Working in these fields...
Financial management—including hedge funds, private equity, and venture capital—boils down to analyzing and evaluating financial data about organizations, evaluating their performance, and then predicting future performance. Consulting, while using many similar skills, focuses on providing support to the financial and strategic planning practices of organizations. In both finance and consulting, the pace of work can be intense and the schedule extremely demanding. There is often a lack of work/life balance due to travel and clients with impossible expectations. You will however be paid well, challenged, and learn how to partner with your team members effectively. If you are attracted by these descriptions, explore further.
Featured Tip
A classic recruiting belief states that “the past is the best predictor of the future.” The reason why brand-name firms like Goldman Sachs and McKinsey as well as others recruit heavily at liberal arts schools like Harvard is because of your aptitude, intelligence, and perceived potential. Most importantly, your success as a candidate will depend on how well you market the relevant skills you developed through your work and school-related experience, so make your academic, extracurricular and experiential choices based on what you do well rather than what will look good.
