Barcap front office or GS Ops/Credit Risk
I'm a recent new grad. I've received offers from
-Barcap front office (sales)
-GS Ops/Credit Risk
To be honest, I plan to exit finance in around 3 years for a B-school or another industry (i.e. IT)
Given I am looking for the best environment to learn transferable skills + impress future interviewers, which would be a better option?
Thanks!
if you're absolutely dead set on leaving finance, especially for IT, then goldman ops. the goldman name on a resume goes very far and you'll learn some tech skills. goldman has the best tech team on the street.
.....with that being said I can not urge you more strongly to take the Barclays job. you will learn a tremendous amount about the finance industry (even if you leave the industry, still valuable to understand how the global economy works), how to sell, work with some amazingly interesting people, get to do cool stuff, meet people from all over the world, and work in a tremendously challenging environment with very smart people who will most likely push you out of your comfort zone a bit. who knows, could be a formative life experience.
What weight does "best IT team on the street" carry?
Absolutely 0 lol
What does that even mean? We are the best in the street at updating software?
But in all seriousness, both are brand names so that shouldnt be a concern. But it will be difficult getting into a strong full time bschool with a BO background. The sales jobs is by far the best choice:
You'll polish up on interpersonal skills- which are vital You'll probably make more money You'll definitely have more fun than Ops Your CV will look a hell of better with FO experience.
Honestly, there is very little transferable skills between a finance IT/Ops/Risk department and a IT firm. And a majority of the work is mundane.
Thanks for the insight! I can strongly agree with many points you are making.
I felt that the collaborative nature of operations will allow for more transferable skills to other industries, like project management etc... As opposed to that, Sales is more of a cycle of cramming market info daily and talking up clients
I've heard from friends in finance that finance-specific knowledge doesn't carry over well in the outside world. Any opinions on this?
i respectfully disagree with your friends. we live in a capitalist society. i think it is quite valuable to understand how money flows around the world, how capital is raised and factors that affect the larger economy.
plus, spending time in the finance industry can help you in your personal life. you'll probably be better prepared to save for retirement and select a mortgage having spent time working at a bank.
This is the dumbest post I've ever read.
Operations is a slum.
Barcap front office vs GS Ops/Credit Risk for BSchool (Originally Posted: 07/02/2015)
I'm a recent new grad. I've received offers from -Barcap front office (sales) -GS Ops/Credit Risk
To be honest, I plan to exit finance in around 3 years for a B-school or another industry (i.e. IT) Given I am looking for the best environment to learn transferable skills + impress future interviewers, which would be a better option? Thanks!
What kind of slum are we talking here?
Like Khlong Toey in Bangkok (http://www.borgenmagazine.com/bangkoks-klong-toey-slum/)? or like Rochina Favela in Rio? (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rocinha)? I feel like Goldman's Ops team is probably more like Khlong Toey since it's a neglected and hidden little area part of an overall nice and prosperous city.
On the other hand, BAML's Ops team is probably more like Cite Soleil (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cit%C3%A9_Soleil), a shitty part of a shitty place overall.
Don't know much about IT, but my guess is in this case, the GS would be the better position. Probably more tech-related in ops/risk than sales and GS is a great brand name that will impress most, even outside of finance. Probably worth getting others opinions as well
If the Barclays role is truly FO, that's the obvious choice. The difference between Goldman and Barclays isn't that vast to people who actually work in the industry, mostly just people on WSO. FO roles are always better than name brand unless the name brand gap is enormous.
FO > BO, end of story.
I'm going to weigh in as someone who has worked both at Goldman Sachs (in finance) and at Barclays Capital in Sales. Here are the similarities in organizations: >>Both are large, global brand names. Both have long and storied histories, and both have excellent people working throughout.
>>Along with large and global comes an element of bureaucracy. You will be junior, no matter what. However, with that, comes training, especially if you find yourself in a group that encourages you to stretch beyond your own small team.
Here are the differences in functions: >>Ops and credit risk is definitely more technical, and >can be>If you are in the sales team and are selling, then you will be client-facing. Even if it is a structured sales type role, it will be much less technical; you will be largely be relying on the research of others to make the sale. You may have to cold call. It's a rite of passage. You may get a bit beat up, but it's worth it (from my own personal experience)
People from both fields end up in top business schools. It really depends on the quality of your experience -- how much leadership you take on. I think the personal and professional challenges are great in sales -- but then, it depends on what you are selling, and your ability to come up with interesting and value-added solutions for clients.
If you are going to Goldman to get some training and then transfer out to a different, more client-facing department, there are no guarantees. It's hard to transfer around, and it takes time, networking, luck and patience.
So, having been in both organizations, I'd say Barclays sales. You'll probably learn more and learn it faster.
how is this even a question? Ofc If you wanted to do tech later on fair enough GS would be an ok choice, but under all other scenarios without a doubt you should pick the Barcap job - simple as that.
Barcap Sales or GS Ops/Credit Risk? (Originally Posted: 07/02/2015)
I'm a recent new grad. I've received offers from -Barcap front office (sales) -GS Ops/Credit Risk
To be honest, I plan to exit finance in around 3 years for a B-school or another industry (i.e. IT) Given I am looking for the best environment to learn transferable skills + impress future interviewers, which would be a better option? Thanks!
Always keep a room for learning. The more you can add to it, the better. Barcap Sales seems a good option. However, talking about impressing the interviewers, I have added quite a few skills in my CV. A certification from the bluebook academy. com worked like a magic for me. I mean if I get educated & if it adds a greater value to my resume for free, then why not?
Sales.
I only read the first few responses, and honestly the post telling you to take GS Ops over Barc FO if you want to leave finance should be deleted, because some kids might actually listen to that.
And regarding this: "I felt that the collaborative nature of operations will allow for more transferable skills to other industries, like project management etc..."
I dont know who sold you that pile of BS haha, the only time ive seen ops described like that is on career websites.
Avoid operations/BO at all costs if you can. It is generally fairly mindless and repetitive work (think booking trades etc). Its a great cushy gig if thats what you want that pays reasonably well, but thinking GS ops gives you more trasnferable skills to any FO position is 100% wrong. Apart from the more varied and interesting work, simply the colleagues you are surrounded by and will make connections will provide much more value alone.
It is insane to me how the GS brand is so strong among students that they would take BO over FO at Barclays. Trust me, the GS name carries some weight in the real world, but not nearly as much as it does on this forum/among students.
yes listen to the post above - 100% thats how it is
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