Hi all
I;m currently studying a bachelor of commerce (majoring in accounting) and would like advice on whether to take finance as my second major. However, i do not have any plans to study for honours and this will probably restrict or even give me no chance to my search of finance jobs especially in investment banking or corporate finance. I'm planning to do a second major in marketing where can i ace all my marketing subjects but however most/many would feel that there is no link between Accounting + Marketing in a business degree. Peer pressure might actually enlist me into doing Accounting + Finance in the end but i might just end up with pass grades in my whole degree. So i'm wondering, does bank employers actually value the finance major of a business/commerce undergrad degree even if you had just pass grades like from 50-70?
I will be looking for a starting career as a credit analyst in a commercial bank or being a financial controller or analyst inside corporate finance. However, i do believe the latter jobs as being a financial controller and analyst do require job experience and stellar grades which i don't think that i'm able to achieve in a finance major. Anybody had experience in these roles before and know the requirements of getting in?
I would also like advice on also whether to do a future Msc in Applied Finance which covers the whole 70% CFA curriculum or just purely study for the CFA on my own. The traditional route of breaking into investment banking is to do an MBA at a top ivy or achieve 1st class honours in finance during your undergrad years but however i'm looking at alternatives. Some questions I have in mind is:
- Is there a need to study for CFA because its just open up doors to being a fund manager and equities research?
- Is it a wise to do a Msc in Applied finance and then a CFA?
- Does studying an Msc in applied finance open up any job opportunities in the future?
- Any professionall certifications which i should be looking at to further my job advancements?
