Asset Management Internship for new Graduate
Hello, I just needed some advice on starting my career. My current situation is I am from Canada and have graduated from a Bachelor of Commerce degree at a reputable school with a CGPA between 3.9 to 4.0 (conversion difference) where I majored in finance and economics. I was also a member of a investment research club that had a purely quantitative approach (it was run my the department of mathematics). I have a few very strong connections in private equity and real-estate but other than that my network it weak. I also have no prior experience in a related environment. I have barely been applying for jobs as I have been taking things slow and studying for the CFA level 1. I recently had a job interview at a boutique Asset Management firm in Toronto, Canada for a 15 month internship (I believe there was no option to be hired on permanent after). In this interview the CFO of the company was shocked that I didn't already have job and was extremely impressed with not only my academics but with the rest of my resume and my excel skills (I told him about some of the models I have built on my own time and was impressed that I knew VBA).
The job itself would be a great experience and is related to what I want to do. However, I was not told how much money I would be making ( i'd imagine much less than a related permanent role) and this is quite significant to me for I would have to live in Toronto (which is extremely expensive right now) and I have student debt to pay off off. So my question I need help answering is if starting my career role in an internship role (not necessarily the one I have described) is a good idea in terms of better future opportunities or could I potentially get a better job in finance that is also permanent and higher pay than an internship given my current situation. I would rather the latter but also realize that internships probably have great benefits as well. The CFO's comment just made me think that maybe I was worth more than I previously thought.
Any help is much appreciated and I realize I have probably left out a lot of details, I am more or less just looking for some general guidance. Thanks!
