“I will continue to pursue innovation and credibility in my future research career”

May. 27, 2021

Congratulations Xingyu Zhu who recently accepted a position as an Economist at the Bank of International Settlements after being on the job market during the 2020 – 2021 season.

How was your experience of the job market and what advice would you give future job market candidates? 

– The job market this year was believed to be more uncertain than previous ones due to the Corona pandemic. However, regardless of the uncertainties, I realized that there were still two certain rules that applied. First, you should feel confident that you will be employed in a decent place. Second, on average, the hard work you have done over the doctoral study will pay off by the job market.   

I would suggest future job market candidates not worry too much about the job market. Instead, they should work hard and put the improvement of research skills as the top priority during their doctoral studies. More specifically, at the end of the doctoral study, they should expect to have learned how to conduct important, independent, and solid research. Also, a good job market presentation is appreciated by the academic audience. I would suggest future candidates practice their presentations as much as they can prior to the job market.  

What do you most look forward to in your new position?

– I will join the Bank of International Settlements as an Economist this autumn. I most look forward to collaborations with my future colleagues who are also interested in research related to the interaction between central banks and financial markets. We will work together to address research questions that are important for regulators.  

What will you take with you from your time in the PhD program?

– During my PhD program, I have learned the difficulty to conduct innovative and credible research. I was lucky enough that my supervisor and other professors at the Swedish House of Finance were good role models for me in this respect. I will continue to pursue innovation and credibility in my future research career.  In my new position, I expect to carry out research related to monetary policy and financial markets, as well as policy works in relevant fields.