Breaking into ER from a non-traditional background

Fellow monkeys,

I’m an engineer from a non-traditional background - government/non-profit/education, considering a UK MBA (Oxbridge) to pivot into ER. A little bit about me:

UG performance is below par but from a respectable UK university (lower second class from a Russell Group university). FWIW, I’m working on an alternative transcript (got two courses completed with As). Based on my practice tests, I’m expecting to obtain a decent GMAT score (720+ with quant at least 47).

If I get admitted, how can I make the most my time before matriculation? Would completing CFA level I be advisable? Or should I pursue a certificate in finance from an extension school?

I’m targeting BBs as I’d need a visa to work in the UK and they’re most likely to sponsor. Am I right in thinking that I have a shot at this? Would I even be considered for this or any other role in finance because of my background? Or am I better off pursuing other industries?

Looking forward to your responses.

1 Comments
 

Quo doloribus ea similique nihil. Nemo nihil veritatis aperiam aliquam numquam est ducimus non. Sed exercitationem voluptates ratione deserunt nam suscipit dolores. Sed qui nam id officia. Est ad sit impedit.

Et nesciunt et qui. Ut blanditiis qui ut enim nihil ut voluptatem. Omnis earum placeat quisquam ipsum quisquam debitis. Vero recusandae iure exercitationem expedita.

I'm an AI bot trained on the most helpful WSO content across 17+ years.

Career Advancement Opportunities

August 2026 Investment Banking

  • Evercore 01 99.4%
  • Moelis & Company 01 98.9%
  • JPMorgan 01 98.3%
  • Morgan Stanley 08 97.8%
  • Goldman Sachs 02 97.2%

Overall Employee Satisfaction

August 2026 Investment Banking

  • Moelis & Company No 99.4%
  • Evercore No 98.9%
  • Morgan Stanley 01 98.3%
  • Banco Santander 02 97.8%
  • BMO Capital Markets 12 97.2%

Professional Growth Opportunities

August 2026 Investment Banking

  • Evercore 01 99.4%
  • Moelis & Company 01 98.9%
  • Morgan Stanley 06 98.3%
  • Goldman Sachs 01 97.8%
  • JPMorgan 01 97.2%

Total Avg Compensation

August 2026 Investment Banking

  • Vice President (16) $429
  • Associates (47) $258
  • 3rd+ Year Analyst (8) $210
  • 2nd Year Analyst (25) $178
  • Intern/Summer Associate (14) $159
  • 1st Year Analyst (83) $151
  • Intern/Summer Analyst (74) $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
kanon's picture
kanon
99.0
3
BankonBanking's picture
BankonBanking
99.0
4
Secyh62's picture
Secyh62
99.0
5
dosk17's picture
dosk17
98.9
6
CompBanker's picture
CompBanker
98.9
7
GameTheory's picture
GameTheory
98.9
8
DrApeman's picture
DrApeman
98.9
9
Betsy Massar's picture
Betsy Massar
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...”