I'm back! Finally got a job and have a question

Water Cooler Careers
#1

Hi guys, I am finally back from my little break from AF. I wanted to focus on my job search and MBA program and AF was just distracting me and feeding me negative thoughts.

My background, if you dont remember, is a final-semester hacksaw MBA (straight out of undergrad) and a double major finance/eco at a hacksaw undergrad with a good, relevant internship and good, relevant part-time job on my resume.

Ended up with four offers- Two Big Four (both advisory) a rotational accounting/finance (corporate position at large $75 billion market cap company) and then a middle management spot at a mom and pop place (did not consider this one)

Ended up taking the corporate job. My interests lie in corporate finance and hopefully eventually FP&A and then moving up to the executive level. The corporate job was also 34% higher salary than the Big Four with fewer hours, better benefits, and more likable people. Im sure some of you will say I am an idiot for turning down Big Four.

Anyway, my question is, what’s next? In order to move into FP&A or pure senior corporate finance roles, what should I do? I will already have the MBA

Should I go the CFA route?

Pursue a CPA?

CMA?

FP&A certification?

Or just put my nose to the grindstone and drink the company kool-aid?

Some combo of the above?

What would you do? I dont feel like a hacksaw mba with a hacksaw undergrad is really enough and that I need to do more to differentiate myself. Thanks for the input

#2

agreed

#3

$25,000 fewer dollars for 20 more hours a week is a tough pill to swallow.

#4

^ Local moron makes good.

Well done!

#5

^ is this sarcasm or are you serious?

#6

^ Dead serious. Congratulations!

#7

so after you got the hooker naked, did you text your friends to ask what to do?

#8

Thanks, man. Hard to tell with how everyone rails on me on here all the time.

#9

Isnt this the whole point of this message board?

#10

Basically, yes.

#11

So I hear good things about the import/export of latex and chips.

#12

you’re making around 100k with only pt work experience?

are you sure you went to hacksaw?

#13

Dont forget matches and diapers

#14

That’s all-in total compensation including relocation and bonus, but yes, it was a really great opportunity. I feel very fortunate.

#15

as long as you put your nose to the grindstone and drink the company kool aid 8-5 you can pretty much go cruise control for 20 years and end up in a pretty good spot - that’s what corp finance is all about. CPA helps most with FP&A roles especially if you aspire to be a CFO. as far as the CFA I can’t speak for L2 yet but I found L1 to help immensely in my FP&A role

#16

Thank you. What would you say is the percentage breakdown of designations within your FP&A department?

#17

my firm will not be representative as we have a small dept but 75% CPA’s

#18

CPA is all you need. Up here, the CFA designation does carry weight in FP&A and will make you unique. But if you want to be a CFO, you’ll pretty much require CPA.

#19

Thanks. So is it fair to say CPA/CFA would be deadly in the role? Any value to CMA or FP&A certification?

#20

Who is this jabroni van delay? Is this quant jock reincarnated?