MBA to Tech Banking to Industry
Hello!
I currently work for decently successful tech startup and am applying to business schools. My credentials are pretty good: strong GMAT, good liberal arts college, work experience and promotions that show progression.
I'm planning on using an MBA to break into banking- with the hopes of getting into a technology/TMT coverage group. I don't plan on being a banker forever, I'd like to move back into an operating role at a tech company, but on the financial side (CFO-track).
A few questions:
- Schools: for getting into a tech group: should I aim west coast (Stanford, Haas) or the traditional east coast finance schools (Columbia, Wharton, etc.)?
- Its my understanding that banks typically want you to be a banker first, and then to express an industry interest. Is that a reasonable assumption? How does that play into the recruiting cycle at a top 10 school? Given my desire to be in a specific group would I just have to network with the groups before recruiting?
- Other than being Ruth Porat or Anthony Noto- how attainable is it for a banker to switch into a CFO track role? At what age/title is it most reasonable to make such a move?
- What banks/groups are the best for this type of ambition? Are they in NY or SF? I've heard GS, MS, Qatalyst, Evercore. Who else?
Thank you!
Hi All,
Would greatly appreciate anyone's feedback on any of this. Thank you!
1) Go for a traditional East Coast finance school. Almost no one recruits seriously from the GSB - Haas and Anderson are slightly better, but not much
2) At least at my firm, our West Coast tech office recruits directly into the group (NY still recruits generalists). If that's the case, you need to convey tech-specific interest (from my experience, it matters just as much if not more than technicals (which you can teach) - we want people who aren't just there for our brand name but actually want to work in the sector). That direct recruiting is the case for MS, Qatalyst (obviously), EVR (not sure about GS)...
4) Don't know many people who've taken that track, but feel it's definitely easier to do it from SF. Qatalyst's more career-banker focused at the associate level and above, but (beyond them) can't beat GS/MS/EVR in the tech space in terms of credibility and exits
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