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Anybody work in finance, Investments?
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Hello everyone. Was curious to all who work in this field or a similar field what kind of advice to give to a college student entering final year of college. Grad school worth it? your experiences and failures? Thanks.
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Re: Anybody work in finance, Investments? [USA2018] [ In reply to ]
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What does this have to do with triathlon, swimming, biking, or running?

Eliot
blog thing - strava thing
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Re: Anybody work in finance, Investments? [USA2018] [ In reply to ]
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Who works in these fields and would admit to it :-)

Relationship to tri is that they can afford Josh's new pump ;)
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Re: Anybody work in finance, Investments? [USA2018] [ In reply to ]
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USA2018 wrote:
Hello everyone. Was curious to all who work in this field or a similar field what kind of advice to give to a college student entering final year of college. Grad school worth it? your experiences and failures? Thanks.

Yeah, you won't find any grad school fail stories here in the real forum. Maybe The LR can help you.

Find out what it is in life that you don't do well, then don't
do that thing.
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Re: Anybody work in finance, Investments? [USA2018] [ In reply to ]
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My advice would be to figure out if you want to be in finance or investments. While they are similar, they are completely different career paths.
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Re: Anybody work in finance, Investments? [USA2018] [ In reply to ]
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USA2018 wrote:
Hello everyone. Was curious to all who work in this field or a similar field what kind of advice to give to a college student entering final year of college. Grad school worth it? your experiences and failures? Thanks.

If you can't find a decent offer via OCR during your senior year (you should have a solid idea of what firms recruit at your school and where you stand relative to others already), you can always try intentionally taking a fifth year (I wouldn't recommend this) or doing an one-year Masters of Finance (or similar) to re-recruit with a better pedigree. Without more specifics on what you're looking for (finance and investments is a ridiculous broad field) and your background, it's hard to tell you anything else.

Also, if your OP is how you approach writing and presentation, may I suggest that you're not entirely suited to a junior role in finance?
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Re: Anybody work in finance, Investments? [shadwell] [ In reply to ]
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haha, I hear you there!

Andy Mullen
Team Zoot
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Re: Anybody work in finance, Investments? [USA2018] [ In reply to ]
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yeah this is LR material.
I work in the industry, and have done some things right and others I'd do different. Good point on figuring out if you want finance vs investment as they can be very different. My general reco is get into the working world for a year or two and then consider grad school if necessary and if you can go to a great school. If you are going the investment route then you might want to look at the CFA (again, if necessary only).
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Re: Anybody work in finance, Investments? [ilikepizza] [ In reply to ]
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+1 to this and I would add look at both CFA and CFP. Good luck.
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Re: Anybody work in finance, Investments? [aravilare] [ In reply to ]
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aravilare wrote:
USA2018 wrote:


Also, if your OP is how you approach writing and presentation, may I suggest that you're not entirely suited to a junior role in finance?

Really, I guess you haven't seen the bloomberg chats of traders and salespersons?
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Re: Anybody work in finance, Investments? [aravilare] [ In reply to ]
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aravilare wrote:

Also, if your OP is how you approach writing and presentation, may I suggest that you're not entirely suited to a junior role in finance?

This is a giveaway that you may be an investment banker. Its hard to accept that nobody else shares your utmost respect for punctuation, formatted spreadsheets, and bound materials. Heaven forbid a college kid posting on an internet forum uses some liberties in his text without being scrutinized, plus you used the term "pedigree". to the OP, enjoy the last year of undergrad.
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Re: Anybody work in finance, Investments? [Quinner] [ In reply to ]
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Quinner wrote:
aravilare wrote:
USA2018 wrote:


Also, if your OP is how you approach writing and presentation, may I suggest that you're not entirely suited to a junior role in finance?

Really, I guess you haven't seen the bloomberg chats of traders and salespersons?

Ha! No kidding. I was a trader for a couple of years. Had to force myself to stop using complete sentences and any sort of punctuation. You do get to be creative with the profanity, though.

