Please Help: 8 Months Unemployed

Ouch, that's rough. I had a crappy gpa and was a non-target. What region are you in?

I feel like you should continue networking, apply online, and follow-up with recruiters....might as well.

Have you broadened your search to other roles/industries? Are you open to relocation anywhere?

Work a sales job or something - don't just have an employment gap - outwork and outsell everyone else and keep networking. If you are networking and working 80+ hours a week, the hard work will eventually pay off.

why not look for jobs within sales? just as a starter. get your feet wet.

You have excellent prospects. Odds are you are dropping the ball or might not be aware of opportunities. Just remember BB IB only takes in fractions of a percent at any given target school, so you may just be barking up the wrong tree so to speak. Which doesn't mean that is out of reach in your current position or down the line, especially if you get an MBA in a few years.

If I was you, I'd investigate each of those topics in the search bar and comb through the posts about following up, networking, email templates, anything really. There is a ton of information on posts that go back years where insightful posters have long since left WSO. Also start hitting your career services hard, maybe look at a recruiter if need be.

Hmmn, did you go to Wharton? that's the only target I know with an actual Finance program.

If you didn't go to Wharton, then there's a possibility that you think your uni is more of a target than it really is.

Most importantly, I see no mention of an internship so not only are unemployed from your "target", you didn't get an internship.

Add in the vault guide references, I guess you are shooting for jobs that you won't get (IB, SnT, etc).

My guess is you have to reset your expectations and just get a "job". Leverage your self proclaimed big network and get referrals that way rather online which is a bad option at this point.

Is it that you're not getting any interviews or you're having problems sealing the deal during the interview stage?

working a less prestigious job is better than having a resume gap. Even if you were working in ops, these 8 months could have counted torward a slow climb etc.

I see kids on this forum suggest delaying graduation or holding out for a better job. Those are generally dumb unless you're a borderline case because you're not just delaying your career, you're delaying your life. Your friends aren't necessarily gonna wait for you and you can lose a lot more in 8 months besides just time.

8 months no job and u still have a computer? u r loaded bro, i wouldnt worry. jobs are for losers anyhoo

If it's any consolation to you, I was in similar - if not worse - situation shortly after graduating. A bunch of newly-minted college students and guys already in industry may not be the best avenue for guidance (I'm not saying that EVERYONE won't be able to give worthwhile advice, but, for example, look at the clearly value-added points by some of the guys above).

My point is that while it may not seem like, you may actually be doing what you need to do. Keep networking - don't stop. Keep working on your interview skills if that's where you see you have a gap. One piece of advice I recommend to you is that don't place yourself out of an application due to "prestige". Get in SOMEWHERE and start building experience. It doesn't mean that you can't keep trying to get into IB, but get in somewhere, kill it (earn your keep, even if you plan on moving), and keep moving forward. You've got a strong enough background where you'll get there.

It may FEEL hopeless, but it's not. Just don't give up.

In a similar boat I guess. I got 4 years of work experience, but recently moved countries back to my native country after 4 years working abroad. 6 months unemployed, and I will probably have to opportunity to talk a BA role in the back office of a decent back.

Best to take it, or to hold out for that front office role with transaction experience I have been working hard to get? (CFA, financial modelling courses, etc)

I know a guy who, for 3 months straight, called Goldman Sachs, EVERY SINGLE DAY, until he was finally offered an interview for an Analyst position. He's now running a billion dollar hedge fund. Just saying, if you truly, truly want something, never stop reaching for it and bettering yourself in every way possible to achieve that goal.

I understand your pain. Have you considered doing an internship/any other job on the side?

What are you looking for specifically?

Another good thing to do while you're looking is polish up your skill set using online training to show interviewers that you're active and serious about it.

Take an online Excel training course for financial modeling (like the one here on WSO or BIWS), or try out some coding.

I think there is something wrong with your location -or- your expecations, because it is not possible not to land anything in close proximity to places like New York, SF, Chicago and so on (goes for London & Frankfurt in Europe).

How about foreign language skills? There are places in this world that would kill to get people with your skills, if you happen to communicate at least at the basic level of their native tongue (Japan, to point just one for now).

Career services.

At this point it sounds like regardless of what your past experience/qualifications, you need to go into resume-repair mode. Step 1 is getting ANY type of employment, really. From the sounds of it, if you got a temp BO or MO position, or even something in another parallel-role, you would be well positioned to try to make a move for an off-cycle position in 3-6 months. Also, if your family will support it or you have the means, perhaps take a modeling class to keep your skills honed and show initiative (live or online).

At the end of the day, yes you were involved in clubs, yes you have a network, and yes you went to a good school. Remember - there are hundreds out there with a BETTER GPA from the same/better level school fighting for the same jobs. That interned during undergrad at BB's. And have better networks.

