Young calf can use some career advice from the old bulls.
Hello Gentleman,
I am a novice at posting in forums but I was hoping to get some advice from those experienced in the financial world. I am a recent college graduate from a solid liberal arts school with a finance degree and have been working in the back office of an mid-sized investment bank in New York for a few months now. My dream coming out of college was to score a job in equity research and move up the ladder from there, however with the job market the way it is, I took the first job that came my way to build my resume. Now, after doing research online it seems that I chose to start my career in the black hole of investment banking. I know it has been brought up before, but I am not wondering if it is possible to make the jump, instead I would like to hear what are the best steps towards doing so. Will it be useful to attempt to go for my CFA while still in working in the back office? Any positive advice will be much appreciated. Prior to this job I held a couple of front office internships.
You're a young guy and - if you're talented and committed to making the move - there will be opportunities for you to transition into roles that better reflect your interests and career goals.
I would commit to your current role for 1 year though. Despite feeling down on yourself and being in a position where you're not being challenged, it is imperative you do well in the job you were hired to do.
Keep your eye on the ball, set a game plan, and don't give up. If making that move is that important to you, then do whatever it takes to make it happen. Network. Network. Network. Improve your credentials in any way you can (CFA program / reading / firming up your technicals / etc). If you fail to make the transition, at least you'll be able to look back and say you gave it your best shot.
You can get to where you want to go, eventually. However, it's often a very long drawn out process that moves slower than most would like to advance. Leverage your network, add certs as mentioned above.
When I was in a BB BO ER basically told me that since I had a referral to them and there was a hiring freeze externally that they eventually could bring me in for an interview. Passing level 1 of the CFA is helpful to show your dedication and specializing in a sector will work wonders as well. Best of luck
Perferendis molestias omnis dolores at sequi eveniet. Et minima ad magni praesentium ullam nemo. A molestias in et delectus quasi.
See All Comments - 100% Free
WSO depends on everyone being able to pitch in when they know something. Unlock with your email and get bonus: 6 financial modeling lessons free ($199 value)
or Unlock with your social account...