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MBA Applicant Voice: Investment Banker Eyes MBA To Climb Greasy Pole

Igor Micic is an investment banker who is passionate about the financial services industry. He believes an MBA is a useful tool for transitioning to more senior banking roles.

Wed Feb 18 2015

BusinessBecause
 
Igor Micic is an investment banking analyst who hopes to transition to front office roles. An economics graduate of Bocconi University in Italy, he plans to undertake an MBA, with plans to focus on finance.
 
In this interview, he speaks about his motivation behind attending business school, and the role obtaining an MBA would play in his career advancement.   
 
Why do you want to begin an MBA now? What will you gain from it?
 
After about a year’s professional experience post-grad, I think it is about the right time to start at least thinking about the MBA, if not for 2015 admissions, then likely in 2016.
 
I am looking to do a finance-focused MBA. Right now I am stuck in a kind of middle office role, with very slow career development. An MBA should help me to rebrand myself, to be considered for front office roles in the [financial services] sector.

How will an MBA impact your career?

An MBA from a top [business] school would definitely help, especially given the networks, and [the] preferential treatment some recruiters give [MBAs] when considering applicants for associate positions in investment banking or in private equity. 

Which business schools are you planning to apply to? What are the most important factors to you when choosing a business school?

[Whether they are] top-tier schools and the scholarships [and] fellowships offered. There is simply no way I can afford to pay 100% tuition virtually anywhere.

Ideally I am looking to finance 100% [of the tuition] through a combination of funds [and] waivers granted by the school, and a loan with a lender affiliated with the school.

What has been the biggest challenge in the application process so far?

Planning how to finance the MBA. It is challenging enough to save a year of living costs in places like London, Paris or Shanghai, unless 100% of tuition is financed in some way other than raiding the personal savings account.

I would also need to redo the GMAT and try to get a better score – some schools offer scholarships for applicants with extremely high GMAT scores.

How will you prepare to retake the GMAT?

I will borrow official guides and specialized books from the library at my previous university. I do not intend to buy any products offered for that purpose, simply [because] there is no budget for that, and consultants are generally overrated.

What are your future career plans?

[A] career in finance – [in] investment banking , private equity or in hedge funds.

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