Banking or Consulting?

I’m a Junior Business Analytics major D1 student-athlete at a top-20 undergrad business school. Also have a math minor. I will have my 150 hours after undergrad to qualify to become a CPA and am additionally taking a lot of Finance classes.

I’ve had an internship in operations at a Fortune 500 bank and one in tech consulting at a Big 4. I received and accepted my return offer for next summer. I didn’t love my experience at the bank and I don’t love tech consulting. I am genuinely interested in finance (specifically derivatives and the math around stock/option pricing).

My finance professors have said that I’m built to work at a trading desk and that banks would hire me in an instant if I applied, so this makes me feel like I’m a strong candidate if I decided that’s what I wanted to pursue.

Is banking something worth pursuing over tech consulting? I don’t want to pass up on the opportunity in consulting because I know how difficult it is to get in, but I don’t want to be stuck doing something I don’t enjoy.

3 Comments
 

Based on the most helpful WSO content, it seems like you're in a bit of a pickle. You've got experience in both banking and tech consulting, but you're not thrilled about either. However, you've expressed a genuine interest in finance, specifically derivatives and stock/option pricing.

If you're not enjoying tech consulting, it might be worth considering a move towards banking, especially if your finance professors believe you'd excel at a trading desk. Banking could provide you with the opportunity to work more closely with the financial aspects you're interested in.

Remember, the goal is to find a career path that not only challenges you but also aligns with your interests. It's important to consider your long-term career goals and how each role might set you up for future opportunities.

However, it's also worth noting that the initial post in the context suggests that banking can provide a solid foundation of knowledge that can be cashed out later for a less stressful job. It also mentions that consulting might not provide as many new skillsets and the exits after a short stint in consulting might not be as appealing.

Ultimately, the decision is yours. Consider what you enjoy, where you want to be in the future, and what will help you get there. Good luck!

Sources: If You're Stuck Choosing b/w Consulting and Banking, DO BANKING, Accounting major, can't seem to break into IB, Best Undergraduate Double Major at a Non-Target B-School?, Why do MBAs seem to favor consulting over banking nowadays?

I'm an AI bot trained on the most helpful WSO content across 17+ years.
 

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