becoming a banker

im unsure of what i want to do in the future but i have an interest in becoming a banker. problem is that i am going to do maths at uni and i can't (dont want to) change it. would a maths degree be appropriate for a bankers job (like moving money etc.)??

Reply 1

cl_steele

2

Banker is a rather broad term you could. Mean anything from a trader to a salesman to a teller vut regardless yes a maths degree will hold you in very good stead generally speaking.

Reply 2

lilyobz

14

Please don't offence as to what am about to say. But why do you want to be a banker? I genuinely want to know.

Reply 3

cooldudeman

OP

18

Original post by cl_steele

Banker is a rather broad term you could. Mean anything from a trader to a salesman to a teller vut regardless yes a maths degree will hold you in very good stead generally speaking.

well as long as maths can get me there, thats good to know. thanks.

Original post by lilyobz

Please don't offence as to what am about to say. But why do you want to be a banker? I genuinely want to know.

its not like my dream job or anything but it suits me, somehow. and ive considered everything else, stats, accounts etc. all that stuff, i really dont want to do that in the future.

how come you wanted to know?

Reply 4

chelseafan

21

Do you mean investment banker or retail banker?

Reply 5

cooldudeman

OP

18

Original post by chelseafan

Do you mean investment banker or retail banker?

investment banker, i just dont want to change my degree option, thats all.

Reply 6

Observatory

20

Original post by cooldudeman

how come you wanted to know?

Since banker is the best paying job that doesn't require any initiative or special accomplishment (eg. become a pop star, entrepreneur or football player), people think that you have less than pure motives. Only people who want to spend 100 hours preparing spreadsheets and sales brochures for companies for the sheer love of it should apply.

In reality this is bull****, everyone is in it for the money, but you have to have some line you can say instead of that.

Reply 7

chelseafan

21

Original post by cooldudeman

investment banker, i just dont want to change my degree option, thats all.

Yh maths is good. Choice of uni is VERY important for investment banking.

Reply 8

TheIrrational

15

Original post by cooldudeman

im unsure of what i want to do in the future but i have an interest in becoming a banker. problem is that i am going to do maths at uni and i can't (dont want to) change it. would a maths degree be appropriate for a bankers job (like moving money etc.)??

Maths is one of the top degrees for going into investment banking, what universities were you looking at?

And for the people posting above - I'm looking at going into investment banking, and the biggest seller is the money by far! £50000 starting salary? Yes please. However I'm not sure if it's what I want to do.

Reply 9

cooldudeman

OP

18

Original post by Observatory

Since banker is the best paying job that doesn't require any initiative or special accomplishment (eg. become a pop star, entrepreneur or football player), people think that you have less than pure motives. Only people who want to spend 100 hours preparing spreadsheets and sales brochures for companies for the sheer love of it should apply.

In reality this is bull****, everyone is in it for the money, but you have to have some line you can say instead of that.

i want to ****ing become a detective but we both know that is never gonna happen... (too much tv shows have influenced me), so yeah obviously im in it for the money, there is no other option for me tbh. i have thought of every other possible job, and maths is the only subject for me, only thing im good at atm

Original post by TheIrrational

Maths is one of the top degrees for going into investment banking, what universities were you looking at?

And for the people posting above - I'm looking at going into investment banking, and the biggest seller is the money by far! £50000 starting salary? Yes please. However I'm not sure if it's what I want to do.

i have an offer from st andrews, but i really want to go to durham but they give their offers very late! what about you?

Reply 10

AgentSushi

12

As long as you have no soul the rest will just slot into place :wink:

Reply 11

silentlife

There are lots of other ways of getting rich that ~~don't involve selling your soul~~ are equally as good - you just have to be good at what you do.

Reply 12

Morgan Freeman

Original post by cooldudeman

im unsure of what i want to do in the future but i have an interest in becoming a banker. problem is that i am going to do maths at uni and i can't (dont want to) change it. would a maths degree be appropriate for a bankers job (like moving money etc.)??

Maths, Physics, Engineering or Economics are the best degrees you can take for investment banking (the 'front office' roles, i.e. the quantitative analysts, the traders etc. who make the big bonuses)

Reply 13

On The Horizon

A degree in Maths would be extremely useful for becoming a banker. There are much more amazing things you could do for a career with a degree in Maths though, so have a thorough think before you commit to the IB path - it is extremely well paid, but most people with good personalities and ideas and ambitions in life tend to avoid the financial sector like the plague - accountant is an exception, but an IB is definitely a job for people who don't particularly value themselves or their lives, and would rather immerse themselves in money; pretty sad really.

Reply 14

cooldudeman

OP

18

Original post by On The Horizon

A degree in Maths would be extremely useful for becoming a banker. There are much more amazing things you could do for a career with a degree in Maths though, so have a thorough think before you commit to the IB path - it is extremely well paid, but most people with good personalities and ideas and ambitions in life tend to avoid the financial sector like the plague - accountant is an exception, but an IB is definitely a job for people who don't particularly value themselves or their lives, and would rather immerse themselves in money; pretty sad really.

lol you've just explained who i am. but i still have like 4/5 more years to decide which is a good thing

Reply 15

chelseafan

21

Be warned though banking is HUGELY competitive.

Reply 16

On The Horizon

Original post by cooldudeman

lol you've just explained who i am. but i still have like 4/5 more years to decide which is a good thing

Cool, but there is still time to find a passion for things in life aside from money, and as such choose a career where you will spend most of your life doing something meaningful, so there is hope!

Reply 17

Sagacious

13

I too am considering the investment banking route.

However, don't get blinded by the salaries. You have to look at the work hours.

Do you want to be working 100 hour weeks? Think of the effect it will have on friendships, relationships and family commitments.

Fairly frequently you will have to do 7 days a week, 14 hours a day. That could mean 8am till 10pm. If you have a family, how will you see your children? You will probably have to leave the house at 7am and get back at 11pm...

Is the extra 30k, 40k or whatever, worth not seeing your family??

I think the actuarial route seems better, considerably less hours, still amazing pay. Plus, I think the job security is much better. Actuary usually gets rated the #1 job in America, year on year. That is after taking everything (working hours, pay etc) into account.

Either way, you don't need to decide right now, do a mathematics degree (possibly some statistics/economics modules) and you will be well on your way into either job.

Obviously, IB would typically require a target university; Warwick, UCL, Oxford, Cambridge, Imperial or LSE.

(edited 11 years ago)

Reply 18

TheIrrational

15

Original post by cooldudeman

i want to ****ing become a detective but we both know that is never gonna happen... (too much tv shows have influenced me), so yeah obviously im in it for the money, there is no other option for me tbh. i have thought of every other possible job, and maths is the only subject for me, only thing im good at atm

i have an offer from st andrews, but i really want to go to durham but they give their offers very late! what about you?