To the OP: my advice is to avoid both and do something that is actually socially useful and enjoyable.
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Re: Anybody work in finance, Investments? [USA2018] [ In reply to ]
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Former Invest Banker ... top grad school ... JP Morgan ... Wall Street ... etc.
If I could live my life all over again. I would be a third grade school teacher.
Enough said.
Good luck.
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Re: Anybody work in finance, Investments? [shadwell] [ In reply to ]
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shadwell wrote:
Who works in these fields and would admit to it :-)

I'm tired of ppl making finance guys out to be the villain. Learn to take responsibility for the policy of the government elected by yourselves. Not everyone with a job is entitled to a house with a white picket fence. You gotta earn it. The politicians who sell you that dream is lying to you and just want your vote to put them in office.

USA2018 wrote:
Hello everyone. Was curious to all who work in this field or a similar field what kind of advice to give to a college student entering final year of college. Grad school worth it? your experiences and failures? Thanks.

It sounds like you are looking to go into finance, in which case don't go straight to Grad school. Do a couple of years in finance and see if it's for you before you drop the dough on a degree that you don't want. Plenty of my friends THOUGHT they wanted a life in finance but are all out by year two. Put in three years or a little longer and learn what the industry looks like. After then if you still want to work in fiannce, then make an informed decision about what advanced degree, if any, will help you.

#KISPERFORMANCE
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Re: Anybody work in finance, Investments? [USA2018] [ In reply to ]
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Slowtwitch is definitely the wrong forum to ask this question. If triathlon is more important to you than finance, then you won't last long in finance.

I had an interview with a high-frequency trading firm. One perk they offered is catered lunch. They want you at your desk from 6AM - 8PM. This is the west coast (LA), so the market starts for them at 6AM.

You will be very well compensated for sure, but you will have to give up a lot of personal time as well.
Last edited by: over9000!: Aug 20, 14 9:23
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Re: Anybody work in finance, Investments? [USA2018] [ In reply to ]
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Two career paths, and you gotta decide early. Do you want to own and manage clients, or do you want to be an analyst? Both can be done at a very high level with good pay.

Two different personality types. Whichever one you want, get the relevant degree and training (MBA, Econ, CFP, CFA). Then focus on your chosen path.

Me...I kept getting steered to clients and sales since I'm good at that. But I don't like it. I finally just started my own RIA so I could do what I wanted.
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Re: Anybody work in finance, Investments? [paxfobiscum] [ In reply to ]
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That's funny. I'm a 4th grade teacher looking to go back to school for a nonrelated field because pay is so poor. Obviously I didn't become a teacher for the income, but for as much work as I put in, it's a joke.
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Re: Anybody work in finance, Investments? [azurebl911] [ In reply to ]
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It sounds like you are looking to go into finance, in which case don't go straight to Grad school. Do a couple of years in finance and see if it's for you before you drop the dough on a degree that you don't want. Plenty of my friends THOUGHT they wanted a life in finance but are all out by year two. Put in three years or a little longer and learn what the industry looks like. After then if you still want to work in fiannce, then make an informed decision about what advanced degree, if any, will help you.


EXCELLENT advise!!! I went straight from college into banking because I thought it was what I would enjoy. Did very well, but after the first year, I hated every minute of it. If you can get into the industry and spend a few years working prior to getting an advanced degree, that is the smartest route.

--------------------------------------------------------
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Re: Anybody work in finance, Investments? [USA2018] [ In reply to ]
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My advice, try and find a job at one of those companies that's too big to fail.

Ian
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Re: Anybody work in finance, Investments? [zak] [ In reply to ]
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zak wrote:
That's funny. I'm a 4th grade teacher looking to go back to school for a nonrelated field because pay is so poor. Obviously I didn't become a teacher for the income, but for as much work as I put in, it's a joke.

I do get ya. My comments were off the cuff remarks but in terms of psychic income and all that jazz, you are better off than many miserable bankers in the Street.

.

