What to do now and beautiful women in finance
So some stats on me, just graduated from a non-target state school (had to go to due to financial reasons, I have graduated with $0 debt :-) ), BS finance, 3.2 GPA. Did an internship in consulting. Signed contract to join firm, but some things happened at firm (I wasn't involved) and got severance pay for annulled contract. I missed out for recruiting at my school, but still did some networking even though I had secured a job. I am unsure in what direction to go in and how to approach people/jobs now. I know my GPA is not the best (not that I think GPA is everything, was consistently told my research papers and projects were best in class, I am not a good test taker.) and I only have a little work experience related to high finance. What path do I go on now?
Should I continue looking in consulting or maybe sales? MSF? CFA? Start the business I always wanted to start? Computer coding (I know multiple languages)? This bump in the rode has got me confused but I am sure I'll figure it out. Just want other perspectives and some guidance. Thanks everyone.
have you tried applying to the goldman sach
actually there's quite a few hotties at GS. and there are definitely ppl who've made it in from nontargets. Contrary to popular belief, the ppl i've met at GS actually seem like decent guys
so if the op shows hustle and hard work, i'm sure she'll have a chance.
You seem to be blaming everyone else but yourself for your failures. You mention that you went to a non-target because of financial reasons, yet your GPA is still a measly 3.2 in an easy major like finance. If you truly had what it takes to get into a target, I'd expect a higher GPA, but of course, it's due to solely financial reasons.
From the fact that you're debating getting married as a means for supporting yourself, I can't tell if you're a troll or just a dumb as shit, feminist hypocrite....
Nope, not trying to blame anyone or anything. I'm sure you're not interested in hearing my whole life's story, but people have different paths on this journey called my life. Mine has been an interesting one, and wouldn't trade it for anything.
Got accepted to Cornell and Columbia, wasn't interested in being in at least 50k in debt after pretty decent scholarship offers. I have $0 debt after graduating from my university. I've supported myself and my mother since I was 18, worked all weekdays and weekends as a personal trainer to be able to make more then minimum wage throughout college. Some people aren't naturally gifted at some things and I struggled thru a couple classes(more so during the first two years, got mostly A's in my finance classes.) My finance research papers and projects were way better than the kids with > 3.5's anyways. In my last semester I led a group of 5 other students through semester long projects, did 90% of the work since the others would rarely respond and showed lack of skill and interest. 3 of them had 3.5's or higher and I had to baby them and explain to them basic finance concepts as well as more advanced, if there was ever a question classmates would come to me. GPA isn't everything, but of course that is what recruiters look for first.
Nope not a troll or a feminist. Not looking to marry for financial reasons, I have a great bf and we treat each other great and very happy there. But believe me, that mindset is very much alive, a professor of mine is the one that said I should just get married. "Life will be much easier." he decided to argue with. Most dip-shit psych, communications, and English majors look for $$$. Guess I should have pursed psych and got a 4.0 gpa and married some dumb rich guy rolls eyes lol
How many people would you say that you are, currently?
Unfortunately in finance (along with many other industries) chauvinism and immaturity are quite rampant. That being said, those people who told you that you don't deserve a place in IBD/ finance in general, are idiots.
I don't care for talking about the stories I hear from my friends in banking who constantly complain about a select few of their fellow attractive analysts/ associates who hook up with their married MD's and receive special treatment in return. I don't pass judgment, but that kind of behavior should be obvious and is pretty trivial to discuss in the context of your question.
From my experience, I have seen more women (as a %) get not only more interviews, but more internship offers in my MSc in Finance (Europe). Of all the women in my program who applied for internships, I'd wager around 90% of them got internship offers - most of them in trading/ markets. I thought it was quite a strange phenomenon, but then found out from some students in my school that many of the S&T teams directly recruit females over males as they have noticed that the females (on average) perform much better under pressure than their male counterparts (I'll probably get shit for saying this here). Maybe it's different in the states though - I have no evidence or knowledge of recruiting in the US to give you much help, unfortunately.
Just food for thought.
Maybe I should move to Europe lol I was one of the very few females in my finance classes. I only took two interviews while searching for internships as I got accepted at the second one and they then offered me a job post graduation, but due to circumstances out of my control and severance pay, I am looking for a new position. Zero women work at my friend's investment banking office as anything more then a secretary/receptionist and looking at other offices around here, there are very very few women. Most are 30+ and not too good looking (not saying that makes them a bad person or anything, but looks are the first thing people see when meeting someone new and that affects my case.)
lmfao u gotta work on ur trolling skills. this is too obvious.
