Would appreciate anyone's help as I figure out my Business Career [plz - Berkeley grad, 1 year out of school]

Hey everyone, I graduated last year with a B.S. from Berkeley-Haas and currently working for a major payments network/financial institution - you can guess the one. I am at a bit of a cross-roads in my career (first job, coming up to 1 year mark), deciding on my next job. My current job is more of a general Business Analyst role for internal projects, and I want to transition out into either Finance or Product. I have an interest in Finance and did well in school. Am considering studying for the CFA exams (for asset mgmt/portfolio mgmt/equity research), but I honestly have no idea if this is the right field in Finance for me - should I bite the bullet and do Investment Banking instead? Isn't that for people who want options? Am I totally f**cked right now?

What are the different possible Finance careers out there for someone with my background and how do I feasibly get there? Anything helps, thanks!

1 Comments
 

Autem est qui sit illo et. Pariatur odit perspiciatis nam laudantium. Rerum deserunt ut officia laboriosam. Quia voluptates aperiam facilis dolorem. Et a quae enim.

Velit corporis hic consequatur dolor sint amet. Quaerat inventore aut voluptatem ad sed. Totam quo debitis et rerum distinctio odit dolorem accusamus. Placeat aliquam quod corporis. Earum voluptatem dolore corrupti expedita.

Odit dolorem dolorum fugiat explicabo. Quis omnis quia aut ipsam consequatur ea. Asperiores doloremque praesentium sit ab. Et quibusdam provident aliquam velit sint nobis nobis. Sed assumenda possimus quo rerum omnis rerum fugit.

Career Advancement Opportunities

October 2026 Investment Banking

  • Evercore 01 99.5%
  • Moelis & Company 01 98.9%
  • JPMorgan 01 98.4%
  • Guggenheim Partners 02 97.9%
  • Morgan Stanley 06 97.4%

Overall Employee Satisfaction

October 2026 Investment Banking

  • Moelis & Company No 99.5%
  • Morgan Stanley 02 98.9%
  • Evercore 01 98.4%
  • Banco Santander 02 97.9%
  • BMO Capital Markets 12 97.4%

Professional Growth Opportunities

October 2026 Investment Banking

  • Evercore 01 99.5%
  • Moelis & Company 01 98.9%
  • Morgan Stanley 05 98.4%
  • Goldman Sachs 01 97.9%
  • JPMorgan No 97.4%

Total Avg Compensation

October 2026 Investment Banking

  • Vice President (16) $429
  • Associates (57) $264
  • 3rd+ Year Analyst (8) $210
  • 2nd Year Analyst (28) $184
  • Intern/Summer Associate (16) $161
  • 1st Year Analyst (84) $151
  • Intern/Summer Analyst (76) $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

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...”