.........................__0.............0
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.....~_.o^,....(...)./.(...)......._/\...
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Re: Anybody work in finance, Investments? [USA2018] [ In reply to ]
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I'm in investment research and echo a lot of the same advice. Go out and nab a position which you think is the path you want to take and then go back for the degree if need be. The added benefit is that your company may foot at least some of, if not all of the bill for grad school. One place I am in disagreement with others is that you have to be married to the profession. But I guess I'm in a much lower stress position than others (i.e. managing others money = highly stressful IMO or providing research/analysis = can be highly stressful, doesn't have to be).
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Re: Anybody work in finance, Investments? [tkos] [ In reply to ]
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tkos wrote:
My advice, try and find a job at one of those companies that's too big to fail.

Top business schools require several years of work experience before they will consider your application. The typical entering student at Wharton, HBS, Stanford GSB, etc. has 5-1/2 years of experience. For those in finance, you need 2-3 years minimum before putting in an application.

ECMGN Therapy Silicon Valley:
Depression, Neurocognitive problems, Dementias (Testing and Evaluation), Trauma and PTSD, Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI)
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Re: Anybody work in finance, Investments? [bhc] [ In reply to ]
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bhc wrote:
It sounds like you are looking to go into finance, in which case don't go straight to Grad school. Do a couple of years in finance and see if it's for you before you drop the dough on a degree that you don't want. Plenty of my friends THOUGHT they wanted a life in finance but are all out by year two. Put in three years or a little longer and learn what the industry looks like. After then if you still want to work in fiannce, then make an informed decision about what advanced degree, if any, will help you.


EXCELLENT advise!!! I went straight from college into banking because I thought it was what I would enjoy. Did very well, but after the first year, I hated every minute of it. If you can get into the industry and spend a few years working prior to getting an advanced degree, that is the smartest route.

Are there any people who LIKE the first couple of years? Every investment banking analyst I've talked to absolutely despised their job. One GS analyst said to me one day "I was walking down the street and saw a bus driving down the street and I fantasized that the bus would jump the curb and hit me. Then I could go to the hospital and get some sleep and wouldn't have to go to work"
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Re: Anybody work in finance, Investments? [Titanflexr] [ In reply to ]
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Titanflexr wrote:
tkos wrote:
My advice, try and find a job at one of those companies that's too big to fail.


Top business schools require several years of work experience before they will consider your application. The typical entering student at Wharton, HBS, Stanford GSB, etc. has 5-1/2 years of experience. For those in finance, you need 2-3 years minimum before putting in an application.

Ah humour fail I see.

Ian
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Re: Anybody work in finance, Investments? [USA2018] [ In reply to ]
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- Take the best job you can when you graduate (combo of interest and prestige in the event grad school is your goal downstream).
- Work several years (try to earn a promotion as that will also help when bschools look at your resume).
- If you enjoy what you do, try to get a related certification (e.g., CFA, ASA, etc.)

Point being, you should always position yourself as best as possible so that you are the most marketable candidate for any future endeavor (bschool , new job, etc.). I would not already plan on going back to bschool (why pay $100k if not necessary), but rather fall-back on bschool if other plans don't work out and bschool is necessary to get where you want to be.

If you go back to bschool, my opinion is to go to a top school or don't go at all. With the significant student loans you will have (I assume), be sure you are getting: (i) a top program with academic rigor, (ii) solid alumni-base for networking, (iii) excellent on-capus recruiting opportunities, etc. These will allow you (ideally) to get that "great paying" job that will allow you to pay off your loans while still being able to live comofrtably.

If you are thinking of doing a Master's of Science in Finance: I'd try to get a job in corp. finance or valuation first, then leverage that into other opportunities (and you will have the benefit of real world experience). If you can't get your ideal job because your undergrad is focused on other finance areas (e.g., you want to do equity research but your undergrad is tailored to a CFP career), then go for it. One caveat to this argument is that there are numerous other programs out there that can teach you enough to hopefully get an entry-level role (i.e., wall street prep, et al).



@CycleHeavy
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