Does a bad undergrad GPA follow you?
It was mentioned to me a couple times that after a certain point (an associate level, VP or above) that GPA will be mentioned. GPA is obviously screened for MBA hires. What are your thoughts?
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GPA for undergrad will not matter after your first job. If you are an analyst in IB, future recruiters/head hunters will not look at your gpa as an indicator of potential job performance.
No. This is most definitely 100% incorrect. Your GPA will follow you through PE recruiting, to MBA applications, and beyond. While you can certainly overcome a poor UG GPA, it doesn't just "disappear" once you graduate.
So if its low you are pretty much screwed for further screening for recruiting/applications/networking beyond analyst etc..
I'd agree with the above comments. Not going to disappear for entry positions, but if you are established, have worked in the industry, etc., it's not going to be asked for nearly as much.
True, but how can someone break in or work in the industry when they previously had a bad GPA. How would they have managed to break in the first place.
My guess is you are talking about investment banking. Find small boutiques to apply to. Chances are you will have the opportunity to interview with an MD quickly. Be enthusiastic about the job, etc., and put forth the effort to polish the required skills. If you get an interview, drop him/her a USB stick or email with writing, modeling and presentation samples. If those are good and you are enthusiastic/knowledgeable, you should have a decent shot.
Is undergrad GPA really considered during MBA OCR for IBD? Assuming the MBA is a top 10 program.
[quote=Suq Madi? Assuming the MBA is a top 10 program.[/quote]
Top 20 here and I've never been asked.
Read my comment in this thread:
http://www.wallstreetoasis.com/forums/how-much-does-gpa-matter-once-it-…
Can I escape my weak undergrad GPA / slow start? (Originally Posted: 12/02/2009)
Without giving enough info to identify myself, I graduated from a top 30 undergraduate program with an economics degree and a 3.0/4.0 GPA. I did some coursework in Computer Science, but was a couple of courses shy of a minor. The poor GPA was mostly due to naivety / ignorance of how important grades would end up being. I do not list my GPA on my resume. I was hired in my senior year by a small equity research shop and started after graduation providing coverage of the technology sector.
It has been 3 years now and I am looking for a change. I have submitted my resume to a number of job postings (~30), including VC, growth equity, AM, and ER jobs, but have not gotten any responses. All of the jobs I've applied to have been tech sector focused. I understand that ER isn't great experience for breaking into VC or PE, but where am I missing the mark on the others? ER associate positions overlap heavily with my work experience, and I fit into the 2-3 years of work experience band.
I would prefer to move onto the buy side, and ideally into the PE / VC space. I'm not terribly interested in M&A or LBO, and all in all, would consider an analyst / associate position in VC focused on tech to be a dream job. I don't see equity research as being a viable career in the long run, although an associate position at a mid market bank might be my most feasible change.
My GPA is definitely going to be a stumbling block, as is the small firm name. Could a strong GPA in an MSF program erase my poor undergrad performance? My guess is that progress towards a CFA would put more stock behind my candidacy for research associate positions, although it would do nothing for my interest in PE / VC. For VC or PE I lack transaction modeling experience, entrepreneurial experience, and dealing with private companies in general.
So, what are my viable moves from here? What can I do to give myself a credible shot at moving up in the finance world?
Start small, very small boutiques and work your way up.
From what I know, PE/VC don't seem like good options for you since you a) Don't like modeling and b) Lack consulting or actual industry experience. For the buy-side gigs and ER jobs, it would definitely benefit you to have your CFA level 1 complete.
I am taking my CFA level 1 in June. Do you think there is any point in getting an MBA/MSF at the same time? I got my bachelors in Finance in August and I am trying to find a way into the Financial services industry (analyst/research).. Thanks!
To clarify Senorita, I never said that I didn't like modeling. I'm not interested in large LBO / M&A transaction modeling. It seems to me that growth equity and VC (particularly early stage VC) modeling is very different and less of a focus.
Would a move into consulting or industry be viable for me as a precursor to VC?
Consulting is probably your best bet.
Dude, you have no shot at buy side work. Those firms hire one type of person ONLY - analysts at investment banks. Best bet is take some continuing studies classes at a nearby university to build up an alternate transcript, apply to b-school and reinvent yourself that way. With good ER experience, you might talk your way into an Associate role at an i-bank although I agree consulting is probably more likely. But just do yourself a favor and forget about the buyside completely. It will allow you to focus much better.
what are you talking about? there are thousands of people in vanilla equity AM without ib experience. Most definitely a large majority. Hedge Funds? Ok that might be different.
Are you just lobbing in your resume and then sitting by the phone like a thirteen year old girl? Network, my man! Pick up the phone and call people. Get in touch with alumni, email people at the firm, get coffee with someone in the business, be relentless.
jhoratio, I'm a little confused. When you say "buy side" are you referring just to PE / VC, or to AM as well? And when you say associate role at an i-bank, are you literally saying i-banking or associate in ER? Is consulting a plausible move? If I should forget about the buy side completely, should I be studying for the June CFA?
I'm definitely not where I should be on the networking, but I have been picking it up in the past few weeks. I typically follow up on applications with a call to the analyst for ER positions and partner for VC positions, but they refuse to speak due to the volume of follow up calls.
Low GPA will follow you for at least a couple years out of undergrad esp if you want to recruit for PE after IB. The main issue is even breaking into IB... judging from your post history you're gonna have to really network
I'm doing my MBA now and during any interviews nothing has ever been brought up about my UG GPA. I don't even have it on my resume. So they might either think that it was low so I didn't put it on there, or they just don't care about it anymore with work exp + MBA GPA.
I graduated from undergrad ~3-4 yrs ago and I still get asked on occasion for my GPA, which is solidly
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