Need Career Advice from Non-Target
Hi WSO, I need some help decided on which direction I should go with my job search/ Career. I am interested in pursing a career in ibanking or consulting. I go to Queens College (CUNY), a complete non target in these fields, and I will be graduating in 2013. I dont have any relevant work experience yet because I've been going to school during the summer months, However i will try to get 2 before i graduate.
My question is which field would be the most non target friendly out of the 2. I have equal interest in both, consulting maybe gaining a slight edge. The reason im asking is because interview preparation, plus networking, plus all the other things i have to do to become a qualified candidate takes time and I want to dedicate my time to the field where i have the highest probability of landing a job/internship.
P.S alum network in these fields are small to non-existant and bschool at a top 10 is not possible at this time.
your constructive advise is appreciated.
You gotta do try to build up more relevant work experience to be competitive. You should try applying for these programs: http://www.seo-usa.org/career/ http://www.nyssa.org/StudentOutreach/NYSSASEMI.aspx http://www.nyssa.org/StudentOutreach/CFAInstituteResearchChallenge.aspx
thanks Human i really appreciate your post.
you need to dedicate your time to networking your ass off. Used linked in to find anyone with similar backgrounds in those two areas you're looking for.
In my opinion, the simple answer to your question is consulting. Note that I was a banker, not a consultant, so my view may be slightly skewed.
Given that you are coming from a non-target without any experience, will be graduating in 2013, and don't (apparently) have a summer analyst position lined up for the critical pre-senior summer, I think the odds of getting hired into investment banking are extremely slim. And getting hired at a "good" investment bank will be nearly impossible. To my knowledge, consulting firms are a little more flexible in terms of who they hire, and I think there are a wide range of consulting firms that make good employers.
I distinguish "good investment banks" because I think in the world of investment banking, the universe of firms that are worthwhile to work at is much more limited than in consulting. Many of my friends who work at smaller, lesser known, and less prestigious consulting firms get to work on interesting assignments, with nice people, and enjoy their jobs. Banking, on the other hand, is a brutal job for analysts that is made worthwhile because of the deal experience, exit opportunities, compensation, and network. Others may disagree, but I think outside of the top 10-20 shops, all of these benefits are significantly diluted. Less true, I think, in consulting.
@re-ib-ny i was thinking the same thing. I realized that consulting my be a better option given my situation, just wanted to put things in perspective as far as realistic opportunities coming from a non-target. thanks
OP another suggestion is don't limit yourself to CUNY Queen College community. Go ahead and crash other people's parties. Go to their schools (columbia, NYU events, most of them are open to public). Go to their networking events. You are already in the New York City. You need to fully take advantage of that. Here are a few professional groups that I came up with:
Professional Groups Ascend, Pan-Asian Leaders: http://www.ascendleadership.org/ NYSSA, New York Society of Securities Analysts: http://www.nyssa.org/ Toastmasters International: http://www.toastmasters.org/ SIG Finance, Special Interest Group on Finance: http://sigfinance.org/ TCFA, The Chinese Finance Association: http://www.tcfaglobal.org/ ACG Global, Association for Corporate Growth: http://www.acg.org/ American Banker: http://www.americanbanker.com/
I will be eligible for graduation in june 2013 but i think im going to delay until dec.
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