Banking or Buy-side? A quick quiz to help you figure out which career path is your calling.
The markets make you tick but are you banking bound, or do you belong on the buy-side? Or maybe in another part of the finance ecosystem entirely.
As we’ve written previously (here) and (here), we are frequently approached by folks who think the grass is greener in a different part of the market. Sometimes it is as clear to us as it is to them that they have self-diagnosed correctly and they will find success in a different part of the business. Other times they don’t seem as self-aware.
We’ve devised this quick (and hopefully fun) quiz to get you thinking about what drives your career satisfaction.
Are you bound for the buy-side? Or does banking beckon?
- You’ve had your own investment portfolio (paper or real) since you were in your teens. (T/F)
- Whether it is a game of cards or betting on the Superbowl, you love to “win” (T/F)
- You have a view on which leading indicators are most relevant in the current economy. (Y/N)
- Once in your life, someone has told you that you could sell ice cubes to Eskimos. (T/F)
- You love to figure out how things work. (Y/N)
- You actually enjoyed your accounting classes because they were kind of like learning how to do a puzzle. (T/F)
- You consider yourself to be extroverted. (T/F)
- If I asked you to tell me a joke, you wouldn’t need to look one up. (T/F)
- Tearing apart the footnotes in a firm’s quarterly statements is like digging for gold. (T/F)
- You have a view on whether your investment style is more Buffet vs. Soros (Y/N)
- Without looking anything up online, you could tell me how the last several IPOs have performed. (T/F)
- “Deals & Deal Makers” section is your first stop in the WSJ after the front page. (Y/N)
- I am annoyed that there are only a handful of investment options in my company’s 401k (T/F)
- I prefer to have experts I trust to manage my investments. (T/F)
- Liar’s Poker is one of my favorite books. (Y/N)
Just for fun: Bobby Axelrod is my spirit animal. (Y/N)
Do your answers mostly align with this pattern? 1=T, 2=F, 3=Y, 4=F, 5=Y, 6=T, 7=F, 8=F, 9=T, 10=Y, 11=F, 12=N, 13=T, 14=F, 15=N
You are an investor/analyst at heart. You like to dig down into the details, whether it is the macro investment environment or a company’s underfunded pension plan. You revel in the investigation. You like to win but enjoy figuring things out almost as much. You might start out in sell-side research, but eventually, you are BUYSIDE BOUND.
Do your answers mostly look like this? 1=F, 2=T, 3=N, 4=T, 5=N, 6-F, 7=T, 8=T, 9=F, 10=N, 11=T, 12=Y, 13=T, 14=F, 15=Y
You are a BORN BANKER. You love transactions and making things happen. While you aim to be more than your last pitch deck, you believe there is an art and a game to winning the next deal.
Are your answers a mix of both? Are they painting a picture you don’t want to see? No worries, finance is a giant industry.
Perhaps you are a Born Banker, but you’ve been stuck at a firm or in a sector that is making you miserable. It is time to get to work and network your way into a new group or a new bank, maybe both. You may want to consider business development. You get the thrill of making the deals but can put the bankers to work for you!
Do you have banker tendencies but are enthralled with different investment strategies? Maybe an investor relations gig at a fund is the right spot for you.
None of the above sounds right? Let’s get in touch. We can go over your resume and chat about what you love and what makes you cringe. Then we can help you develop a plan of attack to find your dream role.
Looking for the latest banking jobs with open mandates or the top spots for recent grads? Check out these listings.
Are you still wondering about that bonus question? Bobby Axelrod SHOULD NOT be your spirit animal. If you marked “yes,” reconsider your spirit guide and don’t for a second select one of the characters from Succession. 😉
Wether You are a Born Banker or Buy-side Bound How Can Prospect Rock Partners Help?
We understand the financial recruiting landscape and have extensive experience working with hiring managers at Bulge bracket banks, Elite Boutiques and Private Equity firms. We can help you pinpoint what went wrong and help you course correct so that it doesn’t happen again.
Prospect Rock Partners Services
- Clean-up, reformat and retarget your resume so that you can secure more interviews
- Linkedin profile analysis
- Sample mock interview questions
- Sample technical interview questions
- How to Break into Banking Networking Tips and Tricks
- Target Company recommendations
- Target Company Prep Exercises
- Mock-interviews
- Develop a customized networking strategy
- General guidance and support
We know the banks and know what they are looking for. With our guidance and support we will help you navigate this ultra-competitive job market and land your dream role.
