Which Language Should You Learn to Break Into Investment Banking?

Right after the merits of the CFA, GPA rounding, and the ranking of schools and banks, the question that spawns the most debate is which language you should learn to break into investment banking.

And there are many candidates, each supported by a combination of logic and zeal:

• Spanish: Latin America!
• Portuguese: Brazil!!!
• Mandarin: China!!!!
• Arabic: The Middle East!!!!

So which one should you learn to maximize your chances?

Or is the real answer not even on this list?

Recruiting in a Down Market, Part 4: How to Weigh Your “Plan B” Options and Ensure That You Don’t End Up with “Plan Z” Instead

Sure, it’s great if you can defy all odds and get into finance in the midst of a recession.

But let’s be honest: there’s always a chance that things may not work out, simply due to probability, bad luck, and the general lack of hiring.

So, if you don’t get into investment banking, private equity, hedge funds, or whatever else you’re after, what are your best alternatives?

In other words, how do you decide which “Plan B” option is best and which one you can actually leverage to move onto something better?

Rather than giving generic advice, we’ll go through a couple common “Plan B” options and look at the advantages, drawbacks, and key considerations for each one.

The Problem with “Plan B” Planning

Recruiting in a Down Market, Part 2: Moving from “Check the Box” Recruiting to Actual Recruiting

You’ve just arrived at the newest, hippest downtown bar.

Walking inside to meet your friends, your jaw drops in wonder. You notice that 70% of the crowd consists of attractive members of the opposite sex.

You sit down to get a drink, and you’re in for another shock: you start getting approached every few minutes. Before the night is over you have 20 phone numbers.

Sounds too good to be true, right?

Not if you had been recruiting back in 2004-2006, because that’s exactly what the hiring market was like back then: too good to be true.

“Check the Box” Recruiting