Need Advice: MBA, Masters or CFA?

Hello everyone, I just joined this community two days ago and am in need of career advice. I graduated from college one year ago with a BA degree in Political Science and a minor in Economics. I now work as an investment advisor for a wealth management company. I originally planned on going to law school but decided against it after reading up on the market. I now am trying to attain an an investment analyst position, preferably in IB or PE. I need advice on how to proceed here. My dad works at a broker-dealer and knows several analysts, all of whom either have an undergrad finance degree, an MBA, CFA, or Masters. Which degree/cert should I target in order to give myself a better chance? I am late to the game here (23) and I understand that analyst positions are usually for recent college grads, so what can I do to give myself a leg up?

5 Comments
 

For IB i'd think MBA. You could definitely wiggle your way in to IB from where you are with some luck, but getting an MBA would put you in an associate position and set you on the long term IB career track.

Dayman?
 

If I'm being honest, I don't know how much a regular masters helps for IB. An MBA lets you get in as an associate, and if you go to a top school, or at least one that many banks recruit from, you should have good odds of breaking in somewhere, whether that be BB, EB, or MM, etc. I know some Masters are useful for more quantitative jobs in finance, but don't know enough to advise on it.

Dayman?
 

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