Cambridge/Oxford and jobs in the US

Question

Hi all...so I'm seriously considering Said and Judge's 1-year programs. I like everything I've read so far. However, there's a good chance I'd want to come back to the US right after school. 

Does anyone have any insight on what the prospects are at these schools for placement in the US? My focus is the pharmaceutical/biotech industry (consulting or GM). 

To be more specific, how do you think these schools would stack up against UVA/Darden or Michigan in terms of US recruiting?

Thanks!

seanpatin · Answer

I have looked at foreign schools, such as the two you listed as well. From what I have seen, you can come back to the U.S., but I would say probably only about 10-20% of the classes do. You can probably find better statistics on this somewhere, but of course, they place better in Europe than in the U.S.

helpslip · Answer

Hi,
The easy answer to this question is that attending a US school is likely to bring you into contact with far more recruiters from US companies. Somewhere (search) Hjort has a very interesting post on how even the most highly ranked schools tend towards regionality when it comes to recruiting and plancement. This is further exacerbated by regional distribution within industries and a school's links to those industries. 

If you know the industry you wish to work in, can you narrow it down to a list of target companies? If so you can correlate those companies with recruiting by school. (e.g., BW profiles included recruiting and hiring data for schools that chose to report it) Contact the adcom and ask for whatever statistics that career dev keeps on recruiting and hiring. Are your target companies among those who recruit on campus? If no, the answer (regardless of where the school is located) is that you will have more work to do in your job search than those interested in companies that do recruit on campus. Further, if this is the case, you might want to include the strategy you have for solving this dilemma in your presentation of you goals. You should also enquire if the schools have "treks" to visit US companies or business centers.

swgotz · Answer

It is possible to head back to the US after graduating from Oxford, I know a few folks from last years class who did it, but it takes some extra work. I'd say it also really depends on what industry you want to go into. If you're looking to go into IB or MC in the US, then this is definitely not the right program. Diversified industry should be possible going through the regular channels.

trader1 · Answer

swgotz,

Are you currently a student at SBS?

swgotz · Answer

Yes, I'm here right now.

trader1 · Answer

Brilliant!

I'm looking to apply in Round 2. I will visit SBS on 9 Nov for the open day.

Can I ask what your background is and what are your career ambitions? Career-switcher? 

I have finished my time in the military as an officer, and I am currently in my gap year. All I want to do is cross-over into investment banking and become a trader at a top-tier firm a la JP Morgan or UBS. Maybe GS, but I hear they "own" you when you work there. 

I understand LBS is considered more of a finance powerhouse than Oxford, but I really prefer a 1-year program. My biggest concern is whether the 1-year at Oxford (or even Cambridge) will open the doors for me at a top I-bank. 

Have you seen any data on career-switchers who ended up going into I-banking/financial services? I see that Oxford lumps together corporate finance with banking in their recent placement report, but I wonder how much of that percentage actually goes to the I-banks and how many graduates go into the sales, trading, and research division. Probably a great question for admissions/career services!


Cheers,

William

swgotz · Answer

When you know your schedule on the 9th send me a PM and we can arrange to meet up.

To answer your questions...

I have an entrepreneurial background, having started two companies, and am interested in transferring to VC. 

I remember meeting a few ex-military guys who graduated from Oxford and went into IB, so it can be done but don't expect career services to spoon feed you a position. LBS would probably be a sure bet, but your costs are going to be higher. The great thing about Oxford, is that while some IB's don't recruit @ the business school, virtually all of them come to the University proper. So with enough effort you can start to network and build-up relationships with the recruiters.

N750 · Answer

In September, I had attended Top MBA tour event in NYC and then I had talked an alumni of Cambridge. 
He was quite forthright. He was working in US but he suggested that if you are looking to come back to US then a US based program is better. Infact, schools placement statistics show the same. You will be able to move back to US but it is difficult.

trader1 · Answer

N750,

Not sure what your motivations are for the MBA, but did you get an impression that Cambridge is not the best place to switch careers into finance/i-banking?

I went to the MBA tour in Frankfurt, and I didn't get "that feel" I got from LBS/Insead/Cass for switching into I-banking. 

I got a slightly better "feel" at Oxford vs. Cambridge, but still nothing that makes me want to say, "I definitely want to go to Oxford." 

I guess I'll have a much better idea after Oxford's open day in November and a personal visit to Cambridge.

Oh by the way, I'm not trying to go back to the states. I want an international career and to stay in Europe, so it's mainly European schools for me.

paulinedavis · Answer

You mention INSEAD and Cambridge. I have heard that 1 year programs are not good for people trying to make a switch. Is this true?

trader1 · Answer

It depends. I would say INSEAD is the best 1-year MBA program to make a career switch. The key to 2-year programs is the summer internship. But, if you go for INSEAD's winter term start, then you get to do a 2 month internship. Also, if you see INSEAD's placement stats, they are quite impressive. It's a top 10 school.

Cambridge and Oxford are the other top 1-year MBA programs, but require a lot of effort and commitment if you want to switch careers. It's recommended to do an internship before starting the program. Or, you can take Oxford's new 15-month option and do a summer internship.

gnr646 · Answer

This is a topic I'm really interested it as I am from the US but would love to take part in the LBS MBA program. Is it tough to move from the UK back to the US for job placement? 

Also, I would love to hear from anyone who has choosen to stay in the UK after graduation. I am seriously thinking of staying "in country" should I have the chance to go to LBS and am curious to hear about the experience of others. How did the job search go, what is it like living there, how the cost of living has impacted them, etc.

londonluddite · Answer

gnr646 I'm a first year at LBS, although I am planning to stay in London when I graduate. Careers services at the school organise job treks to the US and NY to assist students who want to work out there, but you definitely have to put in extra leg work. From the other students I have spoken to the majority are planning to stay in London for at least a couple of years after graduation.

gnr646 · Answer

Thanks londonluddite, I apprecaite that. I'm really curious about salaries after graduation and the life-style one is able to lead with them. Given the shrinking value of the dollar and the debt I know I'm going to rake up, I'm curious as to how someone in my position would fare given London's high cost of living. Any advice on this would be great. Thanks.

deepkv · Answer

When I was going thru the LBS website, found sometin interesting.

london.edu/mba/programme/exchange.html

I believe switching to US would be possible if a student studies a semester at the US thru this exchange program. 

Is my understanding right!!!

TIA

EX10XL · Answer

There is no transferring. Your degree will be from your home institution.

deepkv · Answer

I understand that the degree shall b from the home country... what my point is, an exchange student has much better options to do some networking in the target country he wants to settle down. he shall be studying and at the same time contact potential recruiters in the same few months. my question here is, would companies accept such a student who shows interest in an exchange program? 

also looking into cambridge/oxford sites, could not find any exchange program related stuff!!!

thanks

lepium · Answer

I wouldn't get all excited about networking while abroad unless I did some specific research and found satisfactory evidence. The reason why I say so, is that most organized networking events take place at a specific time and place (typically crammed into just a few weeks during the first semester at school). 

The cold - call network, (i.e.: looking up and contacting alumni) on the other hand, takes place at any time, but even so I doubt alumni'd give you as much attention as they would if you were a student at the school rather than a student from another school who just spends a semester there.

My 2 cents.
L.

branson · Answer

In general, would you guys say that, especially for consulting, getting an MBA from a prestigious American B-School and finding work in Europe is easier than the other way around?

Thank you for your opinions.

Cambridge/Oxford and jobs in the US

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