Indian undergrad to IB
Hey guys, need some urgent help and guidance.
BG: Indian sophomore with finance as a major. 1 level CFA and 1 level FRM cleared. GMAT 720.
Also, I have 2 boutique Indian IB internships one FO, one BO. BB, MM, EB either don't operate much in India or even if they do they only consider MBAs. So I don't have internships at those firms.
Due to lack of FO roles in India, I want to get into IB probably in US/ UK.
Have shortlisted a early career programs and interacted with the students on LI. Could you guys guide me if these programs will help me reach my goal of entering IB in UK/ US;
- LBS - Masters in Financial Analysis (MFA) (early career)
- Imperial College of London- Msc Finance
- MIT- Msc Finance
4 Rotman (U of Toronto)- MFRM
Are you in india now? Most MS in finance programs are not target programs for IB’s to recruit from. In other words, most IB’s recruit analysts from undergrad and associates from MBA programs. Also, these IB’s hire majority of the candidates from target schools.
Here’s what I would recommend. If you are moving from India to the US (can’t speak much about the UK) then look at MS Finance programs that fall under the STEM category. I’m not a big fan of the MS Finance program as is doesn’t have a direct path to IB’s. Your GMAT score is good. Have you considered MBA? If you have a few years of experience under your belt then an MBA might make sense. If you are working at a reputable firm then stick around there and finish your CFA in the meantime and then apply to MBA programs. That way you’ll have enough work experience before applying to business school.
Thanks for helping out. So yeah, I am in India right now. I am in the final year of my undergrad. So obviously don't have the WE. Considered the WE (2-3 years) route and then target MBA from W/NYU or some North Eastern target. The only problem I found in this scenario was that I wouldn't have FO experience. Right now I am networking preetttyy hard, and might even land a BB/ MM role in BO or a FO role at an Indian Boutique. So would that work and deal experiemce be enough for me to compete with the guys at a target MBA with great FO experience? Thanks again
I honestly think a back office bulge bracket experience or back office MBB (Mckinsey, Bain, BCG) will give you more of a competitive edge than a no name boutique in india. I know jobs work differently in india and networking is not as much of a thing as it is in the US. So your chances of getting in a decent firm are based on two factors: is your undergrad a “prestigious” school and do you have family connections with someone at a big firm. Unfortunately it is what it is there (which totally sucks). Without knowing those two items all I can recommend is continue doing what you are and hopefully you’ll land somewhere decent. Though the tip I can offer is to look at the Big4’s lead advisory practice which is their investment banking group but named differently. Traditionally they have hired low paying analysts and don’t promote them to associates without an MBA from the IIM’s sort. Another important factor is what state you are in.
Hey. So yeah, I am from Delhi NCR. I am not from a very prestigious college in DU, but it is well known. This was the primary reason I started pursuing FRM, CFA with my undergrad, to build technicals. Have decent soft skills. Good extracurriculars. Zonal Sports, volunteering , internships with Big4 , Amex, NGO and a few boutique IBs.
Plus, I am trying hard to get into MBB/ BB IB MO, through networking. So far, it seems like a long shot. Even though, have established a few connections, all of them have informed me that BB's don't and won't recruit at all if I am not from SRCC at the undergrad level. So, if I plan to go the Indian way, my best shot is going to a tier 2 firm/ Indian boutique and get an IIM ABC MBA. Then also my chances of getting into IBD FO will be pretty slim given the 1400 high achieving students from ABC and about 30 odd FO positions at BBs.
Given my BG, what would you recommend, An international masters degree or the Indian path. Thanks a ton, you've been really helpful.
I think the Indian route is definitely doable but I know it is highly competitive I have friends who are IIM ABC alumni and top of the line candidates but still not in IB. Also, I might not be the best person to comment on graduate school recruiting process in India as I didn't go through the route. DM me and I can share my contract information to talk about specifics.
just do software engineering rn and apply to a US MBA down the line, the path ur on is gonna leave u broke
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