Advice Needed - Just graduated from undergrad
Just graduated from undergraduate and I plan to get an MBA in 3 years. I started applying late in my 2nd semester of my senior year but have been fortunate enough to land some FT offers. These job offers include:
(1) working in equity research at a middle market IB as a research associate. neither the IB or the senior analyst are highly reputable, but analyst is young and the IB is growing fast. I feel like ER is more respected than corp fin (maybe I am off-base). seems like a smooth transition to in-industry and buyside. earnings potential significantly more lucrative than corp finance position but less job safety.
(2) working in corporate finance as a financial analyst at a fortune 500 company. lots of work coming down the pipeline in upcoming years including: closing of major multi-billion dollar acquisition, potential to work on an IPO, reorganization capital structure particularly refinancing billions of dollars in debt. unique opportunity to work on small team with lots of responsibility from the get go - high transparency to upper level management.
What is most important to me is choosing the job that will yield the most optionality, in terms of getting into the best B-school I can.
I feel that if I take the corp fin position will be beneficial because, from my understanding and this maybe untrue, that grad schools group applicants by job function i.e. consultants with consultants and IB's with IB's. I feel like the group of corp fin applicants might be less competitive than the equity research pool because your not competing with all the applicants from BB?
Maybe I am totally off-base. But any relevant thoughts on choosing the job that best positions me down the road would be greatly appreciated.
..its going to come down to what you think you will enjoy doing more..
the research job is way more markets oriented vs the corp fin job which sounds transactional..
i think for b-school the corp fin job would be ideal
Thank you Man ! your reply even helped me :)
I would personally lean towards the Corporate Finance job since that path will probably place you in more visible roles of leadership for b-school applications. There is essentially more opportunities for substance whether that means you manage a team of six on a project or interact with the CFO on a daily-basis or lead the completion of a development project, etc... The key is to emphasize Results and Leadership on your future application.
The research is more high-risk, high reward. Although you have mentioned some upsides, it is also foreseeable that you will likely still be an associate two to three years from now with no serious responsibilities and people whom you managed over... Additional downsides in that your analyst doesn't really mature into a star and that the bank doesn't come into prominence. One upside is if you cover some unique / rare area that becomes big news in a few years - which will add diversity points to your application.
Why are you already thinking about business school when you haven't even graduated UG? What do you want to do for a career? Post MBA if you go that route?
Hello,
Option two seems like a better choice for you. You’re reasoning on the right lines. Adding to that seems like the organisation is stronger and your work there would be valuable. However if going for option 1 makes you do higher level of work and can set you apart from other candidates, you should consider this option as well.
Hope this helps.
Thanks, Kavita Singh http://futureworks.co.in/
CF
You can get in from either position. Just do what you enjoy.
Corporate finance!!
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