An MSc in Finance and Econometrics enabled Stefan to continue pursuing his passion while preparing for his chosen career.
A strategy for success
“I really enjoyed my bachelor’s in economics with data science at Southampton, so it made sense to stay and do my master’s here too. I wanted to carry on doing econometrics for another year, and I liked the fact that it was with finance, because ultimately that’s what I wanted to go into.”
Stefan is now a mergers and acquisitions (M&A) consultant at a leading mid-market audit, tax and consulting services firm.
“I’m really enjoying my new role. I usually work buy-side, with companies that want to buy another company. They come to us for financial due diligence and to ensure that the valuation is accurate.”
Meeting employers face to face
Throughout his time at Southampton, Stefan took advantage of the University’s careers support, including online resources, advice from his tutor, and events run by the Careers and Employability Service.
The careers fairs and talks from employers are really good. It made a big difference getting face-to-face time with someone at a company I was interested in applying to – I could use the information to tailor my applications.
Stefan, MSc Finance and Econometrics.
“Before starting my master’s, I did a summer internship in M&A, which I found through the University’s careers website. The employer had come to a careers fair so I could speak to them directly, which was very helpful.”
Bespoke careers support and guidance
Stefan also benefited from tailored career support, both at application stage and when he was in the lucky position of choosing between job offers.
“When I was applying for jobs, the last stage of the interview process was an assessment centre and I realised I had no experience of doing these. I went to the Careers and Employability Service and got a one-to-one appointment to do a mock assessment centre.
It gave me a better understanding of what companies are looking for and how to make myself stand out. I’ve done six assessment centres since that session, and I haven’t failed one – the practice run was definitely a factor.
Stefan, MSc Finance and Econometrics.
I was fortunate to have multiple job offers, so I sought some advice from the careers service to help decide which one to take. I sent them a presentation outlining the offers and for each one they went through the potential paths it could lead to and what skills I’d gain. It was very informative. They also pointed me towards other resources I could use to support my decision making.”
Supporting future graduates
Having benefited from talking to employers at the University’s careers events, Stefan is now happily returning the favour.
“I was at a careers fair at Southampton recently, this time as a professional. I got so much support from them when I was a student, and I want to help others get the same support.”
