Where is it better to start a career as analyst - at MSCI or in an investment bank?
IB or ER for sure, unless you know you want to do MSCI forever. You tend to have the most exit opportunities coming from IB, followed by ER.
I came from big 4 audit and I don’t want to be in a job which requires a lot of working hours for long-term. I dont really know how it’s like working in IB but somehow I get this idea that you’d have to be on your toes all the time, be the first one to know about the news about the companies you’re following. Sounds like there’s not much peace of mind in it.
Also, it’s not so much about the money. Just dont want to be working round the clock, if possible. But I still want to learn ER, maybe for some personal stock investment in the future, so I think I can sacrifice maybe 2-3 years again but not longer.
So I wish to know where I can have the most learning experience in doing financial analysis, at MSCI and the like or in IB or ER. Pardon my ignorance, but I thought IB and ER are kind of the same only that IB covers ER and more.
For a long-term career, I want to settle for corp finance, some financial planning in a private corp, yet I still want to pursue the CFA charter. If I don’t break into MSCI or IB, will Corp Finance, M&A in Transaction Services in big 4 be sufficient as working experience to earn the charter?
Then go do planning at a private corp if that’s what you want to do (that was some of my qualified experience). If you don’t want to work long hours, IB isn’t for you (nor is ER really, though not as bad). IB will make your time in Big4 look like childs play.
Thank you for your replies. Wow, thought 16 hours a day is already horrible (not to mention the 2-3 hour sleep at the most, for a week straight during hard deadlines). So how do you guys average per week on IB? Do you stil go home? 
It is seasonal at least in audit, but how’s IB or ER?
You do it for the exit opportunities. You’re paid almost minimum wage if you think about it.
I just don’t see why (see my post in another thread on this) people feel the need to go around in circles to get where they want to go. You want a career in a private corp doing planning. So go do it. Why go work in ER (little value in planning) or IB (some value in planning) if you have no desire to do these things?
I can’t imagine someone being too successful in IB if they don’t want to be there.
Planning in a corporation can count as qualified experience. It also probably pays more per hour than IB depending on where you’re at, as you work probably half the number of hours.
Former trader is right… your exit opportunities will be better from IB. But if your goal is a corporate type job, then IB is overkill, IMO. Find a good company, get in the door, and work hard. That’s all you need to do. And enjoy your life now rather than working 80+ hours, destroying your health until you’re such a mess at 35 that you can’t enjoy life anymore…
To be honest I may be relucant to hire someone right out of IB due to concerns over culture fit. That may just be me, but I don’t need a ridiculously charged up A-type giving me headaches. That’s not the game I signed up for. I’d be much more likely to hire an experienced person with a corporate accounting/finance/treasury background for a planning position. So if that’s your end goal, take that for what it’s worth.
I may be incorrect, but I believe the reason people “go in circles” to do things is not just to get there. I’m not sure someone with past IB experience will be relegated to the bottom of the FP&A department. They’ll probably start right near the top - even if not in title. If you just begin working there you’re behind a number of people with the same experience as you, but more years (assuming they’re not complete morons). By having a different background you add value and depending on where you worked the perceived prestige/intelligence/hardwork associated with it will make people take notice of you more quickly and ask your opinion more often.
IB is definitely the “sexier” choice, and this is usually good for your career in the long run.
Agreed