Advice To Someone Looking Into A Future in Finance vs. Engineering

Hello, I'm currently in my senior year in highschool and the past few months I've been aspiring to be an investment baker or management consultant. My previous path was to become an engineer but I'm not completely sure I have a passion for it.

I am striving to get into a target school (in Canada), but I have mixed feelings about this field after reading some posts about life in IBD. Although some seem to actually enjoy it, there is a large majority who seem to rather regret get into the field. Would you recommend someone attending a target school to pursue finance or would you recommend someone just go do something like engineering or med?

In addition, if anyone would know, is the lifestyle of a banker any better in Canada?

5 Comments
 

As someone who recently graduated from a target school in Canada, I would highly recommend you to do whatever you like. At the end of the day, if you aren't enjoying what you study, you won't excel.

 
ivanmugeere33

As someone who recently graduated from a target school in Canada, I would highly recommend you to do whatever you like. At the end of the day, if you aren't enjoying what you study, you won't excel.

Thanks for the advise. What I've noticed about myself time and time again and it doesn't matter what I'm learning or doing, I usually develop a passion for it if I do it long enough as long as it involves problem solving and a bit of thinking.

If you don't mind can I ask you a couple questions? What school did you go to (Ivey, queens?). Have you had any experience through a summer internship, if so what was it like? Also, did you have trouble finding a FT position after you graduated? Thanks

 

Hey,

I went to one of Toronto/McGill/UBC.

If you are planning to work overseas like HK (as I currently am), I highly recommend one of these three.

I did summer internship at a BB. Competition was fierce, but if you are talented/hard working enough, it's very doable. Also, while BBs are great, do also consider Canadian banks like BoM or RBC - they have decent IBD divisions.

 

That's good, I don't plan to work overseas, I want to stay in North America.

As far as the actual work you do, is it challenging or is it extremely boring? I know interns get the shit work but looking at what analyst or associates are doing, would working long hours doing what they do be hell?

 

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