The finance field is diverse and offers you a variety of career opportunities and functions.
Finance encompasses sectors like commercial banking, asset management, and investment management. Alternative investments are a growing area within finance as opportunities grow at hedge funds, private equity, and venture capital firms. As there are a variety of career options within finance, understanding your career goals, interests, and work-life preferences is important to finding a satisfying career.
Kogod’s finance program prepares you to successfully pursue professional financial careers in industrial, financial, government, not-for-profit, and consulting organizations. Amidst stiff competition, Kogod students have typically found their way into the finance space through a systematic networking initiative coupled with on-campus recruiting.
Financial careers require a solid knowledge of financial concepts, as well as a variety of essential skills:
- Communication Skills
- Problem-Solving Skills
- Analytical Skills
- Interpersonal Skills
Roles and functional areas for this industry include Investment Management, Investment Banking, Securities Trading and Sales, Financial Planning, Stock Brokerage, Alternative Assets, Commercial Banking, Corporate Banking, Corporate Finance, Institutional Securities Sales, Finance in Corporate Settings, Venture Capital, Private Equity Investment, Financial Technology (fintech), Financial Risk Management, Insurance, Wealth Management, and Mortgage Lending.
Key hiring months for internship programs for this industry are generally August through January but can begin as early as June. However, some opportunities may appear as late as May in the hiring cycle. Most companies only recruit Juniors for their internship programs, but some companies accept applications from strong Sophomore applicants. Hiring for full-time positions begins as early as the summer before Senior year, with opportunities available as late as May.
Investment banking: August – October
Venture capitalists: August – October
Corporate finance: August – November
Internships: October – February
Pipeline programs offer special opportunities for students and may or may not be function-specific. These exploratory programs are typically offered to individuals from diverse backgrounds. Some of these programs include:
- JP Morgan’s Advancing Black Pathways, Winning Women, Launching Leaders, and Sophomore Edge Pre-Internship Program
- Goldman Sachs’s Hispanic Latino Leadership Summit, Pride Summit, Undergraduate Camp, Women’s Leadership Camp, Diverse Abilities, Summer Analyst Insight Data and Exploratory Program
- Barclays Sophomore Springboard
- Morgan Stanley’s Freshman Enhancement Program
- Deloitte R.I.S.E. Risk in Finance Advisory Case Competition
- Bank of America Global Banking and Markets Sophomore Summer Analyst Program
International Students: Recruitment can vary depending on your function and industry interest, so check out more information on Interstride.
Graduate Students: Internships for graduate students can sometimes be hard to find, so build skills and experiences in other ways and focus on networking and your application for full-time jobs.
MBAs: Hiring timeline for full-time roles start mid-August with postings and offers from internships. MBA internships open in September with conferences and events by employers along with online postings. For jobs or internships openings tend to be by function and industry starting with: human resources, banking, consulting, big tech and healthcare, and the rest of energy, transportation & logistics, entertainment, consumer goods, retail/luxury goods, social impact, manufacturing and agribusiness.
When searching for a job or internship: analyst, finance, investment, investment management, wealth management, asset management, banking, venture capital, due diligence, alternative investment, private equity, hedge fund, and mutual fund.
Check out the Labor Market Insights module below for more Job Titles.
Taking on leadership or e-board roles in student clubs is a great way of buildings skills and competencies as well as your network!
- Student Managed Investment Fund (SMIF) – Please email Professor Tim Timura
- Real Estate Investment Trust (REIT) – Please email Professor Tim Timura
- Bloomberg Certification Program – Please email Professor Octavian Ionicci
- Financial Management Association
- The Association for Financial Professionals
- Certified Financial Planner
- CFA Institute
- Financial Women’s Association – Advancing All Women (fwa.org)
- Home – 100 Women In Finance
- Womens Association of Venture Equity
- Association for Asian American Investment Managers
- Alternative Investment Management Association
- Securities Industry and Financial Markets Association
- FINRA.org
- Global Association of Risk Professionals | GARP
- Risk Management Community, Education, and Resources | RIMS
- Homepage | FIA
- Association for International Certified Public Accounting
- American Investment Council
- Association for Financial Counseling & Planning Education
- International Association for Quantitative Finance
- The International Investment Funds Association (iifa.ca)
- Financial Services Training, Research and Trends – BAI
- Institute for Financial Markets
- CAIA – Chartered Alternative Investment Analyst Association
- Risk Management Association | Education, Products & Community (rmahq.org)
Checking out our resources below for more help and dive into the world of Finance and Real Estate through articles, technology tools and by using the Industry Insights Module below.
