How to get that job: Joshua Raymond, financial director

In a series on inspiring careers and how to get them, award-winning entrepreneur Jessica Elliott speaks to professionals at the top of their game to find out how you can get their dream job.

Josh Raymond, director of FOREX company XTB, has had a highly successful career in the financial district of London. He started out on the trading floor and worked across different specialisms, giving him a strong understanding of careers in the City.

From banking to trading, marketing to legal, there are many different types of opportunities out there in Britain’s biggest export industry. It’s famed for its relatively welcoming attitude to both highly qualified people, but also those with an industrious attitude rather than letters after their name .

Josh told us his top three tips on how to get in and get on in the City.

Develop working relationships

"Working hard is vital, of course, but it isn't always enough, especially when you rely on others to help progress you up the chain.

"The added complexity here is that in the financial markets, you have a lot of egos to contend with, intense competition and enough office politics for a television series.

"So, work hard, get noticed and put yourself in the best possible bargaining position by developing professional relationships with your peers so that when an opportunity arises for promotion, you are at the front of their mind. This will also help you immensely in terms of networking within the industry, too, which will come in handy later on in your career. You just don't realise how small the world can be sometimes."

Get noticed

"One of the first pieces of advice I was given when I started in the City was to make myself indispensable.

"That means if you are on holiday or sick one day (by the way, sick means you physically cannot get out of bed), it gets noticed because some things at work don't happen as easily. If you can achieve that, then your employer will value you and do what it takes to keep you happy, hungry, and its also a great negotiating tool if another job offer comes along."

Be brave. Take a risk

"Just like any industry, its easy to become part of the furniture quickly and get lost amongst the masses.

"But sometimes you have to take a risk, change your career or move jobs to progress. It can be easier to move up the ladder by changing firms than sticking with your existing one and progressing internally. The grass may not always be greener, but you have to be brave enough to take the risk of trying, or you could quickly find yourself stuck in the mud."

Josh Raymond works for XTB.