Advice (UK)

Hi everyone,

I begin the final year of my accounting and finance degree in September at the most no name of all no name universities. I have failed to secure any summer internships, and currently have no work experience.

I’m very stressed at the prospect of graduating and being unable to secure employment doing something that actually interests me, most of all I would like to do equity research.

Any advice on how to go about breaking into ER? I will apply for grad schemes when they open but as we all know competition is through the roof, are there any other options available? I have considered applying for masters (LSE Risk & Finance or Accounting and Finance) but these are obviously extremely expensive which I would prefer to avoid.

Any thoughts are welcomed

 
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I begin the final year of my accounting and finance degree in September at the most no name of all no name universities. I have failed to secure any summer internships, and currently have no work experience.

stark position to be in......

Recommendation - apply for big 4 graduate schemes & target master's this year.

If offer for big 4, join and complete ACA, move to ER (a move as old as time) after 2-4 yrs work exp.

If no big 4 offer, study a master's and do the above again with higher probability. With no work exp. and no name undergrad, it's basically impossible to join ER even out of a target master's. 

 

Basically your only shot is as the above says.

Failing both of these, basically do the same thing but lower the barrier to entry at each step. Instead of big4, go to tier 2 accounting firms (then eventually transfer to big 4 probably post qualification).

Failing target MFin, go to semi-target and then try to go big 4 etc etc.

You're asking a lot for the position you're in. I would not anticipate making it to ER for at least 3-5 years. If you can weather that, you *might* have a chance.

 

Thank you for your discussion, I wondered if you could clarify a couple extra points.

Does business line make a difference? (Corpfin/consulting/tax/audit)

Not to go into the whole discussion about targets, but realistically are LSE Risk & finance/accounting & finance good options? (The MSc finance programme is definitely out of my reach)

 

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