To get the jobs you want, you are going to have to out-interview the 4.0, prior experience, perfect SAT candidates from targets. And any other competition. Be honest with yourself - if you can't do that now (and that's not to say you can't get yourself there), you should focus on a role that will position you to make a move to where you want to be (e.g. Front Office IB) after 1-2 years. Keep your chin up, be honest with yourself on where you are in the eyes of the job market/competition (this may not align with your perceptions), and then figure out measurable steps to get you where you want to be. Cheers buddy.

I feel your pain man. I was unemployed for a year after graduation from a top target in the US. International student and stayed on my student Visa until that expired at the end of last summer. I had a few months as a research assistant but otherwise it was really discouraging. A lot of places don't want even want to bother with unpaid since there are still implicit costs. I wasn't even focusing on some elusive off-cycle BB IBD dream - focused on smaller firms or jobs related to my internships where I could at least leverage something (after coming home). My interviews would come in spurts and I'd come close, but it's tough when a place is only hiring one person and they have their pick of more experienced candidates.

The stupid thing is that for all the networking I was doing back home, I ultimately got the job from a resume drop on my school career site. So I don't even have great advice for you. Just keep at it and find something to keep yourself busy and sane.

if you think you're doing something wrong, ask. if you were rejected after an interview ask what you could improve upon etc

Let be real here, you got better prospects than 70%-80% of people on this board. You got great school name, good grade and solid activities. Adding to that you know networking is the key. I think the main problems here are that you expect too much from those "connections" and apply for the same function over and over again. Sometimes man, you got to realize that it simply doesn't click and move on... I was very passionate about one sector of finance. I can talk for hours about it and also network a lot. In the end, it doesn't even mater a bit. I randomly landed another job in another sector. It has been a while now but when I look back, I think it was probably for the best.

As others have said, you need to find something for that resume gap. Anything finance related is ok. Off-cycle internships are probably your best bets. The key now is don't stop searching and networking. I think it is the most important skill any finance person need to have

I'd pretty much say what everyone else has already said. Basically you should be in good shape. 3.5 from a target means that unless you're really fucking weird or are just terrible at communicating, which is causing you to bomb interviews. The good news is that recruiting season is upon us so opportunities should be coming up. Hit your alumni network hard and get someone from career services to help you. If you're actually at a target, they should have plenty of info about jobs.

As many people have said, you should be working doing something. Theres as alumni from our school who comes and talks every year. He graduated in the 80s and couldn't find a job. Worked in construction for 2 years before getting a back office job at a small bank in the NE--> spent a year there, got promoted-->spent one more year, jumped to goldman--> 1 year at goldman--> HBS--> has been at MBB for 15 years and is a partner. Sure that story is anecdotal, but sometimes people who should be successful get passed up for one reason or another. Get your ass out there and make sure it isn't you.

Good advice on here. @archervice is spot on.

You probably shouldn't call someone everyday for 3 months. It worked for Bud Fox but that was a movie. Persistence is good but that's too much

Honestly, start looking for non IB jobs. I'd naturally say sales but if you're not nailing interviews for whatever reason, sales may be tough. What are your strong points? Determine those and figure what would be your best options to not only land a role but be successful in it. Anyone with good bullshit skills can get a job, and should have been in sales anyway, but you need to perform well to make that position actually lead to anything.

Feel free to PM me - I was unemployed for 1+ year (from a target) and recently landed a role at a F500 company. Summary advice: lower expectations and take whatever you can get. The harsh reality is the more unemployed you are the lower you will have to go in terms of job quality. It sucks but its the truth.

Do something. I took a dam stupid sales jobs (actually 2) right out of college and had no employment gaps. I went up the latter and built a resume. When I recently got my stint at a BB bank I had something to brag about on my resume.

I also faced unemployment right after graduation (graduated in econ, and I was aiming for think-tanks and research roles). It lasted 8 months. After 3 months out of work, I started taking evening classes in finance to avoid a gap on my cv, to build new skills and to fight depression. I managed to land a summer internship at an AM BB, a position at a big 4 this fall, and I passed the CFA level 1 recently.

Moral to the story: keep at it, keep grinding (I applied 350+ times during my job search, I didn't go to a target school, and I didn't have a stellar GPA neither), it'll eventually pay off, even if it seems pointless at the moment. Also, be flexible. Don't let WSO (or anybody for that matter) discourage you. Your first job might not be what you wanted initially, but this is not that bad. It'll help you grow, it'll expand your knowledge/skills/horizons, and you will have time to plan your future opportunities later on. Your (first) job will not define you, unless you let it.

Sign up to WSO's interview and resume service. They will work with you. GodSpeed

Thank you guys so so much-I'm posting from a different user account. But I'm still looking and I want everyone to kow I really appreciate the advice/encouragement.