Finance Masters Personal Statement

I find the complexities of finance and investments utterly compelling. It is an area that can potentially yield enormous rewards, yet at the same time poor investment decisions can potentially be financially disastrous. It takes a certain type of person to succeed in the world of investments. I believe that I possess the personal qualities that are required for a successful career in this sector. I am hard-working; I have a very analytical mind; I am at my best when working under pressure; I am a great communicator. However, to work in investments, I need first to acquire a highly detailed knowledge of the financial world. I know it is necessary to understand areas such as how markets behave, the mechanisms that underpin the global financial network, banking systems and derivatives, to name but a few. At the same time, it is essential for someone working in investment to have mastery of a range of skills, such as quantitative analysis, econometrics, financial decision-making and management. Through studying a Master’s degree in the United Kingdom I will gain this knowledge – both in a theoretical and practical sense – and develop these skills. In so doing, I will be a step closer to my goal of being a world-class investor who is able to assess investment projects and determine their risks and rewards. It is especially important for me to be able to study in the United Kingdom as it is, in many respects, the heart of the financial world; I would be honoured to have the opportunity to be taught by people who have succeeded in this environment and understand it intimately. At the same time, I look forward to studying alongside like-minded individuals who may one day be global financial leaders. The spheres of finance, business and management are nowadays increasingly global in their reach, and as such it is essential to study them from an international perspective.

To date I have prepared for this career path through both personal study and observing corporate life. I like to immerse myself in economic theories and practical information through reading books on the subject. For example, I thoroughly enjoyed reading The Intelligent Investor by Benjamin Graham. I have found this classic text to be fascinating because it is a window into the mind of a man who pioneered a whole philosophy on the subject of investment. The insights that are outlined in the book have had a very large influence on my understanding of the principles that lie behind sound investment decisions. I also enjoy reading more instructional texts such as Charles Geisst’s Investment Banking in the Financial System. I have found works such as this to be very helpful in enlightening me on opaque subjects such as bond underwriting. I am excited about being able to study these questions in much more depth at university.

In addition to reading as much as possible about economics, business, finance and investment, I have also been exposed to these areas through the professional life of my father, who is a successful businessman in a large corporation. His career has given me the opportunity to learn more about the business world. Informally I have had the chance to shadow him at work; the experience of doing this has been very rewarding as it has taught me a great deal about the demands of working in a high-pressure environment, as well as how businesses function on a daily basis and what role financial questions play in their day-to-day existence. Throughout my life he has also given me the benefit of his experience on the art of management, as well as being active in encouraging me to learn as much as possible about finance. I hope to one day to be able to emulate his success having accrued a similar level of expertise as him. In the shorter term, after completing a Master’s in the United Kingdom I plan to gain additional expertise through further study in China.