Against All Odds
I joined WSO a bit over a year ago during my junior year where I had no idea about the banking industry/networking/interviews/etc. While the industry appealed to me it seemed that I was vastly outnumbered in experience, GPA, credentials etc. However, with the help of individuals on the board who still continue to help me to this day such as: monty, anthony, compbanker, gekko, captk etc. (If any of you don't know who I am I've changed usernames quite some times), I was able to obtain a spot in a mid-tier bank within the 2011 IB analyst class.
A bit more about myself
Non-Target (I know of one other person with an FO IB offer from my school)
3.4 GPA / 100th in class
PWM Internship / Capital Markets Internship
I'm not going to lie, I often had thoughts of giving up as I wasn't even able to obtain middle office on campus interviews and often disregarded as a candidate due to my GPA / experience. However, perseverance, hard work, and great help here on WSO has allowed me to achieve my goal. I guarantee that I would have had ZERO chance without the WSO community, so for those that are prospective monkeys, I suggest reaching out to those on these forums for advice and help.
For some advice to those who are in positions similar to mine a year ago.
1. Network (I sent about 50-100 cold emails a week with great results) My school had no updated alumni book so I randomly found people through linked in (Not sure if this is still possible.)
2. Target MM firms, individuals within IB rather than recruiters.
3. Buy the interview guides above, helped with every single question (The $60 is the best money I've ever spent)
4. Don't be afraid to ask others for advice, people on these boards are generally kind enough to pass some on because they have been in your shoes in the past.
5. PERSONALIZE emails. Dont BCC everyone. Change the heading name, and company. The rest can be copied. (i.e I noticed that you are at _____ within Investment banking)
6. NEVER give up. Don't feel disappointed because others around you have secured FT offers and such. With the right phone call, with that one golden email, you may get your foot in the door.
I know that this post may not speak to many of you on these forums which come from more distinguished schools and such but I hope to speak to those that come to these forums with big dreams and perseverance, rather than pedigree and experience.
Thank you WSO.
I can't believe I'm so excited to work 100 hours a week.





Ok, this gets a SB because 1.
Ok, this gets a SB because
1. You dropped my name (happy to help).
2. This post speaks to all readers and is more than the average "I got an offer, thanks" post.
Congrats.
"Greed, in all of its forms; greed for life, for money, for love, for knowledge has marked the upward surge of mankind. And greed, you mark my words, will not only save Teldar Paper, but that other malfunctioning corporation called the USA."
Ruuuudy, Ruuudy.. Congrats
Ruuuudy, Ruuudy..
Congrats man, don't forget to pay it forward.
Congrats! Would you mind
Congrats! Would you mind sharing how exactly you were going about networking and sending your cold emails? Were your cold "netowkring" emails asking for positions at boutiques/MMs, or do you mean you were networking during junior year to try and build contacts for FT recruitment?
And were you just sending them to 50-100 random people a week?...b/c I haven't been able to build ANY relationships w/o first having some kind of commonality or via referral...
Congrats! Not sure what I
Congrats! Not sure what I did, but happy to be of help!
CompBanker
Congrats. Breaking in really
Congrats. Breaking in really is a war of attrition. Glad to see you did not give up!
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I needed to read this today.
I needed to read this today.
Great advice. How long of a
Great advice.
How long of a time period did you send those 50-100 cold-emails a week for?
Congrats man - way to keep
Congrats man - way to keep plugging and break down walls. Glad I could help out. Thanks also for posting a bit more in depth "I got an offer" thread with tips for other monkeys. Silver banana from me as well.
- Capt K -
"Prestige is like a powerful magnet that warps even your beliefs about what you enjoy. If you want to make ambitious people waste their time on errands, bait the hook with prestige." - Paul Graham
I sent my cold emails
I sent my cold emails EXTREMELY late, as in started in sept until oct of this year (senior year)
Looking back, I should have started sending them over the summer during my summer internship or late junior year.By that time, many banks were closing their doors and got luck enough to sneak into one.
However, I have still been getting good feedback from smaller MM firms that recruit more off cycle & close up later.
As for the format, I followed one similar to the one on the boards. Rather than looking for a job I basically asked for an informational talk for a few minutes, and at the end 80% wanted to see a resume.
Congrats OP! I found this
Congrats OP! I found this post truly inspiring.
Can you give us some insight into:
1) How you found the people you reached out to?
2) What kind of questions you were asking them during the informational interview?
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yeah, getting under way
yeah, getting under way myself for the long battle to lateral from corp fin. this was a good inspirational read.
congrats
Congratulations! I too have
Congratulations! I too have been trying to break in and have fought my way in to a MM IB in Boston. I am from a local non-target, average GPA, but have exceptional work experience. My placement here was a result of 2 years of grinding away moving from PWM to a small IB startup, now I perform standard IB intern tasks here at the MM IB and have secured a position as the first intern working with their newly created VC fund. I'm now trying to make the move into NY and have begun my rounds of cold emails.
How exactly did you secure a distribution list?
How did you get contacts in ancillary departments to connect you with recruiters/analysts in the IB division?
I am currently a junior and hope to have your success securing a summer analyst position/FT 2012 offer.
"You Want details? Fine. I drive a Ferrari, 355 Cabriolet, What's up? I have a ridiculous house in the South Fork. I have every toy you could possibly imagine. And best of all kids, I am liquid."
Congratulations, I'm
Congratulations,
I'm currently going through the same thing as I am working on breaking into asset management or equity research after a brief stint in the back office. Being from a non target is a tough obstacle, but its not unsurpassable.
Congrats! And you also put
Congrats! And you also put some good advice in your post, thanks for that.
Congrads dude, you've
Congrads dude, you've accomplished something that very few have the potential to accomplish!
first of all all "non
New Yorker wrote: first of
"Greed, in all of its forms; greed for life, for money, for love, for knowledge has marked the upward surge of mankind. And greed, you mark my words, will not only save Teldar Paper, but that other malfunctioning corporation called the USA."
im not criticizing anyone
New Yorker wrote: im not
Is Bentley University
"You Want details? Fine. I drive a Ferrari, 355 Cabriolet, What's up? I have a ridiculous house in the South Fork. I have every toy you could possibly imagine. And best of all kids, I am liquid."
Non-Target (at least
Congrats all around - I love
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Good stuff guys!
Good stuff!! lets keep WSO
Thank you for posting this.
To the OP: congrats on doing
"Oh the ladies ever tell you that you look like a fucking optical illusion" - Frank Slaughtery 25th Hour.