As the calendar flips to September, the traditional "golden September, silver October" hiring season is in full swing across China's talent market. A wave of leading securities firms has already rushed to publish their first batch of campus recruitment announcements targeting the class of 2027. With the industry's overall operating performance recovering strongly in the first half of this year—43 listed brokerages reported a combined 49% year-on-year increase in net profit attributable to shareholders—these firms now have both the financial firepower and the willingness to revive recruitment enthusiasm not seen in two years.

Of course, as technology and industry dynamics evolve, the caliber of talent that securities firms require has undergone significant adjustments. What positions will these brokerages offer this round, what kind of talent are they seeking to attract, and what will compensation packages and admission processes look like? All of these questions warrant close attention.

Citics Securities Goes All-In

As the undisputed industry leader, Citics Securities reported net profit attributable to shareholders of 23.343 billion yuan in the first half of 2026, matching its full-year earnings for 2024 in just six months. Consequently, its 2027 campus recruitment campaign has drawn exceptional market attention. The headquarters, with operations in Beijing, Shanghai, and Shenzhen, has opened positions across 15 directions this autumn, spanning investment banking, fixed income, asset management, equity derivatives, institutional equities, research analysis, comprehensive finance, custody services, artificial intelligence, systems development, risk management, legal compliance, audit, financial planning, and clearing operations.

Among these, investment banking, fixed income, asset management, research, and equity derivatives are widely regarded as premier tracks and represent areas where Citics maintains a competitive edge, likely attracting a surge of applications. Additionally, the company's 30 domestic subsidiaries and branch offices are simultaneously recruiting trainees, while its overseas wealth management division has also opened positions, setting the stage for fierce competition. Citics' application rules merit careful scrutiny: each candidate may apply for up to two preferred positions, with two directional choices under each preference. While this appears to offer ample flexibility, experience from previous cycles indicates the first choice ultimately determines placement. The recruitment targets domestic and international fresh graduates due to graduate between the second half of 2026 and the first half of 2027, with applications open from bachelor's degree level upward. However, specific positions carry nuanced requirements—headquarters roles in investment banking and research demand master's degrees or above from leading domestic or international institutions with no major restrictions, while asset management and fixed income roles impose specific academic backgrounds, with the former favoring finance, economics, science, and engineering majors with interdisciplinary backgrounds, and the latter requiring accounting, finance, mathematics, law, statistics, information technology, or other technical fields. Branch trainee positions carry no major restrictions, though passing securities or fund qualification exams provides an advantage.

Notably, "artificial intelligence" and "systems development" are listed as standalone tracks, continuing the industry leader's recent emphasis on placing AI at the forefront of campus hiring. The recruitment pipeline progresses through promotion sessions and online applications, written assessments, interviews, internship evaluations or final interviews, medical checks and background verifications, and ultimately offer issuance.

The "Aristocrat" of Brokerages Rolls Out Plentiful Positions

CICC has long commanded a reputation in the hiring market that rivals Citics. As China's first joint-venture brokerage, CICC has consistently distinguished itself by recruiting top-tier talent for high-end business operations. This year, CICC has unveiled its recruitment requirements as well. For its 2027 autumn recruitment cycle, online applications opened on September 8 and will close on October 28. Unlike most brokerages, CICC has broadened eligibility across two categories: first, 2027 domestic and international graduates with graduation dates no later than October 2027; second, graduates who have remained unemployed within two years of leaving school. This arrangement offers a welcome window for students with extended job-seeking periods after graduation. The group's recruiting entities include CICC itself, CICC International, CICC Wealth Management, CICC Capital, CICC Fund Management, and CICC Pucheng, requiring applicants to carefully distinguish among them.

CICC's own position roster spans nine major business lines: investment banking, equities, fixed income, private equity, asset management, wealth management, research, information technology, and management support, offering both impressive breadth and substantial value in sought-after roles. CICC's autumn recruitment features several distinctive characteristics. First, the timeline is notably extended: applications run from September 8 through October 28, with the selection process spanning October through December 2026, incorporating online written tests covering quantitative reasoning, financial knowledge, and English, followed by multiple interview rounds including technical, case-based, and HR interviews, with some positions requiring summer internship evaluations. Offers begin rolling out in early January 2027. From submission to offer typically spans over half a year. For fresh graduates, the most reliable path remains actively participating in summer internships and securing conversion to full-time positions. Indeed, as early as February, CICC had already launched summer internship applications for the class of 2027, welcoming domestic and international students graduating between September 2026 and August 2027 at bachelor's, master's, or doctoral levels, with eight-to-ten-week internships across Beijing, Shanghai, Shenzhen, Hong Kong, and extending to New York, London, and Singapore, where exceptional performers directly secure full-time offers. Second, while CICC's announcements do not disclose specific compensation, applicants can rest assured that as a top-tier investment bank, CICC's pay scales have long enjoyed a strong industry reputation—this is the least of their concerns. Perhaps most striking is CICC's ambitious recruitment slogan, "Become the force shaping the future at CICC," reflecting a remarkably elevated vision.

