Want some opinions from people I don't know for an outsider view: After 10 years in banking (retail and now in the investing side), I decided to get my Finance Bachelors, and I completed last month. YAY!

11 Comments

1. Gretchen LorberDecember 19,2025 at 2:23PM UTC

   start from basics with what is prerequisites first the data analytics. Which is the basis for ai. You won't regret it

2. AnonymousDecember 19,2025 at 3:29PM UTC

   At work, management has made it known that AI is going to be something we hope to heavily get into. That is one thing that made me think about the Data Analytics program instead of MBA.

3. Kim PfeifferDecember 19,2025 at 3:55PM UTC

   Check with the college career counselor. There's probably a degree that better matches your needs and wants.

4. AnonymousDecember 19,2025 at 7:24PM UTC

   Take coding classes. Sounds like fun. I agree an mba isn’t for you especially if you aren’t interested in being client facing. Connect with counselors to find out pre reqs for the masters you want. And now that you’ve got a degree in finance make sure you don’t take out any student loans and figure out how to get your current employer to pay for part of it.

5. AnonymousDecember 19,2025 at 8:14PM UTC

   Congrats on your accomplishment!! Sounds like you are doing it for you, that is great motivation. I agree with the other posts below, find out what interests you, reach out to counselors for those types of programs and get after it! Good luck and happy holidays!

6. Sara BobackDecember 20,2025 at 1:53PM UTC

   Congratulations! Thats amazing. An mba isn't a degree that leads to any client facing opportunities and lots of mbas also have specializations like data analytics, strategy etc but they may not go as deep as the masters in data. I think you have options but have to decide where your interests lie. Taking some courses in data analytics to get a feel may be a good idea and will always be useful.

7. KC Sports FanDecember 20,2025 at 2:19PM UTC

   Hi, congratulations! If you're interested in data & analytics, look for a Master's program specializing in that area - it's an MS, not an MBA. Good luck!

8. AnonymousDecember 20,2025 at 4:33PM UTC

   Go the coding path for sure. It is far more valuable to the job market and usually when companies reduce staff engineering or any data roles are spared. Coding is not that hard to learn, there are excellent pathways and for Data Analytics the programs are fairly intuitive. Good luck and good for you for seeing the long career path ahead instead of just adding a band-aid and quick fix.

9. SPQDecember 21,2025 at 5:09PM UTC

   What you like doing isn't specific to Data Analytics. I can see data analysis dovetail nicely with finance though.

   If you like IT systems, working with its issues, and helping people solve problems, they earliest entry point is Help Desk Support, which is troubleshooting IT issues, which can be specific software or the holistic IT system in general. Ask AI for a few suggestions for certificates and you'll land a job easily.

   Another entry point could be a Software Implementation Specialist. You are helping clients set up enterprise software and either configure it specific to their needs or work with developers to customize it. The enterprise software companies typically have certificates. QuickBooks, Salesforce, MS Dynamics, etc.

   For Data, the coding languages are R or Python. Having some foundations in statistics is really desirable too. Do you want to work with graphs and numbers, then weave a narrative to tell teams and head of businesses what the graphs and numbers are saying? That is data analysis. It is usually less direct problem solving and working on "issues". It's more about analyzing information, in the form of facts and figures, and making a recommendation on how to take action.

   What you're seeking in "coding" is going to depend on how you want to help and interact with people. Consider the number of people you prefer working with daily, and if you prefer more one-in-one, group or team, or department level interactions.

10. AnonymousDecember 21,2025 at 8:54PM UTC

    Would a master's degree in something like Project Management or Operations Management interest you? Check out the c ourse requirements and options for those to see if the material sounds interesting and useful. You might be able to improve your coding skills as part of those programs as well without putting yourself into a coding role.

11. Estrella RodgersDecember 23,2025 at 7:19PM UTC

    There are certifications (Project Management, Six Sigma Black Belt for example) that will ascertain your knowledge on the subject and get you recognized.