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Quant to IB?

Joined
2/5/20
Messages
5
Points
13
Hi all,

I am a final year graduate student at a top MSFE program in the States. I am wondering if it is possible to transition to a client-facing capital markets role, and am looking for advice to do so.

Background
Undergrad - Engineering at a Top 10 program from the US

Work Ex - over 1.5 years worth of internships in manufacturing (think TSLA GOOG SPACEX), R&D, academia; worked in Europe as well. My finance experiences are limited to in-class projects, projects I have undertaken on my own time and a project with a fund manager undertaken for school credit

Leadership and Extra-curriculars - active member of engineering student club, student orientation leader, mentor to international students, co-Founder of Finance Club in grad program

GPA - 3.7+ in both undergrad and masters

Visa Status - F1 (Canadian resident)

Strategy
Short term / reach: Corporate Banking, M&A, Financing, Strategy / Management Consulting
Long term / dream: IB / PE / VC (perhaps after an MBA at a top program)

Please let me know if this is feasible and if it is a sensible strategy, or if I should stick to Quant. I welcome your suggestions and constructive feedback.

Cheers!
 
I cannot provide you with any practical advice since I'm still an undergrad. However, I do have a few friends who majored in STEM and got into IB and/or PE/VC right out of (non-target) college. So I would say it is definitely feasible given that you graduated from a Top 10 with a pretty decent GPA.

May I ask what motivated you to switch to IB/PE/VC after completing all these coursework that obviously geared more towards the secondary markets?
 
I cannot provide you with any practical advice since I'm still an undergrad. However, I do have a few friends who majored in STEM and got into IB and/or PE/VC right out of (non-target) college. So I would say it is definitely feasible given that you graduated from a Top 10 with a pretty decent GPA.

May I ask what motivated you to switch to IB/PE/VC after completing all these coursework that obviously geared more towards the secondary markets?

Thanks for the encouragement perspolis. I am familiar with that undergrad -> IB route, however I am trying to gauge if and how I can break in to IB from my technical masters, given the set IB recruitment strategies (undergrad -> IB or MBA -> IB).

To answer your question, I had never considered IB in undergrad because I knew so little about finance. As I learned about the markets during my masters, I became enamored by capital markets functions and the deal making process, and recognized that I have the skillset to thrive in that industry. As a result I am trying to determine a practically feasible strategy to break in.
 
Only second post here, but I think you will have better luck with your questions finding people through linkedin, who have gone through that process. You can advance search people with MFE, and are now doing banking.

Although you might get a handful of responses here, I think the answers here will be vague and unsure.
 
Only second post here, but I think you will have better luck with your questions finding people through linkedin, who have gone through that process. You can advance search people with MFE, and are now doing banking.

Although you might get a handful of responses here, I think the answers here will be vague and unsure.

Thanks for the tip - I'm trying that too!
 
might better better to ask on the Wall street Oasis forum. It's basically an investment banking version of quantnet.
 
I come from a very similar background as you but did/am doing the opposite. I had more than a year’s worth of internship experience back in undergrad in quant finance and management consulting, then took a full time offer in the latter and worked for over 2 years before making the switch back to a MFE. I can only speak for consulting, but the gist of it is that you are better off doing a MBA after working a few years, even in quant would be fine (actually better profile compared to all the consultants who apply), then apply for an associate or post MBA position at a consulting firm. Many firms do not hire otherwise unless you come from a consulting background before. I don’t think the grass is greener on this side either - the hours are very long and you’ll find that you might even miss the math, which I did.

PM me if you have more questions.
 
I come from a very similar background as you but did/am doing the opposite. I had more than a year’s worth of internship experience back in undergrad in quant finance and management consulting, then took a full time offer in the latter and worked for over 2 years before making the switch back to a MFE. I can only speak for consulting, but the gist of it is that you are better off doing a MBA after working a few years, even in quant would be fine (actually better profile compared to all the consultants who apply), then apply for an associate or post MBA position at a consulting firm. Many firms do not hire otherwise unless you come from a consulting background before. I don’t think the grass is greener on this side either - the hours are very long and you’ll find that you might even miss the math, which I did.

PM me if you have more questions.

That's a very interesting background and relevant insight. Thanks so much for the offer to pm, I'll definitely take you up on it.
 
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