Within the field of finance, you can choose to work as part of the “corporate finance staff” of an organization or a company that provides “financial services” to individuals, groups, institutions, or organizations. Some functions or industry sectors most commonly associated with finance include Commercial Banking, Corporate Finance, Financial Planning, Insurance, Investment Banking, Investment Management, and Quantitative Trading.

Finding Internships

The Wall Street investment banks have large junior internship programs and hire for full-time largely from their summer internship class. These internships are competitive, as both students and employers hope that the junior internship results in a full-time job. They look for high achievement and a demonstrated interest in finance and financial markets, which can be established through coursework, involvement in student organizations, participation in employer-led networking and educational events, as well as previous internship or externship experience in the broadly defined realm of financial services. Other types of financial institutions, asset management firms, hedge funds, trading firms, private equity, and venture capital firms may also have summer internships.

Finding Jobs

Many firms have increasingly focused on converting their summer interns into full-time hires. However, there are still positions available beyond the class of summer interns. It is particularly important that you make every effort to meet and get to know (and be known by) as many people in the field as you can.

Graduate and Professional Programs

Graduate school is not required to work in finance. However, financial services firms often hire from MBA programs, as well as master’s of finance and master’s of accounting programs.

My Favorite Books About Finance

By Matthew Andrews ’25 (MCS PAF)

Whether you’re an aspiring investor, or simply someone curious about the inner workings of markets, the right book can provide invaluable insights and inspiration. From the cutthroat trading floors of Wall Street to the …

By Guest or External Blog
Guest or External Blog
Read more

Quantifying Quants: Exploring Fintech and Financial Tech Career Pathways

The world of quantitative finance can feel enigmatic, yet it’s a rapidly growing field that combines math, technology, and finance to make significant impacts on the markets. To demystify this career path, MCS recently hosted a career exploration panel with …

By Meaghan Shea
Meaghan Shea Assistant Director, Technology, Data Analytics, Life & Physical Sciences & Entrepreneurship
Read more

On Landing an Internship in Finance as an International Student

Interstride is an interactive career platform designed to enhance the career exploration and job-search experience for international students. Learn about landing a finance internship and check out other helpful resources!

“Vania Chow is an undergraduate international student at Stanford University …

By Guest or External Blog
Guest or External Blog
Read more

Sidebar

Featured Resources

Below is a sample of the organizations that have structured leadership development programs. These entry-level programs often allow employees to …

Sign up for the MCS Recruiting & Employer Email list to receive updates on employer activities such recruiting events and …

Firsthand Vault Guides

Job Market InsightsIn partnership withLightcast logo

Find a career that aligns with your career interests, see current salary projects, and identify skills you need to apply for that next job or internship.

There are two ways to use this tool below:

  1. By Keyword: Search for the name of the occupation you’re interested in.
  2. By Occupation: Not sure what job you’d like? See available occupations within this career pathway/industry.

First, choose an industry of interest, then filter for occupation. (If you'd like to see data for a specific location only, filter by state.)

Type in a keyword to select a relevant occupation. (If you'd like to see data for a specific location only, filter by state.)

GRADUATE SPOTLIGHTS

Meet Matthew
Meet Taylor
  • Palo Alto, CA
  • Research Analyst in Residence Sutter Hill Ventures
Meet Benjamin
Meet Rachel
Meet Brayden
Meet Catherine
Meet Teddy
Meet Meredith
Meet John
Meet Evan
Meet David
Meet Jack
Meet Christina
Meet Esther
Meet Sergio
Meet Natasha
Meet Frederick
Meet Christine
Meet Terrel
Meet Sheng

Contact & Location

Phone
617-495-2595
Address

Harvard University
54 Dunster Street
Cambridge, MA 02138

MCS Hours

Monday 9:00 am - 5:00 pm
Tuesday 9:00 am - 5:00 pm
Wednesday 9:00 am - 5:00 pm
Thursday 9:00 am - 5:00 pm
Friday 9:00 am - 5:00 pm

The Mignone Center for Career Success (MCS) is committed to ensuring access to a broad range of information and opportunities across all sectors. Our website contains external content that may be useful to our learners. The inclusion of external content does not necessarily constitute endorsement, recommendation, or agreement with the information.