What are your top developmental opportunities?

What are career opportunities available after working at a top-tier investment banking firm?

• Many analysts from Morgan Stanley go on to work at hedge funds, private equity firms, and the like. What are the best options for careers after investment banking, and what is it like to work in those jobs?

• Answer:

  While PE and HFs pay well you'd be setting yourself on a career path in an industry that has (1) intense regulatory scrutiny, suffering from (2) shrinking demand, profits and stagnant job/growth opportunities, coupled with (3) a generally horrible lifestyle by any account. That said, some find investing intellectually stimulating and enjoy the negotiation and strategic aspects appealing enough to overcome the aforementioned drawbacks.   Former bankers are usually smart, hard working and ambitious with a knack for numbers and understanding of how businesses finance themselves with some sense for the operating drivers and competitive dynamics in their industry. These attributes can be applied across a wide range of post-banking opportunities: consulting, corporate development, business development, strategic and financial planning, and even entrepreneurship. I'm surely leaving other viable and no doubt interesting options. So here's where I'll depart some unsought advice: find an industry or role that you love and then go do it. Take two approaches. Find an industry and company that gets you excited (I mean, *really* excited - like, it's 2 am and you should be working on a model but you're reading Techcrunch or Billboard) and find a way in by hook or crook. Usually the more hurdles you jump through or hacking you have to do to get in, the better the gig. If approach #1 doesn't work, then think about what job function you'd like to see yourself in, then find a growth industry where that role is important. You won't be your best until you enjoy what you're doing, and you won't maximize your career opportunity unless you're at your best. Find what you love and do it.