Researching Roles and Companies

Researching roles and companies of interest is a critical step in the internship / job search, and it should not be overlooked. Many students who jump straight into the applying phase of the search wind up applying to roles and companies that they are not truly interested in. While researching roles and companies certainly requires a great deal of effort, it ultimately leads to a more targeted and successful search. There’s no shortage of resources available to help you gather the information you need.

Vault provides in-depth intelligence on what it’s really like to work within an industry, company, or profession—and how to position yourself to launch and build the career of your dreams. Vault is best known for its influential rankings, ratings, and reviews on thousands of top employers and hundreds of internship programs. Vault also publishes detailed guidebooks; the following is a sample of guidebooks that may be of interest:

Top 50 Banking Employers Top 50 Management & Strategy Consulting Firms Vault Career Guide to Commercial Banking Vault Career Guide to Consulting Vault Career Guide to Investment Banking Vault Career Guide to Investment Management Vault Career Guide to Sales and Trading Vault Career Guide to Wealth Management AND MUCH MORE…!!!

Access Vault through the Resources tab in CareerEdge and create a free account with your @bentley.edu email address.

Corporate Finance Institute offers a number of free resources to help you prepare for your career in finance, including:

Career Map: Explore the interactive Career Map to find your path in corporate finance and capital markets jobs. The Career Map divides the industry into four different types of employers: Banks (“sell side”), Institutions (“buy side”), Corporates (“issuers”) and Public Accounting firms; within each of the four employers, there are three to four main areas. Each area is evaluated in terms of compensation, work load, competition, quant skills and soft skills. You can also get information on the key personality traits that lead to success in that role, compensation, and exit opportunities.

How to get a job in…: Guides on how to get a job in investment banking, equity research, FP&A, treasury, and other financial analyst positions.

Job Descriptions: Browse the most common job requirements and skills from job descriptions at the world’s best financial institutions.

ATTEND VIRTUAL OR ON CAMPUS EVENTS!!!

NETWORK!!!

The Pulsifer Undergraduate Career Development Center plans and hosts many virtual on-campus events that allow students to connect with professionals and learn more about their current roles, career paths, and companies. Please note: all events are subject to change due to COVID-19.

Finance & Economics Virtual Career Fair (Mid-September): A mini Career Fair for students majoring in Finance, Economics-Finance and Corporate Finance & Accounting! Learn about open opportunities and network with company representatives to find out what roles might be a good fit for you.

Career Fair (Late September | Mid-February): Students should not miss the Career Fairs held in the Fall and Spring semesters! Each semester, 110-140 companies come to campus to recruitfor open internship and/or full-time positions. Please note: the niche Career Fairs (such as the Finance & Economics Virtual Career Fair) will replace the overall Career Fair in Fall 2020.

Success in the City (early January): Visit three companies in New York City to experience what it might be like to work in the Big Apple. Learn about company culture, different roles within the firm, and network with Bentley alumni and other professionals.

Career Conversations (Early February): Informally chat with Bentley alumni and other friends of Bentley to learn more about different career paths relevant to Finance, Economics-Finance and Corporate Finance & Accounting students.

Business in Boston (Early April): The Boston version of Success in the City!

Information Tables (Throughout the year): Informally chat with employers between classes in Smith.

Information Sessions (Throughout the year): Getin-depth information about specific companies, the roles they’re recruiting for, and network with professionals.

Employer in Residence (Throughout the year): Meet with recruiters during informal one-onone 15 minute drop-in sessions.

For complete, up-to-date information about events, visit the Events page of CareerEdge.

Speaking with professionals is one of the best ways to get helpful information about different roles, career paths, companies, industries and more. (Not to mention, it’s a critical part of a successful internship / job search. Remember the ‘Path to Employment for 2019 Finance Graduates on page 18?) See pages 27 –34 for more information on networking and conducting informational meetings.

Glassdoorholds a growing database of millions of company reviews, CEO approval ratings, salary reports, interview reviews and questions, benefits reviews, office photos and more. Unlike other jobs sites, all of this information is entirely shared by those who know a company best — the employees.

Top Wall Street jobs are hard to land and even harder to survive. With the help of 440,000+ members, Wall Street Oasis will help you break in and master your finance career. As a user, you'll receive 6 free modeling lessons & networking and interview tips.

Wall Street Prep was established in 2004 by investment bankers to train the financial services industry. Used by thousands of students and finance professionals, our instructor-led and online training programs bridge the gap between academia and the real world by teaching the practical skills needed to succeed on the job.

Mergers & Inquisitions is the world’s first and largest blog dedicated to careers in the finance industry, with over 641 expertly crafted articles, 533,084+ monthly visitors, and 115,341+ email subscribers. After you sign up for free weekly updates, you’ll get interviews with industry insiders in investment banking, private equity, venture capital, hedge funds, sales & trading, and other fields, as well as career tips, commentary on news and current events, and case studies and modeling tutorials.

The Banker Blueprint (FREE DOWNLOAD!): This information-rich 57-page guide gives you a proven action plan for breaking into investment banking, including how to tell your story, network, craft a winning resume, and dominate your interviews.

Breaking into Wall Streetprovides financial modeling training and career resources for investment banking, private equity and hedge funds. Trusted by 22,981+ customers from 81+ countries.

Learn about investment banking…become an investment banker. ibankingFAQ provides insight on lifestyle, recruiting, interviewing and more.

Looking for additional information? Be proactive and resourceful by searching for “entry level investment management jobs”, “credit analyst responsibilities”, “what is risk assurance”, etc. Specific searches turn up lots of helpful information!