Christopher Stoakes

Christopher Stoakes was the author that inspired the City Career Series handbooks. As a former financial journalist, City lawyer, management consultant and top trainer, he knows the business and financial worlds inside out. His engaging style and ability to explain complex concepts with surprising simplicity meant that his books played a significant role in helping me to prepare for interviews.

It is strongly recommended that candidates supplement their study of our handbooks and resources by reading some (or all) of the books detailed in this article.

Know The City

Understand the financial markets

Anyone who works in business these days needs to understand the financial world. Know The City is the best-selling guide that students and young professionals use to get up-to-speed quickly and painlessly. It explains the roles of banks and institutional investors, the different types of financial instrument and transaction and the impact that interest rates have on the markets and why. It also covers topical subjects such as Islamic banking, peer-to-peer lending and microfinance. Whilst this handbook focuses on commercial law, Know The City covers a broad range of topics relating to the inner workings of the City and its major financial players, providing an excellent opportunity to supplement your knowledge.

Available here.

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Commercial Awareness

Enhance your commercial awareness

If you want a job in the business world you need to be commercially aware. What is it and how do you get it? Commercial Awareness tells you. It explains what matters to businesses, how companies are funded, the purpose of strategy and the quest for customers. It explains how companies are organised and what they are looking for when you apply for a job. This book contextualises much of the information within this handbook, providing an excellent supplementary read.

Available here.

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Get To The Point

Write well at work

A majority of firms require candidates to submit written assignments as part of the interview and/or internship assessment process. Candidates are expected to write concisely and accurately and frame their words within a clear and coherent structure. However, employers complain that young people can’t write. What are they looking for and how can you deliver it? Get To The Point explains how. Writing well in the workplace is critical to your career. Words are still the principal form of communication between people in business. Write well and you will shine. Write badly and you could torpedo your career.

Available here.

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Is Law For You?

Want to become a lawyer?

Articulating your motivation for wanting to pursue law, both as a degree discipline and as a potential career, is something with which many students tend to struggle. However, firms are increasingly expecting candidates to provide strong, substantial and genuine reasons to support their decision to pursue law. Is Law For You? provides a strong insight into the world of law through explaining both what lawyers do and the many avenues of specialisation they pursue. Whether or not you eventually decide to become a lawyer, law is a critical underpinning to business and thus having a basic grasp of the law will give you an edge regardless.

Available here.

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