Career Goals affecting admissions outcome

Hi,

This is a bit of a dual post between this and the AM forum; I am trying to assess whether an adcom for a top 5/10 program would consider my career goal/transition realistic.

I am coming from a Compliance background (currently doing PE and capital markets compliance at a PE megafund i.e. BX, TPG, Carlyle) and am interested in breaking into AM.

I originally intended to go into AM post-undergrad, but I naively accepted a compliance role thinking I could use it as a "stop-gap" to make money will searching for an AM position. Unfortunately, by the time I realized my error I was already stuck on the Compliance track. I managed my own portfolio focused on tech and asian stocks during my undergrad years and have followed the markets since, but have not been able to trade for the most part due to firm restrictions.

Assuming my stats/background is otherwise solid enough for a top program, would an adcom see my goal to transition into AM as realistic (i.e. not a reason to ding me for an unattainable career vision)?

Thanks!

6 Comments
 

If I were you, I would say that my career goals would be to transition to compliance/regulatory consulting at a Big 4/MBB firm in short term and become the Chief Compliance Officer of a bank/financial institution in the long term. Your goals seem more realistic that way.

Once you are in at a program of your choice, pound the pavement for a pre-MBA internship at an IB/IM firm, get your CFA, establish a network in your post-MBA target firms, and rock recruiting!

 
Best Response
IRSPBIf I were you, I would say that my career goals would be to transition to compliance/regulatory consulting at a Big 4/MBB firm in short term and become the Chief Compliance Officer of a bank/financial institution in the long term. Your goals seem more realistic that way.

Once you are in at a program of your choice, pound the pavement for a pre-MBA internship at an IB/IM firm, get your CFA, establish a network in your post-MBA target firms, and rock recruiting!

THIS, although you may want to get the cfa now because doing that in school while recruiting is probably going to be too much. Realize that grad schools try to build a class from a variety of backgrounds, so sqeezing yourself into the same recruiting bucket as the guys from front office puts you at a disadvantage. Instead, brand yourself according to your accomplishments in compliance, sell them on the idea that high level oversight is a key factor in finance now, and use grad school as a pivot point when you get in.

You can't compete with 2+2 guys, so create your own category. No one can beat you at that, only your own lack of creativity and willpower. And do try to get a decent GMAT,

Get busy living
 

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