The Fast Track: The Insider's Guide to Winning Jobs in Management Consulting, Investment Banking, & Securities Trading (Paperback)

by Mariam Naficy (Author) "In the winter of 1990, I, like other seniors, was facing the question of what to do after college..." (more)
Key Phrases: New York, Morgan Stanley, Wall Street (more...)

Editorial Reviews

Product Description
Get an Insider's Edge on Launching Your Career.

Are you thinking about working for the likes of McKinsey, Merrill Lynch, or Salomon Brothers? Thousands of undergraduates, MBA students, and others are rushing for prestigious entry-level positions in the highly competitive and lucrative fields of management consulting, investment banking, and securities trading. How are you going to compete? In The Fast Track, experienced recruiter and fast-track insider Mariam Naficy helps you make the right decisions every step of the way as she guides you through the rigorous, highly specialized recruiting process. The Fast Track includes:

Comprehensive job descriptions of consultants, analysts, and traders, explained in layperson terms.

Over twenty in-depth interviews with people in the business at every level from first-year analysts to CEOs and recruiting managers.

Tips on preparing an irresistible rsum, giving a great interview, and choosing the right firm. Listen in as recruiters at a top firm review candidates they interviewed.

Profiles of the top forty firms across the country with information you can't find anywhere else, including career paths, office culture, and interviews with employees.

From the Publisher
"This is the book that the financial services industry has been waiting for--finally, a comprehensive guide that will give you an advantage whether you're trying to break into these industries or are already in them."
--Jennifer Rolnick, Recruiting Manager, Bear Stearns

"Excellent information--a candid, first-hand look into the daily experiences of investment bankers and consultants. Captures in one book what it takes months for students to learn on their own."
--Lance Choy, Director of Recruiting, Stanford University's Career Planning and Placement Center

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Product Details

• Paperback: 368 pages
• Publisher: Broadway; 1 edition (October 6, 1997)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0767900405
• ISBN-13: 978-0767900409
• Product Dimensions: 9 x 6.1 x 1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 15.2 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 4.1 out of 5 stars See all reviews (45 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #66,013 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

25 of 25 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars A little dated, but still relevant, June 9, 2000

By A Customer

This book covers a huge breadth of topics, though seems to cater to an audience consisting of student at elite schools. While offering very interesting insights into the rigors, qualifications, lifestyles, etc. associated with these prestigious industries, it seems as if there was not enough "real estate" in the book dedicated to offering full coverage about careers in these industries.

In fact, there are books out there entirely dedicated to convering these industries. For instance, two of the better ones, Vault.com Guide to Investment Banking and Vault.com Guide to Management Consulting, cover these industries thoroughly.

What would have made Fast Track better, was to be a bit more focused in what it offered, much like the Vault.com books. Instead of covering, what I consider 3 disparate industries, in such a short amount of pages, it could have been more effective by expanding the book, or even breaking them into 3 complete books.

But alas, in addition to the industry specialty career books, this book is a good supplement to ambitious graduates (both MBA and college) to landing those prestigious financial and consulting positions out of school.

25 of 27 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Great Primer for Management Consulting & I Banking, March 17, 2003

By	newchapter "newchapter" (Atlanta, GA USA) - See all my reviews

This book gives a good overview of the different facets of management consulting and investment banking. For those considering a MBA as a transition to these two career paths, this is a good place to start your research. As my personal interest is Management Consulting . . .

1) The culture requires teamwork, high quality and constant change. "You are only as good as your last project." (pg 44)

2) "Most people at McKinsey don't need to be managed. It is a different dynamic - we are coached. . . managers are graded on how well they coach." (pg 57)

3) Critical skills: analytical skills, individualism, interpersonal skills and intellectual curiosity. (pg 145)

4) For interview questions concerning resume, use CAR approach:
Context: Set the stage
Action: What did you do?
Results: What was the impact?

5) Good list of interview questions (pg 199 - 200). The most interesting one I saw: "Where do you think the consulting industry is headed?"

6) Five qualities that distinguish a great case interview:
- structured response, shows you think clearly
- broad perspective, shows that you cover all the angles
- concise and linear manner of thinking and communicating
- business judgment, shows you can find the high-impact areas
- creative insights, shows that you can come up with ideas on your own

Another good resource for basics of management consulting:
...

7 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Don't get your hopes up too high, July 14, 2000

By	Jussi Bjorling (New York, NY USA) - See all my reviews

This book does a pretty good job of explaining how these businesses work and how they recruit. However, it isn't going to be very helpful if you're looking for a job. These places look for people with the right background, the right skills, and only then does it matter how many books you've read or how many case questions you've practiced. By all means, read this book, but it's more important to work on your connections and make sure your resume's content (not its form) is strong.