The Great Debate: CFA vs. MBA

One of the most hotly debated questions among finance aspirants is the perennial CFA vs. MBA deliberation. Which of these qualifications will give you a better shot at landing that prestigious full time Excel Monkey Investment Analyst role? In this article, we’re going to have a no-holds-barred, all-out face-off between the two, to settle the question once and for all.

Read on to get the drill down on one of the toughest professional examinations in the world, the Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA), vs. the timeless and reliable MBA (I’m not going to insult your intelligence by expanding that).

Bateman Begins: Genesis

Bateman Returns.

After a considerable gap, Bateman Begins is back online and ready to bring you more on the select world of finance. But now, Bateman Begins will be expanding its mandate to a much broader territory. Instead of articles on just breaking into finance and interviews, you will now also get to know about personal experiences in finance – both mine as well as of those whom I’ve spoken with, along with a little bit of this and that.

It’s been over a year since I started my current private equity gig as well as Bateman Begins, and it feels like it’s been forever. I’ve talked about endless networking, cold-calling and about a guy who broke into finance from an IT internship, but I haven’t talked about how I broke in. I once mentioned how sometimes even someone you meet in a train can get you a job. Now while I didn’t stalk some poor guy during his daily commute, the way I got my job is just as bizarre.

Instead of telling you my whole story here, I’ll point you to the very inspiration of this website, Brian DeChesare’s M&I. Brian was considerate enough to run an interview with me on his website, so you can head on over there for a complete run down on how I broke in, what’s the industry like in India and what it is that I do at my job.

Read my interview here.

Enjoy, and as always, feel free to comment any questions that you have below! 

Bateman Interviews: CEO - "I'm a guy who gets things done"

It’s been a while since I posted a new interview, so I thought what better way to get back to the job than an interview with the top guy in a company? I recently got a chance to have a lengthy one-on-one conversation with CEO of the biggest flower company in India. He is a person who has reached where he is today, solely on the basis of sheer hard work and a determination to move ahead. In today’s plethora of MBA-wielding C-level executives, it’s hard to believe that he is not even a graduate. Today, he has over 27 years of experience and is considered an authority in the retail and e-commerce segments.

Read on if you are interested in a wealth of free information in an uninhibited conversation, with the sort of person most of us don’t even get to meet. Without further ado, presenting Mr. Pawan Gadia, CEO, Ferns N Petals.

Breaking In: Cold - Calling

Now that you have read the interview with DivyaAggarwal, it’s safe to assume that you must be even more interested in getting into IB. Because if you are not, then you are reading the wrong blog. So let’s come back to the ways which can turn that IB dream into a reality.

In my earlier post about methods of networking, I mentioned that cold calling is one of the most effective ways of breaking into finance. This post will tell you how to cold call so that you can get the best results.

Also, some reminders:

• Cold calling works best at the smaller places. So if you’re targeting BB banks, you might want to rethink your strategy.

• Do not expect success in 10 phone calls. If you’re calling for a job, you might have to try anything from 20 to 100 times, or even more, before you get your first tangible lead. But if you’re calling for an informational interview, your chances are much better.

• But, all it takes is one affirmative answer to turn that lead into an interview.

Networking - How a casual conversion in a train can get you into IB

A friend recently pointed out to me that networking techniques are relevant not just for IB, but for every industry out there. While this is true, the reality that I have seen is that a very small percentage of youngsters who are just starting out resort to networking.

The reasons may differ from hesitation to simply a lack of awareness as to how to network. Therefore, as I promised earlier, this post will be dedicated solely to networking methods. Read on to find out the best methods for networking in India.

Breaking Into Investment Banking

Now that you are sufficiently educated in what investment banking is, the question arises as to how to actually break into this industry. This is gonna be a long one, but I'm gonna make it worth your while. Read on to find out why.

 A select world:

The usual advice prospective monkeys get is to work hard, prepare for interviews, so on and so forth. No one ever tells how to get that interview in the first place. Because make no mistake, landing an interview in IB in India itself is no small matter.