Which is a better choice?

Hi everyone,

I am currently an analyst in a top BB in CEE in the back office (Finance). My goal is to get an IB role in the UK or US, either through a top MBA or lateral.

The BB I'm at has a tiny front office here (less than 10 people) which does structuring, mostly ABS, MBS and CMBS. The BB also has a credit risk department split into industry coverage groups where analysts assign credit ratings, assess counterparty risk, write credit reports etc on a 1 company per week basis.

I could have an opportunity to transfer into one of those departments soon and would like to decide which one would be better cosidering I want to end up in IB.

I think that structuring is really interesting work and since it's front office obviously more prestigious, however, given my desire to end up in IB rather than trading or AM, would credit be a better choice as they work with bankers and their work is closer (albeit not close) to that of the IBers than structuring, meaning the experience would be more relevant for a lateral move? Additionally, which role would have better impact on admission to a top US/UK MBA?

8 Comments
 

How does your BB have a tiny front office? Are you in a regional office or the main hub? If you're at a regional office, your best bet to lateral would be either to a different department at the same regional hub, but all of the front office roles aren't coverage or "better" product groups (M&A, levfin). The other idea would be to lateral as an analyst at a boutique bank. This is probably your best option.

Just read your post that you're in Eastern Europe. The above was based on you being American. Honestly, an MBA would probably be your best bet.

 
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