Client Relations Associate - further Career Path/Opportunities?

Hi,

I am 21, an undergraduate student in business and administration with a major in finance and real estate. I want to work for financing my master in 2-3 years but would also consider staying in the job if it fits me. I have one internship working for a real estate investor in portfoliomanagment. This made me realize that a postition in back/middle office investment may not be my perfectly liked career path.

I now have an offer for a well paid job as a Client Relations Associate for a large Asset Manager with good reputation. The role involves mostly dealing with institutional client inquiries as first point of contact  and sales support.  I could see myself doing this as I am a "people-person" and a good communicator.

Therefore here my questions:

If I do this job how could I proceed? My biggest fear is doing that and then therefore heavily narrowing my career path in the financial industry and not being able to jump back to a more investment focused role even after I have my master. Of course if I like the job I would just stay and it should not be an issue but even then I asked myself of how is the normal career path for such a role in client relations?

Would you consider this job a good start in the financial industry with 21?

Any insights?

3 Comments
 
Most Helpful

Institutional client service at a large asset mgr is a good spot to be if you want to pursue: account management in the institutional space, product management / strategy, or an MBA which would allow for a return to AM in a research/ analyst capacity (very competitive) or a reset to do whatever. Essentially you'll be dealing directly with large clients who are investing their pensions, endowments, etc with your firm. You'll have to learn about them / their issues, your firm's offerings, provide excellent service, do a lot of performance reporting and analysis. Great exposure to the fund business. If you want to be a PM or research analyst on the buyside, this will give you good general knowledge but you will most likely need an MBA from a top school. The good news is these firms are quite helpful in attaining that MBA.

 

Thanks a lot for your valuable tips.

As I am very indecisive I think I will take the job. Its also paid much better than any other opportunities I have so far with my background.

To be honest my biggest goal is just wanting to work abroad (right now Iam based in Germany) in Asia or the US. I hope I can make this happen with a position like the ones you mentioned they seem to fit me.

However another scenario:

Let us assume I`am not doing an MBA but just staying in the job as CRA and then after 2-3 years doing a Masters degree abroad (US) in Finance. Would you say that after this Master my chances of getting in a classical analyst position or in Conmsulting are worse than if I would do the Master now at a low tier German university and not getting work experience? 

 

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