Credit Analyst
Your MBA in Finance could result in a career in assessing credit. Many are familiar with having their credit assessed for a credit card or other debt instrument. However, a true credit analyst is involved in large-scale lending where the borrower has a very complex set of equities, assets, and debts that must be careful assessed before they are deemed worthy of a loan. You might work for a bank, credit union, or some other financial institution, but there are also those who work for credit consultancies and provide specialty services when needed.
Investment Analyst
This position focuses on assessing equities and other investment opportunities. Investment analysts are most often known for their reports on a portfolio of companies, often all within the same industry classification and making recommendations for buying, selling, or holding positions in their stock. They also analyze investments such as bonds, currencies, or commodities. Often, investment analysts prepare comprehensive reports on their industry sector so that their firm’s customers gain a big-picture view. Analysts might also work for fund managers and help guide the fund’s purchases.
Risk Analyst
These professionals are the dark cloud of business. They assess statistical, governmental, and other factors to determine what could go wrong for their firm. They also help provide insight into how a firm can avoid excess risk. Since every businessperson understands that the greater risk a venture represents, the greater the potential reward, the professional who assesses that risk is highly valued. Ultimately, without a risk analyst, firms have difficulty making sound long- and short-term decisions. Risk analysts must be experts at statistical analysis and generating models that simulate a variety of likely future scenarios, among many other skills.
Financial Manager
In this position, professionals are responsible for all or a significant part of a firm’s financial portfolio. They help determine how money will be spent and invested by relying on a team of analysts, credit specialists, and others who prepare financial documents. Depending on what industry you work in, you will be asked to have specialized knowledge of issues that are specific to that sector. For instance, a financial manager who works for a hotel chain should be aware of trends in travel and tourism including both business and tourist customers. You should also be aware of any current or pending regulations, including taxation.
Investment Banking Associate
An associate in an investment bank is at the second tier of the typical investment bank hierarchy. To become an associate, you will need to start as an analyst and complete a 2-year program in the trenches creating spreadsheets of comparable companies. After your tenure as analysts expires, you can earn an MBA with a focus on finance and become an associate. In this position, you will become somewhat of a liaison between the analysts in your industry sector and the Vice President with whom you are working. Thus, you will not only need to have the sharp analytical focus of an analyst, but you’ll need to communicate their findings with those you report to.
