Launching your finance career after graduation
For UC students and recent graduates looking for entry-level finance jobs
Starting a career in finance right out of college can feel daunting, but with UC’s robust co‑op, internship, and Career Studio resources, you’re already equipped with a major leg up.
Here’s your five‑step roadmap to secure an entry‑level role — whether in financial analysis, corporate finance, investment banking or wealth management:
5 steps to explore career opportunities in finance
1. Build your academic and experiential foundation
- Major or minor in finance: UC offers a variety of finance programs on campus or online. Elective pathways in corporate finance, investment banking, risk management and more can provide a strong foundation for many finance job titles.
- Earn your stripes with co‑op or internships: UC pioneered cooperative education — we’re ranked No. 5 nationally for co‑ops, helping students make their mark in the classroom and in real-world roles. Students in the Carl H. Lindner College of Business can pursue flexible co‑ops and take advantage of the Career Studio or Investment Intern Program, where you work alongside investment managers on asset allocation, due diligence and performance tracking.
- Join student organizations like the Investment Club, Lindner Investment Banking Club, and International Securities & Compliance Club for hands-on exposure and networking.
Begin your Bearcats journey
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2. Network, navigate and name your niche
- Attend career fairs and meet-the-firm nights: These events spotlight co‑ops opportunities, finance internships and full-time finance job openings across accounting, risk and wealth management sectors. UC students can log into Handshake and click Events to see a complete lineup of career fairs and employer events.
- Tap into career coaching: Refine your resume, craft cover letters, prep for behavioral and technical interviews, and negotiate job offers with help from career coaches in the College of Business and the Bearcat Promise Career Studio.
- Connect with alumni and previous interns: Current UC co-ops and interns can share networks while past interns may offer referrals and insights. Look for opportunities to connect online and in person.
3. Explore entry‑level roles and internships
| Role | Common entry | Skills needed |
|---|---|---|
| Financial analysis/Corporate finance | Co‑op, internship | Excel, FP&A, strategy |
| Investment banking | Internships, libc prep | Analytical rigor, Excel, PitchBooks |
| Wealth management | Internships, alumni referrals | Client communication, portfolio knowledge |
| Risk management jobs/Insurance | Risk-focused fairs/co‑ops | Modeling, compliance |
| Fintech jobs/Hedge fund careers | Tech-savvy internships | Programming, alternative investments |
| Non-finance background | Minor, co‑ops | Quant skills, analytical coursework |
4. Position yourself with purpose
- Resume and LinkedIn: Highlight co‑op experience, key projects and technical skills (Excel, SQL, Python).
- Interview prep: Practice behavioral stories — Situation, Task, Action, Result (STAR method) — and technical questions (valuation, nuances in accounting vs finance jobs). Utilize the Career Studio for mock interviews.
- Certifications: For wealth management careers, consider becoming a Certified Financial Planner (CFP); for general finance roles, pursue a Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA) certification after gaining some experience.
5. Apply strategically and keep learning
- Apply broadly and early: From pursuing finance jobs with no experience (e.g., analyst roles at regional banks) to junior finance roles at larger corporations, leverage co-op and internship experiences in your applications.
- Enhance your resume between semesters: Take free online courses (Coursera, edX) in financial modeling or fintech.
- Stay connected: Join alumni social media groups, attend finance speaker events on campus, and revisit the Career Studio for alumni panels and workshops.
How to switch to a finance career after college
It’s never too late. Whether you're coming from engineering, liberal arts or IT:
- Take key finance electives/minor.
- Secure a flexible co‑op or internship.
- Join finance clubs and network intensively.
- Position your transferable skills — analytical problem-solving, quant analysis, communication — as core to how to get into finance.
Final take: Financial jobs
To secure your first finance job after college, immerse yourself early in internships, co‑ops, and student organizations. Leverage UC’s Career Studio and Lindner resources to position hard and soft skills effectively. Apply in volume and stay flexible — with business-savvy and analytical grit, you’ll land your first role in finance.
Ready to launch your finance career? Start by checking Handshake and marking upcoming finance-focused career fairs on your calendar — then connect with a Career Coach at UC to polish your resume and create a game plan.