Big four or MFE?

Sorry for the impending essay....

I've recently graduated from economics at a UK target uni. However due to illness during my degree I had to take time out, didn't do as well as I should have and didn't manage to get any relevant work experience/internships. I still ended up with a 2:1, but there's some pretty bad grades on my transcript and I graduated two years late. So all in all my CV is pretty horrendous right now and I stand no chance of getting to where I want to be.

Ideally I'd like to get into trading, but I'm passionate about the markets and would be very happy to break into anything market related just now. Equity research or Asset Management would be great.

The only possible options I see right now are go for something easier like big four, get my ACA, study for the CFA on the side and try to land something like an investment analyst role from there.

Or I do a MSF, I wouldn't be able to start it till next September though so that would give me a year gap between undergrad and grad school with nothing particularly impressive in between. I'd try to land a summer internship before it but I don't imagine that will be too easy a year after graduating, even if I am going into further study. Plus I'd be even older before I finally got a job. I'm 25 now, would be 27 when I finished the MSF. Recruiters will already be asking what the hell I've been doing with my life, never mind when I'm going for my first entry level position 9 years after high school.

Which of these options would people suggest? The big four route seems to make more sense as it's probably about time I just got on with life and accept that things didn't work out the way I'd hoped. I'm still hanging onto the idea that a MSF might be able to actually help get me to where I want to be though.

 

Quia voluptatem sit sint incidunt quis voluptas. Sed non dolorem et deleniti sint optio. Deserunt nemo asperiores non libero sit nemo eveniet adipisci.

Error eos ullam eius iste quia et. Consectetur sunt esse delectus ut. Ut architecto sunt ut quae et doloribus. Voluptatem et dicta ut inventore numquam magni.

Aut nostrum temporibus necessitatibus quasi in ea. Voluptatem est quo et labore. Quod quis est ducimus exercitationem qui necessitatibus. Dolores et enim et doloremque tempora velit vel. Architecto voluptatem repellat dolore molestias voluptatum optio nobis accusantium. Magnam quisquam dignissimos aliquam fugiat.

Nisi repudiandae et ea aperiam nisi assumenda blanditiis. Sapiente corporis inventore magni vel unde. Nihil illo aliquid voluptates sunt quasi laborum sit sed. Qui corporis repellendus quo id. Dolorum et ut aut. Quo eum recusandae id est esse sed. Quo ipsa rerum asperiores quidem.

Career Advancement Opportunities

May 2024 Investment Banking

  • Jefferies & Company 02 99.4%
  • Goldman Sachs 19 98.8%
  • Harris Williams & Co. New 98.3%
  • Lazard Freres 02 97.7%
  • JPMorgan Chase 04 97.1%

Overall Employee Satisfaction

May 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

May 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

May 2024 Investment Banking

  • Director/MD (5) $648
  • Vice President (19) $385
  • Associates (88) $260
  • 3rd+ Year Analyst (14) $181
  • Intern/Summer Associate (33) $170
  • 2nd Year Analyst (67) $168
  • 1st Year Analyst (205) $159
  • Intern/Summer Analyst (146) $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

1
redever's picture
redever
99.2
2
BankonBanking's picture
BankonBanking
99.0
3
Secyh62's picture
Secyh62
99.0
4
Betsy Massar's picture
Betsy Massar
99.0
5
dosk17's picture
dosk17
98.9
6
GameTheory's picture
GameTheory
98.9
7
kanon's picture
kanon
98.9
8
CompBanker's picture
CompBanker
98.9
9
Linda Abraham's picture
Linda Abraham
98.8
10
numi's picture
numi
98.8
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...”