Posted by Hear from Fernando Filártiga, NYU alumni and current Board Member at the Central Bank of Paraguay. In this insightful blog post, Fernando shares details from his experience working abroad and advice for students looking to explore a global career.
Introduce yourself, title, and where you currently work.
My name is Fernando Filártiga. I am a member of the Central Bank of Paraguay Board of
Directors. I was appointed by the President of Paraguay, with consent of the Senate, for a term
of five years ending on August 15th, 2024.
How did you find your global career opportunity?
Before taking office as Board Director, I had the opportunity to study and work abroad. Today,
I would like to share two of these opportunities.
First, my studies abroad. Let me start from the beginning. I joined the Central Bank of Paraguay
as a legal analyst more than a decade ago after a rigorous selection process conducted
nationwide. Working at the Superintendency of Banks, I became aware that most of what I
learned in law school had become obsolete after the Global Financial Crisis. So, I decided to
pursue a Master of Laws degree at New York University School of Law with strong emphasis in
banking law. NYU was the obvious option for many reasons from its location in Manhattan—the world’s financial center—to its top faculty, and tremendously generous scholarship program. At NYU I made many friends and built an international network.
Furthermore, as a recipient of the merit-based full tuition Arthur T. Vanderbilt scholarship, I was assigned an academic mentor, Professor Geoffrey Parsons Miller, a brilliant legal scholar and inspiring teacher who helped me navigate law school. We have stayed in contact over the years.
Second, my work experience in a multilateral organization. When I was back in Paraguay, I was
appointed as advisor to the World Bank Group Board of Directors in Washington, D.C. My time
in Washington was highly rewarding. I worked with the Executive Director for the Southern
Cone (Argentina, Bolivia, Chile, Paraguay, Perú and Uruguay). Our day-to-day tasks included
reviewing projects that were meant to have profound development impact in countries across
continents, including my own. I had the opportunity to discuss with the Word Bank staff, and
exchange views and/or formulate joint statements with fellow advisors from the world over.
What is the interviewing style in the region?
I would say that job interviews in Latin America vary a lot according to the type of company.
Small to medium-sized companies, especially if they are family-owned, tend to be more
personal and interviewers try to assess if the applicant would get along with corporate
traditions and values – how business has been conducted for a long period of time. An
exception would be a small company (i.e., a startup firm) that is looking for a change-maker
who may help achieve a transformation, establish a different business model, or open new
markets.
Interviews at big companies, especially international ones, tend to follow a regular pattern,
which is to say that they would not differ a lot from the international standard. For example,
being interviewed by a partner from an international law firm with offices in Latin America
may be very similar to a job interview conducted at a large Boston or New York law firm.
Regardless of the interviewing style and location, in my view the key aspect of a job interview
is the applicant’s actual capacity and motivation to fulfill the duties and responsibilities set
forth in the job description. I would also stress motivation, because by the time someone
makes it to the shortlist and gets interviewed, the academic credentials and general
requirements had probably been successfully prescreened. Then, what is left to the applicant is
mostly a test of character. Put simply, beyond technicalities applicants must convey that they
are not only the qualified professionals their CVs describe, but real and sensible people who
are willing to perform the job.
Has networking helped you in your career? How have you approached networking throughout your career?
Yes, networking has helped me in my career – and it has done so in many ways, especially when I was able to make a call or write an email and get useful pieces of advice from the world over when confronting difficult situations. Just remember the pandemic!
A professional network is not only useful to get a job, but also – and more importantly – to perform it better through the advice of colleagues who kindly share their knowledge and experience, thus helping one to make more robust and informed decisions.
My approach to networking is more professional, than personal. I would reach out to scholars and practitioners sharing my interests and/or professional background. Usually, I make first contact by email or LinkedIn, and talk about a project such as an academic paper, line of
research or trending topic the person is familiar with. Over the years, I have had the opportunity to meet and establish fruitful relationships with amazing professionals. Sharing an idea or professional interest is sometimes enough to expand your network with people who you enjoy talking with and who may someday need your expertise or refer you in the future.
What advice would you give for a student who is trying to break into your industry
from a global lens?
Banking is a global and a very dynamic industry that requires highly qualified and motivated
staff. To become an effective banker, you must master the industry trends and its
technology-driven transformation without forgetting the fundamentals. No matter how much
technology has changed the way we bank today, trust remains at the core of banking, so bank
personnel at every level of the hierarchy must be both qualified for the job they perform and
trustworthy.
As per the qualification aspect, I would stress the importance of getting a world-class
education not just because academic credentials are important on the résumé, but because
banking requires a solid educational background and technical skills.
How would you describe the organization culture as well as the culture working
in the region?
After – and because of – the Global Financial Crisis, most Latin America countries, including
Paraguay, have been adopting corporate governance best practices for the banking industry.
As a result, today’s bankers are expected to be aware of international trends. This relatively
new approach has demolished walls and shortened the cultural distances between banking
organizations and has redefined the banking profession as a global one. Banks top leaders
across regions are increasingly devoted to understanding global trends and make sure that
their organizations fit in.
All in all, regardless of cultural peculiarities, in my view job seekers must focus on these
fundamentals:
- are you qualified for the job?
- have you studied and prepared yourself to perform this job or work in this industry?
- does the offer meet your expectations?
- is this the right moment to get this job?
- do you envision yourself progressing through the company´s ranks in the medium and
long runs? - do you find the job meaningful?
If you answered yes, let the interview be the opportunity to convey your willingness to get hired!
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