The Top MBA Employers in Texas
The Lone Star State, to many, offers a winning combination of nature and culture; business and pleasure. When it comes to contemporary art and live music, Houston, Austin, and Dallas give New York and Los Angeles a run for its money. With its abundant nature reserves, state parks, deserts, and beaches, Texas also offers plenty of bucolic settings to clear one’s head.
Continue reading…MBA Jobs in Texas
As this writer prepares your weekly MBA job digest, the weather has hovered around a brisk 35º F (1.6º C). Many of us who have grown accustomed to this kind of inclement weather try to occupy ourselves with daydreams of more easygoing locales with more hospitable climates. Texas isn’t a bad place to be in the middle of January.
Continue reading…The Top 5 Texas Salaries for MBA Grads
While many business hubs of the world lie in major cities like New York and Tokyo, plenty of opportunities lie elsewhere. Like Texas, for instance. This state is home to growing cities, such as Austin, Houston, and the Dallas-Fort Worth region, which saw the largest population growth than all U.S. cities. So why not consider these top MBA grad Texas salaries to see if it’s the place for you?
Continue reading…Top MBA Recruiters: Invesco
Founded in Atlanta in 1978, investment management firm Invesco has become a global leader in the field, with offices in 25 countries and over $11 billion in managed funds for its clients.
The firm, as of a July 2019, features around 8,000 employees. U.S. offices, in addition to the Atlanta headquarters, include Chicago, Dallas, Austin, Newport Beach, CA, Los Altos CA, Portland OR, Boston, and New York City.
MBAs with various levels of career experience contribute to the large talent pool from which Invesco hires. Here, we’ll break down the firm’s recruitment and hiring process, salary, and an overview of company culture.
Landing an Invesco Career
Invesco, like most global asset management firms of its size, has an in-house recruitment team that seeks graduate level students throughout the year. With an Early Career program for those just starting after their MBA studies, Invesco prides itself on grooming ‘future asset management leaders.’ Analyst roles are the most prevalent for recently graduated hires, and MBAs who possess previous work experience are obviously considered for commensurate positions.
An early career Properties Analyst in the Atlanta office says:
“What I like most about working at Invesco is the opportunities I’ve been given in my job. I’m a recent grad; at other companies I was just there and didn’t have a ton to do. Once I started my job at Invesco, I’ve had challenging assignments and so many interesting projects to work on – it’s really helped develop my skills and prepared me for my next role.”
The company’s website offers a talent network which enables applicants to obtain optimal job matches for their backgrounds. It prides itself upon honoring their applicants’ individual areas of expertise; each new hire is asked questions regarding the division in which they believe they would function best. MBAs are sought in all divisions, but a large number are hired in Finance & Accounting, Quantitative Analytics, Investment Services & Operations, Marketing & Product Management, and Sales.
Paysa reports that the most valued skills as Invesco are related to investments, with 39 percent of hires possessing this type of background. This is followed by experience in mutual funds (29 percent of hires); general management (29 percent), and asset management (27 percent).
As for interviews, Glassdoor data shows that 66 percent surveyed reported a positive experience. Around 39 percent of those who interviewed applied online, 19 percent were interviewed via referral, and 28 percent were recruited either on a campus or from another employer.
Invesco Career Compensation
New York City Invesco employees typically see the highest annual salaries ($132,000), according to Paysa. Boston follows in second ($129,000), then San Francisco ($126,000), Atlanta ($116,000), and Dallas-Fort Worth ($105,000). The overall base salary average at Invesco is $102,661. This includes a base salary of $70,000 in the 25th percentile and $125,000 in the 25th percentile.
Accountants in various departments start out closer to the lower percentile. Fund accountants, along with those that manage corporate accounts, make an average of $54,000 and a range of $48,000-68,000. Senior accountants bump up to a range of $62,000-73,000. Analysts working in equities average $95,000 on average, while financial reporting analysts bring in an average of $80,000. Portfolio administrators typically earn around $60,000.
Averages for management roles at Invesco include the following:
- Director – $109,000
- Program Manager – $119,000
- Project Lead – $108,000.
As for marketing roles, business analysts make $107,000 on average, Senior Business Analysts earn $116,000, and Marketing Managers earn $73,000, on average.
Invesco is in the top 300 highest paid finance companies according to Paysa, at 280th.
Life at Invesco
A July 2019 Indeed review on Invesco states, “Depending on the department, Invesco is a great company to work for. Some areas allow employees to work remote a few days a week and Friday’s and Monday’s are generally casual dress days. The work life balance is good in most departments and the benefits are okay. The health plan is way too expensive but it covers a lot. Most employees throughout the company are driven, intelligent and work hard because they really take pride in what they do and in the company as a whole.”
Another employee reports “great benefits and development opportunities,” and a veteran employee noted, “I worked at Invesco for 18 years so there were a lot of changes … Early morning and close of day were very busy. I had an excellent supervisor who was very supportive and made work a lot easier. Best company I ever worked for.”
Employees at the Atlanta Invesco headquarters, seen here, typically earn more than $100,000 annually.
