Entry-level Opportunities for Aspiring Founders by The F
Paul, a Founder at The F, suggests that for those interested in FP&A, analyst roles in corporate finance are a great entry point, offering exposure to either the broad experience of a startup or a more specialized role within a larger company, with roles ranging from corporate to business support, and encouraging a start in business support for a "broader experience." When it comes to content creation and entrepreneurship, "there's not necessarily entry level positions," but one could gain experience through internships or by starting their own business.
Financial Planning & Analysis, Entry-Level Positions, Corporate Finance, Entrepreneurship, Career Advice
Advizer Information
Name
Job Title
Company
Undergrad
Grad Programs
Majors
Industries
Job Functions
Traits
Paul Barnhurst
Founder
The F
Brigham Young University
Arizona State University (ASU) - W. P. Carey earned MBA and Master of Science in Information Management
Business Management & Admin
Education
Finance
Scholarship Recipient, Pell Grant Recipient, Took Out Loans, First Generation College Student
Video Highlights
1. FP&A analyst roles in corporate finance are available for graduates.
2. Startups offer broad experience, while larger companies provide exposure to a specific part of a process.
3. Supporting the business is a good starting point in FP&A to gain a broader experience.
Transcript
What entry-level positions are there in this field that an undergraduate or graduate student might consider?
I'm going to break this into two parts. FP&A is where I spent most of my career, and that's where I do content creation.
There are many great roles out of school where you can be an analyst working in corporate finance. You can also have a startup-type role where you get to do a little bit of everything. If you want a broader experience, a startup is great.
If you want to see a big company and have a small part of a process to deal with, a bigger company can be a great way to go. Many positions exist out there; almost all big companies have planning and analysis, budgeting, and forecasting. Some of those positions can range from corporate roles where you're rolling things up to supporting the business.
I generally encourage people to start with supporting the business, as I think you get a broader experience. However, it's different for everyone when it comes to content creation and solo entrepreneurship. There aren't necessarily entry-level positions.
You might be able to get an internship helping someone with a small business to understand some of those things, or you could even start your own business right out of school. I don't know that there are really entry-level positions; it's more about people who have done their own thing. I'll focus a little more on the FP&A side there.