addition, my mentors have helped me gain a significant amount of exposure to senior management.
How do you see the your business group/the Firm/the industry changing in the future?: The leveraged loan market is currently going through a tremendous amount of change. In May of 2006 dealers started trading Credit Default Swaps (CDS) referencing senior secured loans. This event has sparked the entrance of a number of sophisticated new investors into our market. Much like we have seen in the bond market, in order to be competitive in the leverage loan market in the future, participants will have to be well versed in cash (bank and bond) as well as synthetics (CDS).
Where do you see yourself in five years?: I see myself managing a sales team in five years. Over the past 20 years, I have honed solid product, sales, communication and negotiating skills. In addition, I am already part the leadership structure of the Loan Sales Desk. A sales management position is a natural next step.
What do you enjoy doing outside work?: I have two passions outside of work; 1) spending time with my six year old son and 2) studying martial arts. I am an advanced student of Northern Shaolin Kung Fu. I even find time to compete in martial arts tournaments a couple of times a year, in both open hand and weapons events.

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