Need help making an important entry-career decision

Hey guys,

Background: I've received two offers right now. My end goal is to eventually make it into FO finance, and I'm thinking that my passion is either try to become an IB Analyst in Switzerland in 2.5 years, OR try my best to go into hedge funds... The plan is to work for 1.5 years right now, then do a 1-year MSc Finance at a top tier uni in Europe. I don't really have any plans to work in the US, and prefer Europe but also maybe Canada, since I've lived most of my life there.

The question is, which of these two offers gives me the best opportunity to achieve my goals, and also, IF i don't even attain these goals, which has better exit opps/career.

1) Middle Office Associate (Hedge Fund Accounting OR Servicing position) with State Street

2) Risk Control Analyst with UBS

I have to make a decision in the next 24-48 hrs about this, and I truly trust the expertise on this website. Any advice would be greatly appreciated.

Cheers

5 Comments
 

Well, I think that a position at Risk Control is more related to what you could do in a HF in the future. At least, more than middle office.

Also, UBS is bigger than State Street (and they are from Swiss, you want to work there), so that's always better for you in order to look into new opportunities.

I will say UBS, but it's just my opinion.

 
Champs46I'd go with the Risk position, if you perform well it's easier to get noticed by FO groups as opposed to a middle office role
Agree, but don't wait to be noticed, network your butt off within the firm
Get busy living
 
Best Response

wow, seems to be a consensus. I think I should also give some additional information however, as I am really taking a difficult road into the financial circles, so perhaps some of you are over-estimating me. The job is in Poland, and with UBS I am indeed working in the IBD, but I doubt they have investment analysts or traders there. They essentially are an outsourced arm of the company, ditto for State Street, and perform fairly basic functions I believe. I felt my biggest competitive advantage at landing a solid entry-gig was in Poland (my polish background, canadian education, and english+german+polish skills), which is what brought me here.

The State Street role involves working with some of the major players in the hedge fund game, and involves significant client contact. According to my potential boss, the UBS gig also involves some client contact, but for both of these it will be over the phone, and hence, in my opinion, fairly difficult to network. Is it in your opinions still doable to network when providing risk management/control services to clients abroad? I have no experience as of yet at a major fin institution and so am fairly clueless as to how this works. Thoughts?

 

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