My short-term career goal is to find a position in either investment banking, asset management, or research. I plan to achieve it by networking with students and alumni both face-to-face and on LinkedIn, attending on-campus events (career fairs, company presentations, etc.), and applying directly through employers’ websites and through job search sites. My long-term career goal is to grow within the function, which I plan to achieve by working hard and efficiently, by building relationships with co-workers, and by networking with people in the industry.
I believe that the Master of Science in Finance program at Villanova will help me to implement my plans by providing me with the necessary knowledge, networking opportunities, and career resources,
…show more content…
First, prior to applying to schools, I studied all the available rankings of MSF programs, from official (Financial Times, U.S. News, TFE, etc.) to unofficial (rankings on career forums, such as Wall Street Oasis), and found out that Villanova has a strong reputation in the finance community. That is supported by the 13th place in the TFE ranking of 2016, which is the most reliable official ranking in my opinion. Second, the analysis of the LinkedIn statistics showed me how strong Villanova’s alumni community is. There are BB and MM bankers, employees of financial advisory firms and boutiques, the Big 4 companies’ employees, asset managers, traders, researchers, and management consultants among Villanova alums. Is not it an ideal community to become a part of? I think it is. Third, talking to Villanova alumni (Wai Han Ma, MSF 2013; Nick Nocito, MSF 2013; Alex Tully, MSF 2014; Spencer Wharton, MSF 2015), I learned that the school holds a decent amount of career events on campus, which will certainly facilitate my job search. Finally, the school is situated in the Northeast, which is where I want to work and live. Moreover, it is not far from New York City, the financial center of the United States, which is helpful for networking with prospective