The company boasts a “diverse and inclusive culture,” though it is reported to be made up of a 52 percent white, male identifying workforce. About 31 percent of employees are female identifying, while 20 percent did not disclose gender. Around 36 percent did not disclose ethnicity, but those who did were 7 percent Asian, 4 percent LatinX, and 1 percent African descent.
Invesco makes an effort to involve employees in charitable organizations, with volunteer events and giving opportunities. The company also prides itself on responsible investment, as stated in its 2018 Corporate Social Responsibility Report. The company offers competitive health coverage, parental leave, compensation for education and certifications, retirement planning and income protection. Like many of its peers, Invesco also offers compensation for gym memberships and wellness programs.
5 Questions with the SMU Cox Assistant Dean of Graduate Admissions
In our latest installment of the MetroMBA “5 Questions” series, we speak with John Roeder, Assistant Dean of Graduate Admissions at SMU’s Cox School of Business. He talks with us about inside details of the MBA program, pre-admissions tips, and the school’s beautiful campus.
Can you tell me something about the SMU MBA that I cannot learn unless I actually take part in the program?
“SMU Cox fosters a highly collaborative learning environment and connections to a network of 42,000-plus alumni around the world. From day one, SMU Cox MBA students join this community—a highly connected, active, and engaged group of students, alumni, and corporate partners that extend across the Dallas business community and beyond.”
What are you most excited about when it comes to the future of SMU Cox?
“The future of SMU Cox is bright and exciting. The Cox School is refreshing the curriculum, and infusing new elective courses into the MBA program to reflect the evolving needs of businesses today. Plus, we’re located in the heart of Dallas, a city on the rise! In fact, Forbes ranked Dallas the #1 best big city for jobs two years in a row.”
YOU MAY ALSO LIKE: Real Humans of the SMU Cox School of Business
What parts of the MBA program should more students know about before starting their graduate school career?
“Each year, applicants impress us with the high level of research they do on their own. Here are a few things we encourage students consider when searching for the right program fit.
- Research the curriculum: Is it flexible, customizable? SMU Cox offers four different paths to the MBA. Whether you pursue the degree as a full-time student or a part-time student, you have the flexibility to customize the coursework and choose electives to meet your needs.
- Explore experiential learning opportunities: There are incredible opportunities to gain technical knowledge and hands-on experience both inside and outside the classroom. At SMU Cox, all our MBAs have an opportunity to gain international business perspective through our Global Programs.
- Identify companies or industries where you have an interest in working: Research your target business school’s alumni presence and recruiting relationships with those companies. At SMU Cox, we have over 100 corporate partners and hiring companies actively engaged with our students.”
What do you think is the most important part of the pre-admissions process?
“A few things can really help a candidate stand out during the application process. At SMU Cox, we look for students who have demonstrated a drive for impact, both personally, and professionally. So, when building your application, take the time to sharpen your resume, and highlight quantifiable achievements. Leverage the essays to showcase your personality and motivations for pursuing the MBA. And finally, let us get to know you! Whether you join us at an information session, a coffee-chat, or simply set-up time to meet one-on-one with a member of our Admissions team, we’d like to get to know you personally.”
What is your favorite part of the SMU campus?
“One of the best aspects of our beautiful, tree-lined campus is its proximity to downtown Dallas. Our campus is located just miles from corporate headquarters, a flourishing art and museum district, a world-class sports arena that houses our local NBA and NHL teams, acres of outdoor parks and trails, and sits walking distance from both locally-owned and nationally acclaimed restaurants.”
The Professional Grounds Management Society has previously awarded SMU the prestigious Grand Award for its picturesque campus / Photo via smu.edu
Click here for more information on admissions at the SMU Cox School of Business.
Real Humans of the SMU Cox School of Business
After 100 years, one can expect a few changes.
The Southern Methodist University Cox School of Business, nearing it’s centennial celebration, is a perfect test-case for how much change can mean. Founded in 1920 as the Department of Commerce, the Dallas metro business school has gently evolved from a modern Methodist research beacon into one of the most transformative schools in Texas.
With over 11,000 students at SMU, including 5,170 graduate students, the Cox School of Business hosts nearly 600 MBAs in its various programs. For any Cox student, one of the definitive advantages of the business school is the advantageous proximity to Dallas’ thriving business community. Ten companies in the metro land within the Fortune 500 ranking. Among the group, four companies—Exxon Mobil, AT&T, Energy Transfer Equity, and American Airlines Group—land in the top 100, with two in the top ten. With high national regard, including a top 50 ranking for the school in U.S. News & World Report, plus the bevy of major companies as neighbors, these factors can seem overwhelmingly beneficial to a successful career.
When talking with members of the SMU Cox School of Business Professional MBA class, however, the allure of the program went beyond the obvious career benefits that Dallas can offer. For any well-regarded business school, the makeup of the class can seem familiar. The average GMAT for the PMBA Class of 2019 is 613. The GPA is 3.3. Most of the group has about five years of prior professional experience before enrollment. But just going off the bare statistics hardly tells the entire story.
To get a greater understanding of the SMU Cox School of Business Professional MBA class, we spoke with several current students, including a self-described “Army Brat,” a former law school student, and a consultant originally from Kathmandu, along with a handful of other future grads. Read on to see their stories and what the future may hold for life after an MBA.
