What Finance Job is for You? Explanation of 14 Finance Roles

Take a survey to determine which financial analyst role you might enjoy; answer 10 questions with two options each, tally letters, and rank the top two for next steps.

Identify the finance role that fits you by analyzing your results, from hedge fund analyst to investment banking and private equity, with practical modeling insights.

Explore the hedge fund industry's pros and cons, from rapid wealth potential and intense learning to high pressure and long path to promotion, while emphasizing unemotional, long-term, fundamental investing.

Experience an authentic hedge fund analyst day, from morning sector updates and a LinkedIn long pitch to a conference where CEO raises guidance, prompting quick buy decisions.

Discover mutual fund analyst roles, emphasizing long-term security, gradual career growth, and steady hours. Compare stable, team-driven culture and broad sector rotation with hedge funds' higher pay and pace.

Explore the daily routine of a mutual fund analyst, including morning meetings, conference participation, and setting long-term stock targets of three to five years, with no short selling.

Explore investment banking from origination and initial public offerings to mergers and acquisitions, learn to build models in Excel and PowerPoint, present deals, and navigate the Chinese wall.

Explore how investment bankers build pitch books for bakeoffs, propose deals, and win ipos or m&a mandates, while networking, shaping market views, and delivering concise exhibits.

Sales-side equity research analysts educate the sales force and investors, issue buy/sell/hold ratings for the software sector, navigate compliance and restricted lists, and communicate insights to the buy side.

Explore the pros and cons of sell-side equity research, including top-tier modeling skills, long hours, and strong exposure to the buyside, CEOs, and IPOs, while managing burnout and repetition.

Describe the day-to-day of a sell-side analyst as they prepare research, run conferences and morning meetings, publish initiation reports, and guide buy-side trading while upholding compliance.

Explore venture capital from seed to ipo, where firms back early-stage startups, gain board seats, and pursue high-growth exits. Learn firm structures and fees.

Examine the pros and cons of a junior venture capital role, including delayed compensation and carry, limited liquidity, board decisions, and stimulating, entrepreneurial work of predicting trends and meeting visionaries.

Explore a venture capitalist's day: long investment horizons, infrequent meetings, deep due diligence on management and the right total addressable market, and value-adding support for portfolio companies.

Perform a quick accounting review of the balance sheet, income statement, and cash flow statement to understand how assets and equity relate to cash flow, including non-cash items like depreciation.

Compare growth and value investors, explain how to value firms using price-earnings, PEG, cash flow and discounted cash flow, with examples like Tesla, Microsoft, and Amazon.

Identify which valuation methodologies matter for different analysts. Explore discounted cash flow, price earnings, price revenue, and key financial statements like income statements, balance sheets, and cash flow statements.

Explore how financial analysts operate in large non finance companies, including hybrid business analyst and accounting support roles, and analyze financial statements.

Explore the pros and cons of a financial analyst role in a large non-finance company: better quality of life, rotations toward CFO or VP, but lower pay and bureaucracy.

Barbara blends investment banker analyst, venture capitalist, and accounting duties, focusing on consolidating financial statements and preparing quarterly earnings, using income statements, balance sheets, and cash flow statements with software.

Explore the private wealth management role of a private wealth financial analyst serving ultra-high-net-worth clients, managing money with a team, and selling the firm's products, for example, Goldman Sachs.

Explore the pros and cons of private wealth management, from entrepreneurial client development and later high compensation to administrative duties and product suggestions, with insights from an analyst's experience.

Balancing hedge fund stock picking, selling firm products to ultra high net worth clients, and long-term ideas, Peggy's day also dedicates substantial time to administration and valuation.