I noticed some pretty hot Associates/VPs at Goldman lol serious 8s and 9s
You said you had an offer in consulting, but are talking about IB/PE/HF and even the CFA program. First, you need to make up your mind. It's one thing to cast a wide net, but consulting and everything else you've mentioned are different beasts. For what it's worth, there is probably less misogyny in consulting than in finance (I assume--I don't work in consulting but have friends that do).
I'm just trying to not leave anything out and not overlook anything. I have been signed up for level 1 CFA for months now anyways so I'm going to take it. I have friends in all the areas I listed so I know at least a little bit about each area/sector. I was only of two females working in my consulting firm office, I am in an area where there are a lot of uneducated people and where there are a lot of jobs in healthcare.
Go into sales.
That is what I am learning towards.
If you are so attractive, you should consider the client facing roles likes sales. You can learn while you do that and move onto bigger things
Yep, that is what I am learning towards.
"Investment banking and financial analyst are two excellent choices for women who want to earn a lot, earn more than their male counterparts, but do not like taking major risks with money. Female financial analysts average $69,000 per year, 118% of their male counterparts. CEOs are selected from among those assuming bottom line, financial responsibilities for a company, not human resources or public relations, so these fields also pave the way for women who want to break alleged “glass ceilings”."
I don't know what more recent figures are, but this is from Warren Farrell's book (2005).
http://warrenfarrell.com/11-top-tips-on-how-women-can-earn-more/
3.20 GPA but it must be sexism. This is a fucking awful thread.
I wasn't trying to connect those two together???
Sounds troll like but for one thing, who cares what friends or profs say (and I have a hard time believing a professor would actually say anything like this because their job would be at risk)? My friends have said far worse, more absurd and untrue things about a multitude of subjects. Second, you have a 3.2 at a non-target and a consulting internship and offer. No finance. Your appearance has nothing to do with that. Advice: look around this site and find out about specific roles in finance, ways to get in with your background, the MSF and other degrees/certs and everything else you can. And forget about being female or attractive.
Btw, one of the best hires I have ever made, and I've made a lot of them, was a very attractive woman. Like a 10. But she was summa from a top school, had a great IB analyst position and came with glowing recs from her superiors. And she downplayed her looks, wore very conservative clothes, could drink and swear like a sailor and absolutely kicked ass. It will only hold you back if you let it.
...and you married her? Because otherwise, man, this story...I gotta tell you...
The professor is on tenure and has a notorious rep. I asked him about a week after graduation as my firm asked me to come into a meeting and we discussed what was going on with them, and had to make a decision. Which ended with me closing my contract with them. I don't think it really would have mattered if I tried to report the professor or not.
Not trying to let beauty hold me back, I think it can be a great strength. Only doubted myself after having those things said to me, but won't let it get to me. Just trying to figure out and work through what works best for me and some advice. My former bosses have sung praises for me, just have to find the next step in life.
Go into auditing.
No, please become a tax associate at the big 4. Seriously, I need more attractive girls in this service line.
On a somewhat more constructive note: finance is an "old boy's club", and it's not going to change in the near future. Just be sure you're OK with that before taking an offer.
Yeah I realize that as I have been around it the past 4 years, between school and men I have dated. I think consulting/sales will be better as I will be in a better environment and use looks to my advantage. I might check out a CPA so maybe I'll see you sometime in the big 4 :P
I have a friend in auditing and he says to stay far, far away. I won't rule it out though.
Not sure if sexism is your main problem right now..
There were 2 women in my mba program who literally look like A-list super models. One went to MBB consulting & the other went into BB IB. I have no idea what their gpa was.
Also, for most people your looks would at best play a minor role in the hiring decision mainly because the odds of the guy/girl hiring you turning into the guy/girl sleeping with you are slim to none. What matters much more is whether you can demonstrate that you can do your job without slowing down your team because if your team works beyond midnight often (as in IB) and your ability to work fast can get your team an extra half hour of sleep then they would take you over the slow but stupendously beautiful super model any day - at least that is what I would do.
Good luck!
There are plenty of very attractive women in sales roles at BB banks. There's a serious lack of women on the buy-side in my experience, but every time I've seen a resume dump it's 80-90% men. On the flip side, the handful of women I know at funds are quite good - there's no reason women can't break in to any role they desire.
The bigger issue is your GPA.
Am i the only one who only sees advantages to being an attractive chick and wanting to work in finance? This ain't the 50s. Being a minority while wanting to break into finance can only serve as an advantage to getting in.
delete
It probably is an advantage in some ways, my main issue is that I missed out on recruiting due to already being in a contract from the firm I interned with and had the contract annulled a week after graduating. Just looking for some direction from people I haven't asked before.
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