Lost in life, but not giving up. Is this the path I should take?
I apologize in advance for the long post. I'm honestly just kind of lost at the moment and I need the counsel of those smarter and more experienced than I.
*23 year old 2015 Chemical Engineering Graduate (Canada)
*My grades started off really rocky, but I turned it up for the last 2 and a half years (5 semesters). My overall GPA was a 3.19, but my last 5 semesters were 3.52. Not spectacular by any means, but I think It's more representative of my capabilities.
*Found out in my fourth year that I was really passionate about finance, and specifically wanted to work in IB (not at a bulge or anything, boutiqe or MM is fine with me)
*have one summer internship experience as an engineering/finance intern at a tech company
*since graduation I've gone through some pretty rough times (didn't know what I wanted to do with my life, cant find any engineering/finance jobs, dad got cancer and I had to put my life on hold to support my mom, younger sister, and dad. He took a leave of absence from work and was really weak so I had to pick up the slack in driving my sister to/from school every day, taking her to her extra curriculars, taking my dad to his doctor appointments, because my mom was already juggling a ton and she couldn't do it all by herself.)
*In that time, tried to do what I could to improve upon my education. Did an engineering certification (lean six sigma), enrolled in the CFA program (currently level 2 candidate will be writing in june), did the WallStreetPrep financial modeling/valuation course and got the certification, networked with bankers(cold emailing/calling, coffee meetings)
*Networked like hell and was able to get an investment banking interview. Made it through all the rounds and I heard internally that I did really well and everyone liked me, I just got edged out (politics).
*I now have an almost 2 year gap (working full time gap, have been actively continuing education with certifications/courses) on my resume due to family issues not being able to find a job and I need to shake things up.
*Going back to school may be my only other option. MBA would be a bad choice because of my lack of work experience. MFin is something I've looked into, but getting into a top program could be difficult with my average undergrad performance and not a ton of work experience. In terms of cost, the MFin would be a bit more expensive (at a top school at least) and In recruiting, I'd be competing against my much more experienced classmates.
*Thinking about going back to school and I can get a B.A in Economics at my previous university (good one) in 2 years. My rationale is it would remove my resume gap and put me back in the school system. I can be considered for summer analyst roles and eventually new grad positions. I would be able to diversify my resume and my knowledge set and differentiate myself from other new grads. I would also have the chance to get a killer GPA and I'm confident I could pull one in upwards of a 3.7. I would also have a pretty standout resume when compared to the other students applying for said positions, so that could work in my favor?
*If things work well, I'll be able to secure a summer analyst position after my first year and already be done the CFA level 3 exam. And then, hopefully when I graduate I'll be able to have a B.Sc. In chemical engineering, a B.A in Economics, and completed the CFA level 3 exam, and 4 month summer analyst experience. With those credentials, the other courses/certifications I've done, continued networking efforts, and a competitive economics gpa, would that help me out?
Thank you for taking the time to get this far, and If you have any insight/advice, I would really appreciate it.
Start conquering small today and then conquer larger tomorrow.
Get an 800 on the GMAT, and your bad undergrad grads will be forgiven.
International schools are placing better than ever, bar for entry is lower and they are typically cheaper.
TLDR. Good luck.
It's tough because your personal situation put a speedbump on your employment for your resume. If I were you I would think of it in two options:
Find a job. Fill in the gap on your resume with the continuing study courses and such. When asked about the gap, be honest about your family situation that but press hard on what you've done on the professional development front. I think getting into IB or finance would be tough, but if you use LinkedIn, Indeed, alumni connections, etc. you have to try all avenues to get your foot in the door. Just keep trying. That's positive you were able to get that far during interviews. Sometimes it really is just a numbers game.
Go back to school, preferably in a graduate program. I'm not a huge fan of going back to school just to get another bachelors, and know some who have done that, so it's up to your passion and what you want to do in your life. I know someone who did a 180 and went to med school after doing corporate for 20 years. But if you do that, you have to pinpoint the program and what you want to do, because you have one shot of going back to school considering the expense and time needed for that investment.
Why not just get an Econ masters...? Rather than a BA. It’s not rocket science material; with an undergrad Eng. degree I’m sure you can handle it. Don’t quite get the rationale for a BA over an MA/MFin.
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