The "Am I good enough for Investment Banking/Consultancy?" Thread

It enabled me to move back to Manchester for a couple of years and build up work experience at a well respected firm as well as getting the ACA which is a good fall back qualification to have.

Am now starting to think about what to do when I qualify though and wondering if I'm now a better candidate for the job I really want.

You'll be competiting for jobs with those ACA graduates in London so I think competition will be intense.

Just to put it out there I have a friend who has:
Full Marks in International Bacc.
2.i Mathematics from Cambridge

And he is finding it hard to get into IB Internships, despite the absolutely GLOWING references.

Why would references matter?

Maybe he is socially inept? Not an all-round candidate? Poor understanding of the industry? BO?

Of Courses references matter, they matter for whatever job/internship you apply for. If your professor says you are inept you will not get a job.

Nope, has extra currc, leadership roles, etc. No BO that I know of. Definitely good understanding of industry/econ etc. b/c he got offered a PhD in finance from Cambridge.
I really don't know whats going on in there though.

Will a maths degree from St Andrews be good enough for Front Office? Especially if you have a first?

Don't let that other thread affect you (about being made a guaranteed offer)..

There are better choices..

You can do maths at
Cam, Ox, LSE (with econ), War, Imp, UCL

These 6 are the most targeted

Thanks, mate. Out of those uni's you've listed I'm gonna apply to three of them, however isn't UCL's maths dapertment a bit dodgy for maths? Also will doing MORSE instead of maths increase chances of IB or just the same or less?

If some one worked in IB for 2 years and then what exit opportunities into less time consuming careers would be available to him ?

would the fact that he did not have a CIMA be a disadvantage for him ?

Q1. Do some research.

Q2. I would go as far to say that doing the CIMA would actually be a disadvantage. It's a completely useless qualification for IBD. The only qualification that can really advance your career in banking is an MBA (or possibly an ACA).

Q1. Do some research.

Q2. I would go as far to say that doing the CIMA would actually be a disadvantage. It's a completely useless qualification for IBD. The only qualification that can really advance your career in banking is an MBA (or possibly an ACA).

Are there less time intensive jobs available in IB ? or is the only alternative moving into finance/accounting