Financial analyst path

Have a look at this website and go through "internship opportunities" (mid screen). Let me know which role interests you.

http://joinus.barclays.com/emea/internships/

Internships do what internships do, you ad them to your cv and help you land a full time role.

Hi I have been looking at this CFA uk business who provide an IMC exam. According to sites it is related to investment jobs. Do you recommend me taking it before I graduate?

Posted from TSR Mobile

IMC is much more applicable to the buy-side than the sell-side, but if you're planning on taking CFA L1 (can only do L1 in your final year though) vs. IMC whilst still at undergrad, might as well indicate your interest in FO positions by doing the IMC - much easier, not as expensive and not as huge time commitment, but can achieve the same effect of showing interest.

What is the buy side and the sell side? Also so you are saying that I should do the IMC right? Since you said it is easier and less time consuming. Correct me if I'm wrong please. I don't wanna make any mistakes in my life lol.

Posted from TSR Mobile

Google would easily answer that question, but in simplistic terms sell-side is those guys that do advisory work, but don't invest their own capital and the buy-side deploys capital to work in the form of investments (e.g. venture capital, private equity, asset management (incl. alternatives)).

The answer to your question is 'it depends'. If you simply want to indicate your interest in markets and show your commitment, the IMC is an easy way to achieve that and is a useful qualification if going to the buy-side anyway (and most people do move from SS to BS eventually).

You say interest in markets so does that mean the IMC wouldn't be that useful when it comes to analysts in banks?

You're asking impossible to answer questions. If you know tons, it won't be useful, if you know a limited amount it will be useful regardless SS vs. BS as there is significant overlap. If you want to do SOME sort of qualification, I'd say the IMC is your best bet to achieve the most with minimal effort (relatively).

EDIT: I just realized that you said 'Analyst' as a generic term. In the industry, if you don't specify the division an 'Analyst' is normally considered as the Equity Research Analyst. If you're referring to IBD, yes - the IMC will not be as useful.

Sorry if I was asking stupid questions.
What is the best qualifications besides a degree that will seriously benefit in investment analyst? Also I'd want to work I the buy side

Then that would be the CFA, although once you're already working you'll get financed for that as it is expensive and very time consuming. The CFA is considered the gold standard for an investment analyst.