“There is an insatiable appetite [at top tier business schools]... at these schools for people who have real leadership backgrounds, and they view the military as an incubator for that."
 – Bobby Farina

Bobby Farina is a Partner at Sixpoint Ventures, after having spent over 10 years in the Financial Services industry. Bobby attended the US Air Force Academy, where he studied Management, prior to entering the intelligence community as an Information Security Specialist. Although he obtained his MS in in Information Security at Johns Hopkins University while on Active Duty, he chose to attend Columbia Business School after he separated from the Air Force.

In this conversation, we cover a lot of topics, including:

• His decision to leave the Air Force, and how he thought about the Reserves
• Using grad school while in the military to offset a low GPA from undergrad and boost grad school admission chances
• Considering the opportunity cost of pursuing a master's degree vs. entering industry right away
• Recommendations for schools focusing on finance and advice on how to get in
• A breakdown of the Financial Services industry and where veterans fit in
• How to get your first job in Financial Services
• What you may end up missing from the military
• And much, much more…

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QUESTION OF THE DAY: How can I make these episodes more valuable to active duty military personnel considering transitioning to the civilian world? Please let me know in the comments.

Scroll below for links and show notes…

Selected Links from the Episode

• McConnel Air Force Base
• Management Major at Air Force (mini-MBA)
• Network Security USAF
• Melissa / I love you Virus
• Intelligence agencies: Defense Intelligence Agency (DIA), National Security Agency (NSA), National Reconnaisance Office (NRO), Central Intelligence Agency (CIA)
• JWIX intelligence network
• Air Force recruiting - ALO - Admissions Liason Officer
• Johns Hopkins MS in Information Security
• Cyber Security jobs referenced: Science Applications International Corporation (SAIC), General Dynamics, Lockheed Martin
• Top Tier Business Schools for Finance: University of Chicago (Booth School of Business), Wharton School of Business, Columbia Business School, Darden at University of Virginia, MIT Sloan School of Business
• Bank of America & Evercore
• Financial Services: Investment Banking, Sales and Trading, Private Wealth Management (PWM), Private Equity, Hedge Funds
• Sales Side Institutions Points of Conversation: JP Morgan, State Street, Wellington

Show Notes

• [0:22] - Personal, USAFA and Air Force background
• [6:54] - Decision to leave the Air Force
• [9:54] - Considering Air Force Reserves
• [12:12] - Air Force Reserves while in Financial Services
• [13:04] - Doing grad school while on active duty
• [16:50] - using post college work to boost your GPA if you have a lower college GPA
• [19:42] - deciding on a second master's degree and an MBA
• [21:00] - Choosing Columbia as business school and application process
• [21:53] - Recommendations for Top Tier Business Schools focusing on Finance
• [23:40] - Balancing Applications to business school & general advice
• [26:25] - Finding the right school for you
• [28:30] - Getting the most out of grad school but knowing your intended industry
• [31:00] - Overview of the Financial Services Industry
• [35:45] - Why Financial Services companies love veterans
• [37:45] - What traits they most prize in veteran applicants
• [41:10] - Advice for someone who wants to enter Financial Services industry
• [44:05] - Biggest surprise in transitioning to civilian world