Trending Content
Career Resources
WSO Free Modeling Series - Now Open Through
April 30, 2024
9 Free Financial Modeling Lessons
Get instant access to lessons taught by experienced private equity pros and bulge bracket investment bankers including financial statement modeling, DCF, M&A, LBO, Comps and Excel Modeling.
+Bonus: Get 27 financial modeling templates in swipe file
+Bonus: Get 27 financial modeling templates in swipe file
Hi Jane.kellys1, check out these resources:
Maybe one of our professional members will share their wisdom: Salman436 bhans2112 joeschmo2837
Fingers crossed that one of those helps you.
Thank you
CFA is not to useful for IB, taking modeling classes would be far more helpful
Nah, I mean, yeah, you're right.
But in OP's shoes, very valuable. Will help you have something to sell yourself on when networking with MM Boutiques.
That's your audience. Unless you get a top MBA. Unfortunately, OPs GPA makes that pretty difficult.....
yeah gonna disagree, he needs to brand himself differently than accounting, i think the CFA shows hes interested in finance
seeing more and more linkedin profiles with CFA/CPA at boutiques and some of the less known MMs. Brian from M&I also conceded his long "anti CFA" stance.
Although the CFA has little/nothing to do with IB, it shows you're smart and dedicated.
Sorry to break it down to you, but if you're working at a Big 4 you have a chance, otherwise its highly unlikely. Even within the Big 4 you would have to move to its Corporate Finance/Valuation Practice to establish the hard modeling skills you need for IB. Big 4 Audit is good as well but you'll most likely need an MBA in Finance to Break into Investment Banking. There are many resources online and on WSO to make such a transfer. Best of Luck!
can you refrain from posting about "needing an MBA" and whatnot when you haven't even graduated from college yet? do you think a professional who's three years out of college is even going to listen to you?
Someone woke up on the wrong side of the bed today.
im going to assume you are not in big 4 accounting and in just a general accounting role. you need to get into a more finance-related role at your company or start looking for one at another company if you want to stay corporate. these include treasury, corp dev, project finance/valuations. from there you can try to lateral to a boutique or mm.
BBs and EBs will be tough to get into without an MBA, I don't think they would hire you as-is because of how long you have been out of school and im guessing your age is mid-high 20s. you'll need to come in as an associate. the CFA may help with MBA applications, but you should focus on scoring high on the GMAT to remove concerns about your undergrad GPA
not sure where you are working now and what type of company it is, but if its industry specific (i.e. oil and gas) you might be able to leverage your technical expertise into an analyst role somewhere but it would have to be a very specific coverage group
you should be networking your ass off as sometimes you can get lucky with a role despite not being as qualified. do you have a cpa? if not you should try to get one whilst in your accounting role. however, it'll be an uphill battle as i would frankly hire a big 4 auditor over you (and there are a ton who want to switch to ib). financial modelling courses will help you as well as you can pick up the technical side of things from them as well as provide further context on technical interview questions. also buy a networking and interview guide from WSO, it'll help with your coffee chats and informational interviews.
i think your best bet is to do the mba and go straight in as an associate. it would probably be quicker for you to enter the industry this way as switching into a finance position and then to IB could take years before you make associate. assuming you have enough money to do a decent MBA
i would also ask yourself why it is you want to do ib. if it's about money and prestige, i'm sure you can find other ways to achieve both while maintaining a decent work-life balance. as a new analyst/associate you may be taking instructions from those younger than you- how would you feel about that? sometimes its ok to accept that the ib ship has sailed and focus on what you have going for you as you can still become extremely successful and wealthy
Thank you! This post gives me soo much to think about.
Dolor et impedit qui fugiat possimus. Aliquid sed deserunt voluptatibus non odit. Ea vel velit pariatur deserunt non reiciendis. Deserunt autem nemo corporis ea qui voluptas.
Qui debitis quaerat perferendis ipsa optio quia. Saepe reprehenderit occaecati voluptas qui ut rerum. Dolor necessitatibus repudiandae temporibus eos.
Impedit quae aut id sit qui. Nisi omnis provident minus optio nihil et. Vel maiores et nisi. In reprehenderit quo quas aut.
Omnis omnis tempora et. Id sed at soluta sunt doloribus. Et consequatur nesciunt dolorem. Sunt quis nihil molestias et. Quis a iusto rerum adipisci.
See All Comments - 100% Free
WSO depends on everyone being able to pitch in when they know something. Unlock with your email and get bonus: 6 financial modeling lessons free ($199 value)
or Unlock with your social account...