Alternative career path: Math PhD?

Hi folks, I am a sophomore at UNC majoring in math. I worked as an intern at the Investment Banking division at Industrial Bank Co.(China). During this internship, I found that I really hate office work. I enjoy intellectual freedom and wouldn't want to do boring and basic works. Moreover, I found myself very good at pure mathematics. So I wonder if I can break into any senior position in Investment Management industry after my PhD in Math? Or is there any alternate career path without doing the repetitive and dull work? I really appreciate your suggestions. Thank you!

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Everyone hates dull and repetitive work. The only people who likes it are either stoned or stupid.

Is it possible, sure, but you're going to have to do the bitch work at some point or another. The stuff no one wants to do, but the stuff that has to get done, and when you show you can take care of the small things, you'll get more responsibility for the bigger things.

You don't get to be VP of Finance making massive strategic movement at a F100 company without being a bean counter in Public Accounting or Corporate Accounting.

Same way you can't learn calculus without learning PEMDAS. Take any role you can in the field you want, do the small stuff with 100% perfect execution, and then you'll be given more freedom intellectually.

"It is better to have a friendship based on business, than a business based on friendship." - Rockefeller. "Live fast, die hard. Leave a good looking body." - Navy SEAL
 

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