Transitioning from K Street to Wall Street
Hi everyone, I'm someone that's been in DC for the last eight years and have had a great experience in the city. With that said, I've grown restless with politics and am eager to figure out a way to transition into a role on Wall Street. My issue is that I probably have a nontraditional background in politics and communications but don't know how/where to focus my search. I know I want to try my hand on the street but have no idea how to start. If this was DC I'd easily know what to do so I'm hopeful to receive some advice.
About me: 26 year old male, cum laude graduate of a top 50 private university with a political science degree. I work in communications for a technology and media company that's hugely omnipresent on Wall Street but I'm based in DC. I've worked as a full time staff member on the last two Republican presidential campaigns and spent three years after college in PR where my client was a major PE firm, among others. I bought my own home in DC (which is rare for someone my age) and also sit on a number of boards, charities and nonprofits in DC (if that matters). I realize this is not the most traditional background for someone trying to break into finance.
Does anyone have any advice on how to make a career transition and what aspect of finance would be best to focus in? Business school is an option but I'm not sold on a MBA. Is there a training program I can get my foot in the door at? How does someone with my background and age get into PE, banking or a hedge fund? I know much about the "ins and outs" of Washington but very little about Wall Street. Any advice and insight would be hugely helpful. Thank you.
Get an MBA
How would one make the transition without the MBA?
May not be the answer you are looking for but you are going to have to network, network, network if you choose not to get an MBA.
It sounds like you have a decent network in the area. Do you have a sense of what you want to do in finance? The securities side of the business, banking, business development?
Also, another avenue is that several firms have "Government Relations" staff where you're essentially the link between the financial firm and K Street, given your background that seems to be a possibility? Most of the people I've seen in those roles typically worked as a Congressional staffer for several years or within a government agency before making the transition. Didn't see them have MBAs and I don't think I ever recall seeing a job posting anywhere for those kind of roles so again it's gonna have to come down to networking.
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