Michael Gurman explains how the MBA in Investment Management, together with the CFA professional designation, propelled his career in capital markets.
For those with a passion for finance, a career in investment management can offer a great deal, including working in a dynamic environment with an international outlook and many stimulating challenges.
However, jobs in this field are coveted, and can be difficult to get into. Michael Gurman chose to maximize his chances by combining two programs at the same timethe Chartered Financial Analyst ("Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA) and the MBA program. Portrait of his path to a rewarding career in capital markets.
Michael Gurman: investment excellence
For as long as he can remember, Michael Gurman has been fascinated by the investment markets.
I've always wanted to be involved in money matters," he reveals. However, I wanted to do it at a level that would allow me to make a difference."
He began his career in wealth management. He enjoys his work, but after a few years he feels powerless to rise to the decision-making positions he aspires to.
He understands that to land this type of position, he needs to broaden his knowledge base. Clearly, his career path will lead him to the CFA designation.
"However," he points out, "when I looked on LinkedIn for profiles of people in the kind of job I wanted, I found that they all had MBA degrees and CFA designations."
On the strength of this discovery, Michael Gurman enrolled in the MBA program in Investment Management at the Goodman Institute of the John Molson School of Business - where he had also studied for his bachelor's degree. This experience reassured him of the competence of the school's faculty and its international reputation.
He finds his courses an inspiring learning environment, created not only by the teachers, but also by the students.
"My mates and I used to chat on Facebook," he recalls. We were always discussing the state of the markets."
At the end of his second year at the MBA program, he completed a summer internship as a corporate and investment banking analyst at National Bank Financial in Toronto.
This practical training undoubtedly brings him closer to his dream job. And he's determined to make the most of it. I took tons of notes," he says. And I wasn't afraid to ask questions!
At the end of the summer, the trainee was offered a full-time position. Today, Michael Gurman is a credit analyst specializing in capital markets. He assists the bank's senior management in making corporate lending decisions.
In his opinion, his success owes much to the skills he acquired at the Goodman Institute of the John Molson School of Business.
"As part of my job, I often have to consult, understand and interpret financial statements," he explains. Before completing my MBA, I didn't have an in-depth knowledge of accounting."
I'm really working at my dream job," he continues. Without an MBA degree coupled with a CFA designation, I probably wouldn't have gotten it."
Text provided by Concordia University
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