Not at the same level of enthusiasm as pre-2008, Finance still holds sway on 25% of the class. Technology has taken over favor from the Finance role. Most Investment Banking, Financial Services, Private Equity/VC, and Corporate Development role are targeted by those in the industry.
If you are a career switcher, the path to transition is extremely competitive and achieved only through an internship. Since evaluating business school ranking and the surveys are a big part of my job in finding hidden gems to recommend for my clients, I have noticed that apart from Booth, Kellogg, Darden, Haas, Tuck, and Darden, the top 20 MBA programs fare poorly on Career service rank. Not because they are purposefully botching this crucial part of the post-MBA journey, but because the type of students accepted to top programs are more driven and typically need little hand-holding.
Survey questions on facilitating network events or coaching the students for interviews miss this key differentiator.
Finance folks have a rare form of chutzpah or what we call an extreme form of self-confidence. I can vouch for this as someone who has worked with several Finance applicants or as a brother of a Wealth Manager. They are extremely confident about their cash flow models or fund allocation or strategies to mitigate the adverse financial market. It doesn’t matter whether research after research on monkeys throwing a dart at stock picks, shows a better performance than a professional investment manager. None of the ridicule moves the Finance person.
Peel a little bit into their psyche, and you realize that they are grounded by the reality of uncertainty – of the stock market, of deals going south and markets not caring about their financial models.
They become good at managing risks and accepting the verdict of the market.
To compete with this breed of driven professionals, you should show a remarkable interest in Finance.
Certifications are a good start.
Mostly, it is about finding an internship opportunity.
History of Networking and Internship
From technologists to Arts majors, the path for career switching is filled with several missteps and month-long resume submission initiatives.
A true passion for the Finance role and the motivation should be evident in your answer. If you have knocked on several doors to receive a Finance role in a non-profit, share it, to demonstrate your tenacity.
If you badly want it, you are likely to get it.
The interviewer should sense your passion.
Numbers Narrative
Perhaps a cliché by now, Finance professionals have a demonstrable edge with numbers. If you have transcripts and extra-curricular to prove, use this narrative as the opener. Quickly transition to what attracted you to Finance.
True IMPACT Narrative
We have seen applicants from Technology, General Management, and Consulting move into Finance, primarily from the realization that...
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