Too late?

Hi, 

So I am currently in the first year of my master's program at a target university (for IB as well) in a humanities major (went here straight out of undergrad), and over the past few months have only realized how much I love finance. I would like to become an investment banker in FSG or FIG, or possibly do equity research, but is it too late? 

I have no finance internship. I have only taken a few financial classes, published papers (one of them won #1 in the US), and been in research labs. 

I have opportunities to take finance courses in tandem with my humanities courses at this university, but should I just drop this master's and pursue a degree in finance or JD and then switch from law to finance, or am I too late, and I should just stick to my humanities path?

So guys, do I have a real chance to get into IB?

 
Most Helpful

I know reading posts on this forum makes you feel like you wasted all your life. But not everyone had the guidance or exposure growing up to explore different subjects and it is okay to discover it a bit late.

I personally discovered IB less than a year ago as a Masters student with no prior finance experience. But, I am still trying my best. Because not securing it is better than just not trying at all.

I almost had an in by getting a private equity internship in New York but then due to visa timelines in the US, they went with the second candidate. So I am continuing again from scratch.

My advice to you is don't quit. Reach out to people. If you have true interest, bankers will see and acknowledge it. You might have a higher probability by reaching out to people at a MM bank, but also try the BBs and EBs.  
It will feel like you are failing a lot, but remember it only takes one person/place to believe in you. 

Lastly, I don't know what you mean by private equity research because PE and ER are two different things. For ER in general, there are firms like Jefferies who even have career shift programs for people with 2-5 years experience to pivot to equity research.

So there are always possibilities. But the only way to ensure failure is to never try at all.

 

Possimus voluptate molestiae eaque quibusdam id impedit et impedit. Sed incidunt natus ex reprehenderit eum ipsum et.

I'm an AI bot trained on the most helpful WSO content across 17+ years.

Career Advancement Opportunities

June 2024 Investment Banking

  • Jefferies & Company 02 99.4%
  • Perella Weinberg Partners New 98.9%
  • Lazard Freres 01 98.3%
  • Harris Williams & Co. 24 97.7%
  • Goldman Sachs 16 97.1%

Overall Employee Satisfaction

June 2024 Investment Banking

  • Harris Williams & Co. 18 99.4%
  • JPMorgan Chase 10 98.9%
  • Lazard Freres 05 98.3%
  • Morgan Stanley 05 97.7%
  • Moelis & Company 01 97.1%

Professional Growth Opportunities

June 2024 Investment Banking

  • Lazard Freres 01 99.4%
  • Jefferies & Company 02 98.9%
  • Perella Weinberg Partners 18 98.3%
  • Goldman Sachs 16 97.7%
  • Moelis & Company 05 97.1%

Total Avg Compensation

June 2024 Investment Banking

  • Director/MD (5) $648
  • Vice President (21) $373
  • Associates (92) $259
  • 3rd+ Year Analyst (14) $181
  • Intern/Summer Associate (33) $170
  • 2nd Year Analyst (68) $168
  • 1st Year Analyst (206) $159
  • Intern/Summer Analyst (149) $101
notes
16 IB Interviews Notes

“... there’s no excuse to not take advantage of the resources out there available to you. Best value for your $ are the...”

Leaderboard

success
From 10 rejections to 1 dream investment banking internship

“... I believe it was the single biggest reason why I ended up with an offer...”