Lee Said:

Am I an underpaid investment bank associate?

We Answered:

While the average salary for an associate is a LITTLE higher than your salary -- you have to remember that most associates have more experience than you do. Therefore, you are not in a bad position. You have the potential to make a lot more in the future.

Your bonus will depend on three things -- the company's performance, your division's performance and your performance. If you are working hard and doing a good job -- then you will be rewarded at bonus time. You will also get an increase in salary. After a few years you will be making more than the average associate -- and probably won't be compaining that the new associates are underpaid.

As for the hours -- that is part of the job. If you want a job with better hours, work for the government. You will find that as you learn more about the job, you will be able to work more efficiently & can have a life.

Brandon Said:

Would it be possible to switch careers in Morgan Stanley?

We Answered:

I work in an investment bank in Manhattan myself. There are ways to move into different positions, but you may need some sort of finance background. When you begin as an intern, get to know many people from both the tech and finance departments.

Since there are so many different departments in a place like Morgan Stanley (i.e. some sort of remittance dpt., research dpt., client services, business development, etc.), it would benefit you to get to know as many people in as many different departments as possible. Ask them how they got their start. You'll be surprised to see how many people started in different positions within the company. If you don't see this, it should raise red flags.

Salvador Said:

What's a more lucrative career, an associate at an Investment Bank or Brand Manager for a major corporation?

We Answered:

brand manager, but good luck landing one of the top jobs with P&G, Disney, Coke, etc, which is where the good money is...

Katrina Said:

Am I the only one who isn't in following a career path associated with my college degree?

We Answered:

I am currently an undergrad in Communication Sciences and Disorders. This year, many of my friends graduated from the program and several of them did not get into grad school either. It is tough. One of them had a 3.5 GPA and still no one accepted her. Most of them decided to take a year off and reapply next year. It does suck though because with this major, you can't do anything in the field with a bachelors. One of my friends actually switched to get a masters in special education. It is kind of similar, and the requirements to get into grad school are a lot easier.

It kind of sucks that when you go into the undergrad progam, everyone always raves about how good the job opportunities are. However, if you don't get into grad school, there are virtually no opportunities.

I'm sorry that speech pathology didn't work out for you. Hopefully I will get in somewhere next year!

Lucy Said:

from CPA Accountant to MBA Investment bank associate?

We Answered:

By all means complete your accounting degree and take the CPA exam. But in most states (maybe all) you need an additional 30 hours of graduate work to get the CPA certification. The best approach is to take the CPA test, work with a CPA firm for 2-3 years (excellent experience) then apply for a good MBA program. The CPA firm may even pay for it. Most MBA programs prefer students with 2-3 years work experience.

Consult the Official MBA Guide. It's a comprehensive free public service with more than 2,000 MBA programs listed worldwide. It allows you to search for programs by location (US, Europe, Far East, etc.), by concentration (finance, marketing, aviation management, health management, accounting, etc.), by type of program (full-time, distance learning, part-time, etc), and by listing your own criteria and preferences to get a list of universities that satisfy your needs. Schools report their accreditation status, tuition cost, number of students, class sizes, program length, and a lot of other data. Schools provide data on entrance requirements, program costs, program characteristics, and much more. You can use the Guide to contact schools of your choice, examine their data, visit their web site, and send them pre applications. You can see lists of top 40 schools ranked by starting salaries of graduates, GMAT scores, and other criteria. It's the best service available at http://officialmbaguide.org.