I am an engineer am starting my second year of MBA this spring. I have been concentrating in Energy Risk Mgmt to transition from engineering and break into S&T in Houston.
My dilemma - I can tailor my program to concentrate solely in ERM by taking electives in Energy Futures, Swaps, Options, Derivatives, etc... Though, I have the opportunity to use my electives to manage a $7M investment fund (if my application is accepted). Only 16 students are chosen from all MBAs and MSFins to manage the fund (broken into 4 teams of four).
My question- would it be more valuable for me to continue focusing on the ERM concentration or to shoot for managing the fund (hoping it will differentiate me during job application process)? When the recruiters are looking at resumes, will the $7M PM experience trump the niche concentration in ERM?
Here are the sites with more info about the programs: Fund: http://www.bauer.uh.edu/degrees-programs/cougar-f… ERM: http://www.bauer.uh.edu/degrees-programs/certific…
bump
Any takers?
Manage the fund. It adds more to the resume and will allow you to talk about the experience and the energy markets.
I am in the same program you are...and I am taking classes focusing on ERM. I am also working at an energy marketing and trading firm here in Houston.
My advice: Go for the CougarFund...but take some of the ERM electives as well. I had the opportunity in my undergrad to manage $ in a student managed investment fund (Energy & Financial sectors). When it came time for interviews, having that on my resume put me ahead of the competition, in my opinion. There were some interviews where all we discussed was the fund. DO IT.
Gekko - my concern is that the Fund is equity-only and long-only... the MD of the fund doesn't permit derivatives, options, or futures of any kind. Will the sheer fact of me managing a fund be more valuable than the specific concentration in energy futures and options? I'm guessing that the concentration won't really matter because whatever shop I end up in will train me in its trading strategies. Am I on track with that assumption?
break in_in - what year are you? are you skipping out on the Cougar Fund? Also, I'd like to hear about some of the ERM electives and professors you've had... PM me if you're open to talk more about it.
Manage the fund. I can give you 2-3 books that teach everything in those ERM courses most likely. Also most firms will teach that stuff anyways.
The fund shows actual ability and thought process, what a firm wants to see, are you a total retard or not?
You can take all the ERM courses you want. The real beginning will be when your on the desk and cash goes to $22 and you just won/lost a bunch of $$$. Try to find that in a book. Or when Power goes totally stupid refer to Monty for such examples. Or when the front/backs are beating down a point, and the physical guys are like "uhmm ppl the toll is .10, why is that spread .04?"....
two weeks ago whub was over over $250
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