Guotai Haitian Strategically Advances Early

Formed through the merger of Guotai Junan and Haitong Securities, Guotai Haitian Securities now ranks among the industry's top two, making its recruitment moves highly anticipated. Its 2027 campus recruitment features distinctive characteristics. First, the firm acts early and decisively. According to its published schedule, online applications closed on August 31, with online assessments commencing in late August and interviews starting ahead of schedule—nearly a full quarter earlier than some competitors, reflecting a "first-mover advantage" strategy. Second, Guotai Haitian's application system is strictly limited to one position per candidate. Third, eligibility targets 2027 master's degree graduates or above, with graduation dates between August 2026 and July 2027, spanning nine business lines: wealth management, research and institutional, investment banking, strategic clients, fixed income, equities, credit, fintech, and functional departments.

Beyond the headquarters-wide recruitment launched in March, Guotai Haitian's fintech division issued a standalone 2027 campus recruitment call in August: the technology R&D department seeks algorithm and model R&D engineers plus data platform R&D engineers, while the systems operations department recruits AI algorithm engineers focused on operations. The fintech slate is exceptionally AI-heavy, with a stronger technology focus than the headquarters' nine business lines. The process follows: applications closing at 5:00 PM on August 31, online assessments, written tests and interviews from late August through early September, internships from September to October, and final interviews with offer issuance in November. Regarding compensation, the headquarters' business management trainee announcement promises market-competitive pay, supplemented by five social insurances and two housing funds, corporate annuities, transportation/lunch/communication allowances, supplementary medical insurance, and one-on-one mentoring from senior advisors—among the most comprehensive benefit packages of the eight firms reviewed.

Great Wall Securities Offers "Six Insurances and Two Funds"

Founded in 1995, Great Wall Securities is a central state-owned enterprise-controlled listed brokerage under China Huaneng Group, with total assets exceeding 130 billion yuan and parent company net capital of 27.353 billion yuan as of end-2025. This autumn's recruitment targets 56 positions—modest in number but concentrated in sought-after sectors. The investment banking division alone accounts for 14 slots, including 12 project execution roles, representing the largest allocation. The asset management subsidiary and industrial research institute each recruit four people, followed closely by the quantitative investment and OTC business department and fixed income department. The application process is straightforward: resume submission, assessment/interview/written test, internship, and express offer issuance. Resumes can be submitted through October, with assessments and interviews rolling from September through November, and internship and formal offer notices distributed in October and November, with work locations concentrated in Beijing, Shanghai, and Shenzhen. Notably, the newly established fintech R&D center is hiring seven people, with the position list explicitly featuring an "AI software development" role, and both the wealth business development and technology platform teams recruiting AI-focused talent. Eligibility spans domestic and international graduates graduating between September 2026 and August 2027, open from bachelor's degree level, with each candidate limited to one preferred position. Compensation platforms indicate monthly salaries ranging from approximately 16,000 to 30,000 yuan, complemented by six insurances and two funds, paid annual leave, senior mentoring, and a fast-track conversion pathway through summer internships.

Galaxy Securities and Shenwan Hongyuan Each Bring Distinct Strengths

Galaxy Securities and Shenwan Hongyuan are both veteran "national team" brokerages under the Central Huijin system, characterized by extensive branch networks across the country and deep retail client bases. Galaxy Securities has clearly accelerated its recruitment timeline. Summer internships launched in June, opening six categories—investment banking, investment research, institutional business, wealth management, fintech, and functional support—to 2027 graduates. Autumn recruitment officially commenced on August 28. Based on the corporate website's position listings, this round spans headquarters, branches, and subsidiaries, with work locations extending beyond Beijing, Shanghai, Guangzhou, Shenzhen, Jiangsu, and Zhejiang to more than twenty provinces including Shanxi, Anhui, Yunnan, and Xinjiang, plus Hong Kong and Singapore. Galaxy's position granularity is notably detailed: the investment banking line alone offers four role types—equity underwriting with multiple directions, debt underwriting with multiple directions, equity issuance and listing, and debt issuance and listing—across Beijing, Shanghai, Shenzhen, Guangzhou, and Nanjing. Simultaneously, the wealth management headquarters, securities finance headquarters, and product center are hiring for business analysis, securities lending operations, and asset allocation strategy roles. Galaxy requires domestic applicants to have graduated between August 2026 and July 2027. Headquarters positions close applications at midnight on October 31, 2026, while branch and subsidiary roles operate on a rolling basis until filled. Each candidate may apply for up to two positions simultaneously, and the company explicitly states there are no official internal referral channels.

