From sales to finance

Hey every1! I'm new to this so bear with me. Long story short, I want to break into Asset Management, preferably long/short equity hedge funds. I went to a non-target school in Pakistan (LUMS,Bsc finance) din't know what I wanted to do, so got a job in a big consumer goods firm here

Now that I know, I needed a little help. I am aiming to clear CFA L2 and FRM L1 by next year (CFA L1 done) and plan to go for a MS econ/ Ms fin. The assumption is, CFA and FRM, along with 3 yr work experience should be enough to land a entry level job in BB or middle tier firms.

So here's the question: is the assumption correct? Or would I be better off going for an MBA? Note: Financial services here sucks (lousy markets, not much activity) so switching over in Pak isnt an option?

Any takers????

Cheers!

6 Comments
 
TechBankingThis assumption is likely not correct. It is very tough to break into a BB from outside the normal channels, which are on-campus recruiting in either undergrad or MBA. Given that you have no relevant experience, your best option is going to be getting into a top US/European MBA program.
Agreed.
 

Hey thanks for the view! Just a quick question: Doing an MBA will push me into the Assosiate/senior guys arena, likely against people with relevant experience in the industry (unlike me) so will have a disadvantage. My view was rather than take an MBA (expensive as hell), I could aim for an Masters (cheaper), break into as an analyst and then see about the MBA after I have the experience.

Would be great if you could give me your view on this idea, because I can see leveraging CFA+FRM+Ms in analyst posts, but dont see MBA+no experience for an assosiate level.

Cheers!

Cheers, Soon2bbanker
 

Ok, so MBA is better. What about post-exp masters in finance degrees? Only reason for asking is I checked (many) of the target business schools, and the tuition costs are TOO high for me. If it has to an MBA, so be it, but would be really interested to know if these other degrees may work. Btw, I know the structured approach of BB to recruiting in US, but does the same undergrad/analyst MBA/assosiate (and no other lol) hold in Europ/Asia??

Looking forward to your views :)

Cheers, Soon2bbanker
 

Dolore ad id voluptas dolore aut commodi quidem. Reiciendis hic nulla et aut voluptas et doloribus. Maiores ipsa est quaerat ut sit ipsam mollitia. Quia sunt ab libero tempore consequatur aut. Ut aspernatur odit consequatur iure. Et nulla quis sed eius. Eligendi voluptatum voluptatem voluptas.

Adipisci minima minus sed quia. Odio tempora odio aperiam. Necessitatibus sed aut itaque accusamus quaerat consequatur non velit.

Omnis excepturi eos et qui ut. Beatae omnis harum quidem perferendis totam quia dolor. Quaerat doloremque omnis dolor cumque. Est iste omnis vel aut tempora. Sed quibusdam aliquid est corrupti. Beatae sint temporibus facere aliquid unde. Saepe et unde earum ducimus rem facere nam quisquam.

Laboriosam id expedita error vel animi numquam quis. Magni nisi architecto aut distinctio ut. Eaque et distinctio doloremque quas quam ex.

Career Advancement Opportunities

June 2026 Investment Banking

  • Evercore 01 99.4%
  • Moelis & Company 01 98.8%
  • JPMorgan 01 98.2%
  • Guggenheim Partners 01 97.7%
  • Morgan Stanley 07 97.1%

Overall Employee Satisfaction

June 2026 Investment Banking

  • Moelis & Company No 99.4%
  • Morgan Stanley 02 98.8%
  • Evercore 01 98.2%
  • BMO Capital Markets 12 97.6%
  • Banco Santander 01 97.1%

Professional Growth Opportunities

June 2026 Investment Banking

  • Evercore 01 99.4%
  • Moelis & Company 01 98.8%
  • Morgan Stanley 05 98.2%
  • JPMorgan No 97.7%
  • BMO Capital Markets 12 97.1%

Total Avg Compensation

June 2026 Investment Banking

  • Vice President (14) $434
  • Associates (43) $259
  • 3rd+ Year Analyst (8) $210
  • 2nd Year Analyst (22) $179
  • Intern/Summer Associate (13) $156
  • 1st Year Analyst (77) $151
  • Intern/Summer Analyst (71) $101
notes
16 IB Interviews Notes

“... there’s no excuse to not take advantage of the resources out there available to you. Best value for your $ are the...”

Leaderboard

1
redever's picture
redever
99.2
2
Secyh62's picture
Secyh62
99.0
3
BankonBanking's picture
BankonBanking
99.0
4
kanon's picture
kanon
99.0
5
DrApeman's picture
DrApeman
98.9
6
dosk17's picture
dosk17
98.9
7
GameTheory's picture
GameTheory
98.9
8
Betsy Massar's picture
Betsy Massar
98.9
9
CompBanker's picture
CompBanker
98.9
10
Jamoldo's picture
Jamoldo
98.8
success
From 10 rejections to 1 dream investment banking internship

“... I believe it was the single biggest reason why I ended up with an offer...”