Corporate finance has been overlooked as a secondary choice for an undergraduate finance major that wasn’t able to break into Wall Street. Until recently, the reputation of holding a corporate finance job was not as prestigious as an investment-banking resume. In this paper, my objective is to enlighten the reader on the career paths of an entry-level corporate finance analyst and why I decided that corporate finance is the right path for me.
The corporate finance is the department that deals with the firm’s source of financing, developing the firm’s capital structure, and the decisions made to grow the firms business in order to maximize investor’s wealth (shareholder and bondholders). Within corporate finance, the average firm is separated into three divisions, which are
1. Controller
2. Financial, Planning, and Analysis (FP&A)
3. Treasury
Controller
The controller department usually has the worst reputation of the three departments and often referred to as financial …show more content…
Generally, you will need to have a strong background of analytical and quantitative skill for all departments. The controller division usually hires undergraduate students who have majored in accounting or finance. Controllers usually look for individuals with strong background to US GAAP accounting standards. Preferred candidates usually have a Certified Pubic Accountant (CPA) designation.
The qualifications for an FP&A analyst consist of data consolidation, variance analysis, and financial forecasting models. Firm’s hires straight from undergraduate students who majored in accounting or finance depending on the company. Preferred candidates are individuals who hold CFA designation, MBA degree from top ranked universities, and previous job experience from corporate finance or investment