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Corporate Finance

If you’re highly analytical, enjoy solving complex problems with data, and are fascinated by understanding the financial pulse of an organization, Corporate Finance is an excellent fit. This field attracts individuals who are detail-oriented, ethical, organized, and driven to turn financial insights into business success.

The Basics

Corporate Finance is all about managing an organization’s money to achieve its goals. It focuses on how companies raise capital, invest in growth, manage cash flow, and handle financial risks.

Key Roles You’ll Find:

  • Financial Analyst: Digs into financial data, forecasts trends, and supports big investment or budgeting decisions.
  • Financial Planning & Analysis (FP&A) Analyst: Works on budgeting, forecasting, and strategic planning to guide management.
  • Treasurer: Manages the company’s cash, investments, and banking relationships.
  • Corporate Development Analyst: Gets involved in mergers, acquisitions, and strategic partnerships.
  • CFO (Chief Financial Officer): A top executive role overseeing all financial aspects of the company.
Where You Can Work

Corporate Finance professionals are essential in virtually every sector! You’ll find them in:

Consulting Firms: Advising companies on financial strategy and risk.

Any Public or Private Company: From tech giants to manufacturing firms, retail chains, and healthcare providers, every business needs finance expertise.

Financial Services: While distinct from direct banking roles, banks, investment firms, and insurance companies all have their own corporate finance departments.

Non-profit Organizations & Government Agencies: Managing budgets and financial oversight for public good.

Why Corporate Finance?

A career in Corporate Finance offers a stable and continuously evolving path at the heart of business operations. You’ll gain a deep understanding of how organizations run, contribute directly to strategic decision-making, and develop highly transferable analytical and problem-solving skills. It provides clear career progression, competitive compensation, and the satisfaction of driving value creation for your company. If you’re looking for a career that combines intellectual rigor with practical business impact, this is a foundational and influential choice.

Preparation

To prepare for a career in Corporate Finance, a bachelor’s degree in Finance, Economics, Business Administration, or a related quantitative field is typical.

Key steps to consider:

  • Strong Academic Foundation: Excel in coursework like corporate finance, economics, statistics, and financial modeling.
  • Technical Skills: Become highly proficient in Microsoft Excel (advanced functions, financial modeling) and learn about data visualization tools.
  • Certifications: The CFA (Chartered Financial Analyst) designation is highly valued for many finance roles.
  • Internships: Secure internships in corporate finance departments to gain invaluable real-world experience.
  • Develop Key Skills: Practice analyzing financial statements, interpreting data, and clearly communicating complex financial information to others. Understanding ethical principles is also paramount.
Your Major & Finance Careers

Thinking about your future career can bring up a lot of questions, especially about how your chosen major fits in. At Wake Forest, we have compelling evidence that shows a direct major-to-career path isn’t the only route – your undergraduate focus truly doesn’t predetermine your entire professional journey.

Our data shows that Wake Forest students entering the finance field come from an incredibly diverse range of academic backgrounds. While you’d expect to see majors like Finance, Accountancy, and Business & Enterprise Management strongly represented, we also find graduates from History, Psychology, Philosophy, and even Classical Studies thriving in finance roles. This highlights a crucial point: employers value critical thinking, quantitative reasoning, problem-solving, and adaptable skills—abilities you develop across all disciplines.

Career Readiness

  • Meet with a career coach: Schedule an appointment with a career coach at the OPCD for personalized guidance on:
    • Resumes & cover letters
    • Major or career exploration
    • Internship and job search strategies,
    • Networking techniques,
    • Interview preparation,
    • Job offer evaluation and negotiation
    • Navigating graduate or professional school applications
  • Quick questions: For quick questions, drop in Mon-Thu from 1:30 to 4:30.
  • Wake Your Resume:
    Attend our Wake Your Resume workshops on Wednesdays in the OPCD during the academic year. Search for a session and register on Handshake.

Events & Opportunities

Other Resources

Career Readiness Roadmap

Certifications:

Important: You do not have to be a School of Business student or a Finance major to pursue a career in Finance or to have access to Wake Forest University finance resources.

School of Business Finance Resources