New Graduate Offer Decision: Forbes 40 Corporate Development vs BB IBD (ECM) vs BIG4 Corporate Finance
Hi people,
I need to decide my first career job among (1) Forbes 40 Corporate Development (directly under the CEO's chain of command), (2) BB IBD (ECM), (3) BIG4 Corporate Finance.
I have always dreamed of joining the (1) Forbes 40 Corporate Development or to go to Investment Management Industry some point in my career, and during my college years, I tried my best to break into the IBD and Corporate Finance fields, as I felt these experience will leverage my value for future exits in various industries.
F40 corporate development has never hired a new graduate in the past, yet whilst networking with my school alumni, I luckily got the chance to have interviews and made it through. However, after I received the offer letter, I realized F40's base salary is merely 2/3 of BB IBD's and almost same as BIG4's. Also, the F40's job description is more similar to management and strategy rather than corporate finance; since I am not a finance major, I had this feeling that I want to master finance during my early career and later move onto strategy and investment.
I don't think declining F40's offer now will burn down the bridge between me and them, but it is also not guaranteed they will take me in after a few years from now. The firm is very active on M&A and investments, yet I still wonder if taking F40 is the right decision for my future career. Also, if finance is your recommendation, which one is better BB IBD (ECM) or BIG4 Corporate Finance? - I am not 100% sure, but I heard ECM has very limited exit opportunities, on the other hand, Corporate Finance provides more chances to join PE, IM, and Corporate Development.
Thank you!
At the B4 you will be working IB hours during busy season for barely half the pay. There's also the risk you get shitty engagements or audit support work at a few of them. Not worth it.
The skillset in B4 TAS is relevant but I don't see why it'd be easier to spin than BB ECM.
I think you can at least cross the B4 off. I've worked in B4 CorpFin/TAS, it's not bad but it's also not amazing.