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The first option that comes to my mind is the Vault program.  Vault is located in the WabashWorks! engine, and is very helpful in terms of gathering information about different careers.  With the Vault program, tons of information is waiting at your fingertips.  You have the opportunity to read summaries of occupations, compare/contrast similar jobs and industries, gather helpful job hunting tips, chat on the message boards, and read first hand accounts of working in that career field and even in specific companies.  The latter is probably one of the most popular features of Vault.

Once you are in Vault, using it is pretty straightforward.  You will see prompts to download free guides, do industry research, etc.  Let’s take a look at Investment Banking.  I scrolled down to the bottom of the page to "more resources", and from there I clicked on the link to Investment Banking under the industry advice section.  Already, I have twelve articles on the screen, all giving information on this career.  There is an article that details the duties of a banker, one that compares investment to commercial banking, another that offers tips for preparing for interviews, and one that follows a day in the life of a banker.  Give Vault a try and I am certain you will find information that will help you learn more about careers in finance.

Vault is not your only option, however, nor is relying solely on internet resources.  If you prefer, we have hardcopies of Vault guides in addition to a library full of information.  For quick, generalized job descriptions, you may find the Occupational Outlook Handbook to be helpful.  We also have books, such as Careers for Financial Mavens & Other Money Movers, that will help in your research of careers in finance.

I hope this information has helped you.  For now, I will offer you a few things to keep in mind as you prepare for a career in finance.  For investment banking, you will want to make sure that you "stay in the books" and leave Wabash with good grades.  This will help you land a solid job, and obtaining your MBA will help you greatly.  In wealth management, you will want business experience.  It is not highly likely that you will go directly from undergrad studies to being a well-known and respected advisor, so if you can find someone established in the career that will mentor you, do so.  Work under their wing and you will have the confidence and experience to be successful, as well as the tools.  Don’t forget that companies do hire directly out of school.  This process is highly selective, so you want to know how to prepare and present yourself as a strong candidate.  Most of the recruiting is done in the early fall, so next year seniors, jump at the opportunities you see.

Feel free to stop by the Career Center or write back if you have any more questions or concerns.

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Little Career Giant