Extremely unique background, need some advice!!
Hello fellow monkeys!!
I have been looking to get my foot in the door in the finance/banking industry for the last 2 months and am in search of some advice. I know my background is extremely unique due to the fact that I was a professional athlete for over 5 years, signed my first pro contract at 19, and even represented the National Team. I received my MBA in Finance in 2009 and since have been a Director of Programs at a sports specific training company. I have always loved finance/banking and am extremely hard working and eager to get my foot in the door. I have typically been looking for financial analyst positions, and jobs dealing with Basel II and stress testing and am unsure if these are the best areas for me to be searching for work?? I'm concerned that most financial industries are going to overlook me because of lack of work experience, and that I am the complete opposite of most financial/banking candidates. I would greatly appreciate any advice/help I could get!!
I think you have a good shot at sales in sales and trading. Trading is def a possibility If you can somehow demonstrate that you have strong quant and analytical skills b/c youve got the character. theres a lot of financiers with military background on Wall Street so why not a national level pro athlete
baml has sports banking..
Rudy Gay?
Is that you?
Wall Street is without a doubt the most jock-filled industry out there. Given that they salivate over college athletes, I imagine as a former pro you ought to be fine, especially if your MBA is from a decent school.
Sales oughtn't to be hard to get into at all, trading harder unless you can prove some quant skills, and banking as an Associate wouldn't be a stretch by any means.
Where would be the best shot for me to look for opportunities in S & T?? The majority of my current position has to do with sales so I would definitely be interested in it. Again I appreciate all the advice!!
Private banking / personal wealth management is all about holding your client's hand. It is much less technical than trading and is extremely relationship based. The fact that you were a professional athlete would probably help you connect with high net worth individuals with type A personalities.
From an undergrad's perspective, JPMs personal wealth management program was pretty appealing. Don't know if the process for MBA students is any different.
Sales, definitely sales.
Look at sell-side equity research shops. You're job is to basically socialize with buy-siders (play golf, go out to eat, go to sporting events ... and I'm going to stop now before I write something I don't want my compliance officer to see ...)
PWM could be a very strong move. It's typically best for those already in the middle of a HNW (high net worth) social circle who can draw on that network to pull business in for the franchise. Otherwise, it tends to lean more towards cold-calling and a bunch of sales-y work as you try to get clients. As a professional athlete from such a young age, you pretty much have to be surrounded by such people at this point, so if you're confident in that, it would not be a bad choice. Coming in after an MBA doesn't seem too typical, but then again you have such a unique background and compelling story that I think you could probably sell it to a bank to get the position, then sell it to your friends to perform well.
Sales within S&T might be better, however. You come in after the MBA, learn how to manage relationships with institutional clients, and push paper / learn the industry to be able to balance the clients' needs and investing style with products your bank can offer, and it's only upwards from there.
Either way I feel like you have some tremendous options and really wish you the best.
Patrick Kerney works for DB.
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