Firms that show a little appreciation for a fella majoring in philosophy?
I am trying to apply for 2025 internships but a lot of them specify they prefer those in business/STEM majors, which is fair enough, but I am also wondering if there are some firms who especially favor the humanities. My ideal firm would be one that's focused on geopolitics rather than algorithms/maths, if that's not a pipe dream. Thank you!
I would try and find a philosophy major in IB (better if they’re an alum) and leverage it / connect with them
“My ideal firm would be one that's focused on geopolitics rather than algorithms/maths, if that's not a pipe dream.”
What field are you applying to? Doesn’t sound like IB even tho it’s in IB forum.
And you’re an “intern in equities” so what exactly are you doing on an ib forum?
Title's older than your gf, kid. Move on.
Sorry not really shooting for IB, just didn't know what else to put, could you perhaps tell me :)
Proud philosophy major in IB here. Although I did double major in finance.
Would you say your philosophy degree was of much use to your finance job, both in day-to-day and securing the job itself?
So, a couple things, and it is somewhat harsh.
First, don't think you have a clear understanding of what these jobs mean or are - that is step 1 for you. You need to have some idea of what a job entails in order to get it (like a very basic idea - enough not to sound ignorant). Based on your preferences, you are describing a discretionary macro fund or a commodities trader (both will require thorough understanding of undergrad level econ and probably some coding/stats skills btw; they are also exceptionally hard jobs to get). Could also do geopolitical research at a bank.
Second, no job in finance allows you to avoid math. If you want to avoid math and make a lot of money - be a lawyer. If you are comfortable with basic arithmetic, you are looking at investment banking, asset management, private equity, VC - all of which will still require you to spend time in excel doing math. So, long story short, you must be comfortable doing some level of math.
Third, and most problematically, no one is going to view your education as an asset without the basic skillset expected of an entry level finance hire. Why would they care about your ability to wax poetic about existentialism if you can't calculate a cost of capital, lever/unlever beta, or spread comps in excel? Your "elevated" critical thinking skills may come in handy later, but only once you are comfortable with the fundamentals of the discipline that you propose to enter. If you cannot understand finance or business (and from what I can tell you don't actually seem all that interested at the moment), why would they take you?
So, your action plan is to figure out what these jobs are, figure out their requirements, and figure out how to make up for the negative (speaking frankly) that is your degree. How can you do that? School clubs, self-education, taking finance/accounting courses, CFA, masters in finance (will require math courses). Some or all of the above. Show you care, show you're interested, show you're qualified.
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