Take which offer: Corporate Finance at Big Tech (Google, Microsoft, Apple, Facebook), Valuation at non big-4, or boutique IB?

Hey everyone, I'm weighing a few offers here.

I have an offer doing corporate finance at a big tech company (Google, Apple, Facebook, Microsoft), at a non big-4, but still very respected valuation firm, and a boutique IB. They are all in the same geographical area. Which one is the best offer?

In my career I am most interested in career growth and learning, but they're all good options. What are the pros/cons of each and what would you pick?

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I will be graduating this year from a non-target and got offers for all these positions. Like I said, I most value career growth and learning. In general I’d take IB over a corporate finance role, but I’m not sure how exits opps would compare since it’s only a boutique IB but such a large company for Corp finance. For valuation, I really have no idea how career growth/exit ops looks there. I just wanted a little analysis of what the three options look like in terms of long term career prospects.

 

Good question - not too small. About 60 employees in that office and hit pretty hard for their class, pretty sure from what I’ve seen it’s considered a boutique. Many deals in the low billions range, so not too shitty.

 
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Corp Fin at a Big Tech company would open you doors in many other industries and roles that are not finance. Why? Because everyone is impressed by a FAANG on resume, and no one knows the small boutique IB, probably not even in Finance circles. If you strictly want PE or to stay in IB (which is a pretty big assumption), choose boutique. If you want to stay in Tech (which is booming and will continue booming for the foreseeable future), have the opportunity to potentially explore other emerging roles like data science, product management I would go Big Tech.

 

This question depends completely on what kind of IB you are talking.

If you are doing billion $ deals, as stated, then that is absolutely the right path for future career optionality compared to non big 4, and likely over big tech. Billion $ deals are legit experience (even if not great bank name, though not sure where this could be happening) but also would lead to looks for sure if you wanted to lateral upstream name-wise.

Curious to know how a bank with no name is doing billion $ deals on the regular (if we are talking M&A). But, get some of those on your resume and you are in really good shape.

 

I know FAANG is very respected but why would BB IB easily hire you FT when you have no IB experience and most banks don't even hire FT.

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