Graduate (soon) seeking advice on career options (Finance)

[ChilliCrab]

Hi all, I hope to seek some advice on how I could improve my propseects of building a career in the financial industry.

I will be graduating in December from NTU with a degree in Accountancy and Finance, earlier than my peers by one semester. Expected to graduate with First Class Honours, am currently studying for CFA in December too.

On the other hand, ny internships/work experiences are considerably weaker - an MNC finance internship two years back and a portfolio management internship last summer.
Because of unfortunate circumstances, I could not and regret not trying harder to get a summer internship last year.

Currently I have an offer from the Big 4 in advisory but my ideal career is in investments, like an equity analyst.

With the six-months gap from graduating early, should I start work with Big 4 in January, or take an internship and continue applying for job opportunities (bearing in mind that most BB and local banks have closed and rejected)?

Also, besides the CFA, woukd it be advantangeous to take an MBA to improve my career prospects?

Thank you all for the advice.

Please let me know if this should be in the Education section.

Originally Posted by ChilliCrab

Hi all, I hope to seek some advice on how I could improve my propseects of building a career in the financial industry.

I will be graduating in December from NTU with a degree in Accountancy and Finance, earlier than my peers by one semester. Expected to graduate with First Class Honours, am currently studying for CFA in December too.

On the other hand, ny internships/work experiences are considerably weaker - an MNC finance internship two years back and a portfolio management internship last summer.
Because of unfortunate circumstances, I could not and regret not trying harder to get a summer internship last year.

Currently I have an offer from the Big 4 in advisory but my ideal career is in investments, like an equity analyst.

With the six-months gap from graduating early, should I start work with Big 4 in January, or take an internship and continue applying for job opportunities (bearing in mind that most BB and local banks have closed and rejected)?

Also, besides the CFA, woukd it be advantangeous to take an MBA to improve my career prospects?

Thank you all for the advice.

Please let me know if this should be in the Education section.

Heard that the big 4 is slowing down their hiring. Since you got an offer, you are the lucky few. Was told quite a number of interns did not get offers. You need to think carefully. There may not be a better offer for some time. This is your first recession as a working adult, and it has not even started yet. I remember my first recession! Really got burned by it.

Actually for a general NTU FCH degree, big4 advisory is about as good as it can get.

I don't think it's going to get any better than that. As for MBA, my advice is to work for a few years first and try to get into proper ivy league ones like Insead, CBS, Wharton, Yale etc.

Don't waste time on normal MBAs from NUS/SMU, those are just filled with a lot of foreigners and sponsored locals in the public sector which will not help in a high flying career.

Originally Posted by Unregistered

Actually for a general NTU FCH degree, big4 advisory is about as good as it can get.

I don't think it's going to get any better than that. As for MBA, my advice is to work for a few years first and try to get into proper ivy league ones like Insead, CBS, Wharton, Yale etc.

Don't waste time on normal MBAs from NUS/SMU, those are just filled with a lot of foreigners and sponsored locals in the public sector which will not help in a high flying career.

Not sure whether you mean to say 'like' in your statement. But I better clarify.

Insead is not Ivy League. And Yale, while they have a business school, is not recognized as the top 7 MBA by US standards.

The top 7 are - Harvard, Stanford, Wharton (Penn), MIT Sloan, Columbia, Booth and Kellogg.

Originally Posted by Unregistered

Not sure whether you mean to say 'like' in your statement. But I better clarify.

Insead is not Ivy League. And Yale, while they have a business school, is not recognized as the top 7 MBA by US standards.

The top 7 are - Harvard, Stanford, Wharton (Penn), MIT Sloan, Columbia, Booth and Kellogg.

haha another one of those let's miss the whole point of the discussion & nitpick on a small detail so that everyone knows i'm so smart.

Originally Posted by Unregistered

haha another one of those let's miss the whole point of the discussion & nitpick on a small detail so that everyone knows i'm so smart.

If I want to prove that I'm smart, which I don't want to, I'll probably try to say something that is not common knowledge among the business circles.

I'm trying to help the reader man, whether it's you or not. I probably save the OP the moment of embrassment when he graduates from Insead (highly plausible as they have a school in Singapore) and introduces himself as an Ivy Leaguer.

Also, if the reader is REALLY considering MBA, I've done him tons of favors if he actually considered Kellogg over Yale. Many fall in love with the Yale brand not knowing that it's the undergraduate school that shines, not Yale SOM.

I'm trying to help.

Equities are dying in the major banks. Big layoffs this year everywhere. Do a quick google search and you will see the headliners. Do not go into that field.

Originally Posted by Unregistered

If I want to prove that I'm smart, which I don't want to, I'll probably try to say something that is not common knowledge among the business circles.

I'm trying to help the reader man, whether it's you or not. I probably save the OP the moment of embrassment when he graduates from Insead (highly plausible as they have a school in Singapore) and introduces himself as an Ivy Leaguer.

Also, if the reader is REALLY considering MBA, I've done him tons of favors if he actually considered Kellogg over Yale. Many fall in love with the Yale brand not knowing that it's the undergraduate school that shines, not Yale SOM.

I'm trying to help.

You're absolutely right, but I don't think the OP is anywhere close to applying for an MBA yet.

To OP, in retrospect you should have LOA'ed Aug-Dec 2016 away so you graduate during the normal cycle. But since it's too late, I think you should start work at Big 4 immediately after you graduate (about right now), and aggressively apply for jobs in traditional finance. It will be difficult because of your lack of internships, so being willing to do a contract job/graduate internship might be useful in helping you prove your worth to a prospective employer.

Do not stay long in advisory if you wish to transit to equity research (which is incredibly competitive and I think a no-go given your current situation). I would try to look out for other opportunities besides equity research.