Top MBA vs Structuring Associate

I'm an older employee with a family, but as the title states, I've been accepted to INSEAD's 1Y MBA program in France. Shortly after being accepted to INSEAD, my employer (BB in NYC) offered me a structuring associate role in Houston on the commodities desk.

I'm currently a back-office nobody, so both the MBA and structuring roles are very inciting. I'm worried that INSEAD won't guarantee me a job as good as the structuring role that I'm currently being offered. However, there are individuals coming out of INSEAD going into IB, which would also be nice... it's really which way the wind blows, but in the current economic environment, I feel like the structuring gig is a good one.

Thoughts? Should I go do the MBA? Is structuring that lucrative? Keep in mind that the MBA would cost $100k+ in actual cost, not to mention $100k+ in opportunity cost.

 

Sounds to me like you have no clue what you really want to be doing, you’re talking about IB and commodity sales-both are very diff. Try and figure out what you want to do longer term, consider as well that insead is long optionality and that commodity sales in houston is a potential pidgeonhole and is very niche. The costs of an mba shouldnt matter that much if youre looking to get an FO job and trying to do a career change. Again, you need to figure what you want to do, and that takes into account alot of things (you sure you can be a junior banker with a family? Gotta think about that).

 

Honestly, at 31, who knows what they want to be doing for the next 34 years? I know I want to get out of back office and have a more client facing, higher earning role. IB sounds great, but I also have a wife and kids, so the hours don't exactly excite me. Structuring is considered front office, and I would have interaction with clients. I've also been told that structuring to trading is one of the most natural progressions, so there's a good chance I could be trading, if I play my cards right. Lastly, is structuring really that niche? At the end of the day, it's heavy quant and sales.... both these seem to transfer well in the real world. Salary seems like it can touch $300k+ at the VP level (so within 3 years).

 

So if you take the MBA, would you bring your whole family to France? If you are moving to Houston for a front office role, I would take it. I'm assuming you are working at Citi because of their presence in Houston (in trading/structuring capacity) compared to other BBs. Your cost of living would be way lower and you would be potentially making more. If you don't want to go into IB, what fields would you want to go into? If you want to specifically get a certain job, I can see why you would want the MBA to pivot, but it seems like you don't really have a reason other than getting a "front office" job.

 

Nihil sit possimus distinctio a. Quod fugit qui quia consectetur nobis alias. In dolor sapiente deserunt similique et autem. Odio inventore assumenda consequatur debitis delectus sed.

Sit quia rerum autem fugit perferendis. Expedita saepe qui earum quis. Eligendi sint consequatur eaque hic id. Esse aut at sit voluptates delectus.

Provident vero aspernatur qui omnis. Corrupti nihil sed excepturi mollitia odit accusamus. Fugiat id tempora quidem quaerat voluptas perspiciatis eius veritatis. Sed minus quas architecto explicabo fugiat cupiditate. Dolore quidem consequuntur nesciunt iure consequatur facilis itaque vel. Expedita aut nihil quasi doloremque dolorum. Dolorem est id atque. Error voluptatibus aliquid cum architecto et ut.

 

Quod unde voluptatibus enim vel incidunt. Cumque ut pariatur aut voluptatibus. Et necessitatibus quibusdam veniam. Sed ut expedita nihil omnis non eligendi accusantium. Quia omnis modi aut laboriosam dignissimos id.

Iure harum voluptatem accusamus deserunt eum tenetur tenetur. Fuga in sed sed magni animi aspernatur qui hic. Blanditiis sed velit soluta modi non mollitia.

[Comment removed by mod team]

Career Advancement Opportunities

March 2024 Investment Banking

  • Jefferies & Company 02 99.4%
  • Goldman Sachs 19 98.8%
  • Harris Williams & Co. (++) 98.3%
  • Lazard Freres 02 97.7%
  • JPMorgan Chase 03 97.1%

Overall Employee Satisfaction

March 2024 Investment Banking

  • Harris Williams & Co. 18 99.4%
  • JPMorgan Chase 10 98.8%
  • Lazard Freres 05 98.3%
  • Morgan Stanley 07 97.7%
  • William Blair 03 97.1%

Professional Growth Opportunities

March 2024 Investment Banking

  • Lazard Freres 01 99.4%
  • Jefferies & Company 02 98.8%
  • Goldman Sachs 17 98.3%
  • Moelis & Company 07 97.7%
  • JPMorgan Chase 05 97.1%

Total Avg Compensation

March 2024 Investment Banking

  • Director/MD (5) $648
  • Vice President (19) $385
  • Associates (86) $261
  • 3rd+ Year Analyst (13) $181
  • Intern/Summer Associate (33) $170
  • 2nd Year Analyst (66) $168
  • 1st Year Analyst (202) $159
  • Intern/Summer Analyst (144) $101
notes
16 IB Interviews Notes

“... there’s no excuse to not take advantage of the resources out there available to you. Best value for your $ are the...”

Leaderboard

success
From 10 rejections to 1 dream investment banking internship

“... I believe it was the single biggest reason why I ended up with an offer...”