Accepting my non-IB SA-to-FT offer - help?

Alright, I'm stuck and need your wisdom, WSO.

I did an non-IB SA stint at a BB this summer and got the FT offer, but they gave me a really tight deadline on it. I figured I better take it because I probably wouldn't get anything better; realistically, I'm a non-target with a sub-3.5 GPA, and very little leverage. I accepted, with no big regrets, because it was a pretty solid offer and at least I'm not graduating unemployed.

But, I randomly dropped a resume with a strong MM firm's IB team, and by some miracle, got a first round interview. Got through it and got asked back for a 2nd round. I haven't had the 2nd round yet, but if it goes well and I do get an offer...now what?

I'm not that worried about reneging with the BB. It's a little jerk-ish, but they can find someone else, and it's only September, so they'd have plenty of recruiting time. The real question is, do you guys think it would be better to start at a strong MM firm doing IB, then lateral to BB IB, or would it be better to start off at a BB, doing non-IB, and then try to move internally?

 

not quite as good as jefferies, think more midwest. my long-term goal is to do cross-border m&a, because i think the work is interesting, lucrative, and i speak a second language. normally, my knee-jerk would be to go for the IB experience, because if you want to go IB, then starting in IB would be the best bet, right? but, i don't know how well a mm firm would position me to do any work internationally. this place has a few international outposts (maybe something like 5 offices?) but obviously, no where near the presence of a BB. which is why i'm kind of torn.

 
Best Response
misscurious:

not quite as good as jefferies, think more midwest. my long-term goal is to do cross-border m&a, because i think the work is interesting, lucrative, and i speak a second language. normally, my knee-jerk would be to go for the IB experience, because if you want to go IB, then starting in IB would be the best bet, right? but, i don't know how well a mm firm would position me to do any work internationally. this place has a few international outposts (maybe something like 5 offices?) but obviously, no where near the presence of a BB. which is why i'm kind of torn.

as long it's not like a 5 person boutique slnging $10 million private placements, i'd take that over commercial banking anyday.
 

rofl, no, not that bad. the way i'm looking at it, it'd probably be better to get the ib exposure and try to lateral from there into like, JPM M&A (pretty much where I want to work), because i'm pretty sure moving internally can be a royal pain, regardless of how hr tries to spin the organization as being "flat" and "mobile."

thanks for the advice!

 

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