Some thoughts out there to people majoring in liberal arts, or liberal arts school (i.e. where it's hard to take finance classes)
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You may have been told that your major doesn't matter, and people subsequently showered you with examples of art/history/PolSci majors who made it big. That's a half-truth. Yes, you can get all sorts of finance jobs (maybe harder to get a quant job) with any degree. However, any interviewer will ask himself (and you) 3 genuine questions:
a) if you like finance, why did you major in ancient slavic literature and practice?
b) how quickly will you learn a new set of skills?
c) will you still like finance once you understand what it is?
It is the bare minimum to expect that you'll be asked these questions and prepare accordingly. The process is super competitive and a finance major is often used as a proxy for interest and aptitude (as it sort of should be, I guess). If there's a tie between you and a finance major, give people a reason to take a chance on you. -
Please know basic accounting. In any sort of guide out there, literally all of them, they will give you questions on how 3 statements are connected and the whole "walk me through how x affect the 3 statements." This question is so prevalent in interviews that to not get it is almost an auto ding. What's even worse than not getting it though is going all "Oh, I'm a liberal arts major so I haven't had a chance to learn these things." Bullshit (in my case, 2x BS since I'm an arts guy too). Here's the thing, I don't use that question to measure how much accounting you know - it's basic and a monkey can surely memorize it - I use that question to measure if you care; did you give enough shits to prepare for this by reading well-known guides and seeking advice, or did you come here with the whole "liberal arts crutch." Seriously, (at the risk of me being repetitive). Read the guides. Study enough. Before you use the liberal arts excuse, think to yourself, did I not have the opportunity or was I just lazy?
