F25, 1 yr jobless after MBA - need advice from those who've been here

[Sangeeta]

Just needed to get this off my chest.

I finished my MBA (Finance) from a tier-3 college. I knew the college wasn't top-notch, but I didn't have many choices back then. The placement cell was useless - the head couldn't even bring a single core finance company on campus. I fought that battle and lost.

It's been almost a year since graduation and I'm still searching.

Between October and February I was swamped with family responsibilities. I'm the head of the house and had to manage a flat purchase that took up 2-3 months. Since February I've been fully focused on the job hunt, but nothing's moving.

Current situation:

- I have referrals, but the companies either don't count internships as experience or want a minimum of 2 years.
- I completed a finance course that promised placements; I'm still waiting on that.
- I've applied everywhere I can find. It's not that I don't know what to do; I'm just exhausted from doing everything at once with no result.

I'm 25, turning 26 in two months. I'm targeting core finance roles: equity research, FP&A, research analyst.

For anyone who broke into finance after a rough patch like this, what actually worked? Boutique firms? Specific platforms? Just kept applying until something stuck?

Any advice from people who've genuinely been through this would mean a lot.

[Manish]

Same boat.

Tier-3 college finance.

Just keep applying everywhere... Nothing else to do.

[Hemant]

Same boat. I made it to the final rounds at Croma, Shoppers Stop, Bata, etc., but still didn't get placed.

[Mahesh]

Beggars can't be choosers. Instead of being picky about core finance, broaden your options.

[Varun]

What are your qualifications? Years of experience?

[Satish]

Target startups and ask seniors for referrals. It's fine to join at a lower salary - just get your foot in the field you want.

[Vivek]

Keep applying; the market isn't great right now.

[Ira]

I was in the same situation - a tier-3 college and looking for a core finance job in valuation. The placement cell could only bring sales companies, not finance firms. What helped me was applying to boutique firms. It works, but you'll have to compromise on salary, as most firms aren't willing to pay a good package to a fresh finance graduate without experience.

[Bhavana]

Please consider doing a professional finance course like CFA or FRM.

[Ramesh]

It's tough to break into a core finance company without experience or a certification. For now, try to land any finance-related job, even if the salary isn't great.

The first job is usually the hardest part. Look for finance analyst or other finance roles in FMCG companies - check their career pages regularly, as they often have openings, sometimes as contract positions.

Once you're in, you can move to a core finance firm later. I wish I had gotten into investment banking.

[Jasmin]

Hi, please share your resume or LinkedIn profile and I'll see if I can find something within my organisation or network.