Shenwan Hongyuan's 2027 autumn recruitment announcement plans to hire 500 people, the largest disclosed quota among the brokerages surveyed here. Headquarters positions span nine categories: investment banking, investment trading, asset management, wealth management, institutional business, fintech, compliance and risk control, operations and finance, and party-mass functions. Branch-level recruitment targets wealth advisory roles across more than 30 regional companies nationwide. Independent subsidiaries including Hongyuan Futures, Shenwan Research, Shenwan Futures, and Shenwan Lingxin have published separate recruitment notices. Shenwan's requirements are clearly defined: master's degree or above, with domestic students graduating between January and July 2027 and international students between May 2026 and July 2027, plus no full-time work experience after the highest degree. Majors span economics and finance, accounting and management, information technology, mathematical statistics, science and engineering, and law, with interdisciplinary backgrounds preferred. Application rules limit each candidate to one position across headquarters, branches, and group subsidiaries, with no changes permitted after submission, while independent subsidiary roles carry no quantity restrictions and can be applied for concurrently. The process runs: online application and assessment (closing October 25), written tests and interviews (from November), internship experience and retention defense (from December), and background checks with offers (from January 2027). Shenwan also maintains a comprehensive full-cycle talent development system; its "New Shenli Plan" features a new-hire boot camp combining onboarding guidance, online learning, intensive in-person training, and practical exercises, position-customized rotation paths, dual mentorship from career and business advisors, and dual-track promotion channels for management and professional development—making it a firm offering both substantial hiring scale and thorough training infrastructure.

Everbright Securities Launches "Proprietary Trading Special"

As the core financial services platform under China Everbright Group, Everbright Securities has moved the fastest among the eight firms reviewed. The 2027 campus recruitment was announced on August 6, with the application window running "from now until September 6"—already closed as of this writing. For graduates still deliberating, this train has departed, leaving only the spring recruitment cycle. The campaign spans headquarters, Everbright Futures, Everbright Securities International, and national branch network, with seven headquarters position categories—investment banking, research, proprietary trading, institutional sales, fintech, compliance and risk control, functional management—alongside branch wealth management roles opening simultaneously. Everbright has issued a dedicated special edition for proprietary trading positions, requiring 2027 master's degree graduates or above, with economics, finance, mathematics, statistics, financial engineering, and computer science majors preferred. The decision to spotlight the proprietary trading line separately signals rising institutional demand for trading and investment research talent. The process follows five steps: online application, written test and interview, pre-employment internship offer issuance, pre-employment internship, and formal onboarding, with the pre-employment internship serving as a critical evaluation phase before conversion. Educational requirements are tiered: most headquarters and subsidiary positions require master's degrees, while select branch positions accept bachelor's degrees.

Shandong Brokerage Makes Substantial Hiring Push

Zhongtai Securities is a large-scale comprehensive listed brokerage headquartered in Jinan, operating as a Shandong provincial state-owned enterprise. The company maintains 48 branches and over 240 securities outlets across 28 provinces, municipalities, and autonomous regions, employing more than 9,000 people, and controls a portfolio including Zhongtai Futures, Zhongtai Capital, Zhongtai International, Zhongtai Asset Management, Zhongtai Venture Capital, Qilu Equity Exchange, and Wanjia Fund, holding licenses spanning securities, futures, funds, and investment. In its 2027 campus recruitment announcement released on August 4, Zhongtai Securities disclosed 86 positions with a planned intake of 227 people—the second-largest disclosed quota among the eight firms surveyed. Investment banking roles span Jinan, Beijing, Shanghai, Shenzhen, and Qingdao, while investment and research tracks concentrate in Beijing, Shanghai, and Shenzhen. Beyond headquarters investment banking, investment, research, institutional business, fintech, and mid-back office functions, branch positions open nationwide, with subsidiaries including Zhongtai Futures, Zhongtai Asset Management, and Wanjia Fund recruiting concurrently. Both Wanjia Fund and the asset management subsidiary are based in Shanghai, with fintech positions located in both Jinan and Shanghai. The process follows five steps: online registration, qualification review, written test, multi-round interviews, and offer issuance, with specific timelines announced separately. For graduates seeking to remain in Shandong or leverage subsidiary entry into public fund manager Wanjia Fund, this represents a particularly cost-effective opportunity.