Not loving mbb, looking for other options

Been working at my mbb internship and it’s not the worst thing in the world but it’s making me look elsewhere for full time jobs. The work life balance, endless work flows, ambiguity and expectations are a bit much for me. I knew this all going in but living it is a different experience for sure

My question is: does there exist any other jobs that offer a competitive salary (above $85k) yet with a better work life balance and entry level experience? If so, which ones still have apps open/are good for ft hires? I’ve heard of product marketing roles such as Google’s APMM program but that appears to be closed now. I know capital one is pretty popular option but I don’t know much about it.

Any direction or advice would be appreciated.

8 Comments
 

Based on the most helpful WSO content, here are some alternative career options that offer competitive salaries and better work-life balance compared to MBB:

  1. Capital One Business Analyst (BA) Role:

    • Pay: Great pay with a faster promotion scheme.
    • Work-Life Balance: No expectation to work more than 40 hours a week. If you choose to work more, it could increase your chances of promotion.
    • Promotion: Some people become VPs in 8 years if they are extremely talented.
  2. Product Management (PM) Roles in Tech:

    • Google APM: Highly coveted but hard to land, especially for those without a CS background. Google hires 40-50 APMs per year.
    • Compensation: Starts slightly higher out of college ($160-200k all-in for Google).
    • Work-Life Balance: Generally better than finance, with shorter hours and better perks.
  3. Sales Roles in Tech:

    • Account Executive: Similar to a managing director in banking with revenue-generating responsibilities.
    • Pay: Reasonable base salary (around $150k) with variable commission.
    • Risk: High pressure to perform, and job security can be tied to sales performance.
  4. Finance Leadership Development Programs (FLDP):

    • Companies: Amazon, for example, offers FLDP roles.
    • Compensation: Competitive salaries with good benefits.
    • Work-Life Balance: Generally better than traditional finance roles.
  5. Economic Consultant Associate:

    • Firms: Cornerstone Research, Analysis Group, etc.
    • Compensation: Competitive salaries.
    • Work-Life Balance: Typically better than MBB consulting roles.
  6. Senior Financial Analyst:

    • Companies: Amazon and other large tech firms.
    • Compensation: Competitive salaries.
    • Work-Life Balance: Generally better than MBB consulting roles.

For application timelines and openings, it's best to check the respective company websites or job boards as these can vary. If you're looking for roles that are still open for full-time hires, consider reaching out to recruiters or using platforms like LinkedIn to get the most up-to-date information.

If you need more specific advice or have other questions, feel free to ask!

Sources: Software Engineering seems like the best job one could have, Tech As An Alternative to Finance, Banking -> Startup PM on who SHOULD join IB, Capital One BA vs MBB, MBA Salary Average - What Job is Best?

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

Corporate banking, but gotta pick the right bank with a good WLB but actually does stuff.

 

Mastercard Advisor Client Services (their consulting branch) is great. Not sure if/when they’re going to be accepting FT applications for their launch class (new grads). AFAIK, $90k base, 8-10% bonus for this years launch class. Amazing WL balance, ~50 hours a week MAX, 6 weeks of PTO starting and everyone is encouraged to use all their vacation days. Amazing culture overall. Shoot me a message if you want to chat more about it

 

Interesting what you said. I have a few friends working there in Europe ( the UK and some other EU countries) and they complain about salaries, and WLB is not great either. WLB is better than MBB, but they rather work 50-60h weekly which considering the local salary is not a good deal. They are paid like 1/3 - 1/2 of the US base salary though... sad to hear about such differences between markets

 

Europe is definitely a much different story - I have heard similar things from counterparts in the LATAM region who were working ~60 hours a week. The US is great though and they opened applications a week or two ago 

 

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