At What Point to Give UP?
So I have been searching for an IB, Consulting, Strategy & Dev, Corp Finance, FP&A position for the better half of two years now. Its been really tough sledding for me since I didn't know any better and took a back office role at a big bank (took this job when the job market was crapping out, so I took what I could get). I had actually planned on doing advertising when I graduated (had internship in advertising, no finance but double majored in finance and marketing)
Lately, I have been getting some interviews. I've had 3 in the past two months. One for a Strategy & Development for a large manufacturing firm, a structured finance position within the advisory group of a big 4, and lately an analyst position with a boutique IB. I felt like I nailed two of the three of those and have been extremely let down by them passing on me.
I'm rounding out on 3 years stuck in back office hell and not really sure where to go from here. I was thinking about going back to B School, but I'm not too sure how they will look upon my experience. I'm quickly getting too experienced for analyst roles and internships.
I was wondering if WSO had any ideas of any positions or career advice to go from here. I feel like my career is in schambles right now because I took the first job that offered out of college in a down market.
Thanks





Where is Jimmy Valvano when
Where is Jimmy Valvano when you need him
You should never really give
You should never really give up, just do something on the side that pays the bills (like your current job) until you're able to get something you like.
Regarding biz school, I read an article that was posted here a little while ago that discusses how the adcoms like to see people who have done ordinary jobs in an extraordinary manner...so you shouldn't count yourself out. And since you're working BO, must mean you have nights & weekends free, so use that time very wisely to buld a good story.
Don't give up, ever.
Don't give up, ever.
Buster McGillicudy
Where is Jimmy Valvano when you need him
haha seriously, when I hear that guy today it still gives me a shiver...awesome stuff
When you die.
When you die.
Valor is of no service, chance rules all, and the bravest often fall by the hands of cowards. - Tacitus
Dr. Nick Riviera: Hey, don't worry. You don't have to make up stories here. Save that for court!
El_Mono wrote: When you
When you die.
That's the mentality.
See my WSO Blog
You never give up, but you
You never give up, but you have a Plan A, Plan B, etc lined up. At some point, you start devoting more energy to Plan B, Plan C, etc and less to Plan A.
Life is a game of Manhattan Paths. If a light doesn't change for you right now, you can always go in the perpendicular direction and make progress.
Work hard, play hard.
I was in a similar position
I was in a similar position but with a much shittier job. I was working for the Local government making absolute dogshit money ($15.61/hr to be exact) and I had many days when I felt that I was never going to get another job. I had a few interviews with I banks and some other firms and felt I did well but nothing ever panned out. Finally, two weeks ago I accepted an offer with a boutique consulting firm. While not my ideal position it certainly beats the hell out of what I was doing.
Bottom line: Never stop believing. The only way you won't be able to leave your current job is if you up hope and quit trying to get another job. I know it sucks now but giving up will only solidify your position in the back office. Don't let your age or anyone else hold you back from doing what you want to do.
MP80 wrote: I was in a
I was in a similar position but with a much shittier job. I was working for the Local government making absolute dogshit money ($15.61/hr to be exact) and I had many days when I felt that I was never going to get another job. I had a few interviews with I banks and some other firms and felt I did well but nothing ever panned out. Finally, two weeks ago I accepted an offer with a boutique consulting firm. While not my ideal position it certainly beats the hell out of what I was doing.
Bottom line: Never stop believing. The only way you won't be able to leave your current job is if you up hope and quit trying to get another job. I know it sucks now but giving up will only solidify your position in the back office. Don't let your age or anyone else hold you back from doing what you want to do.
Thanks, I felt like in my last IB interview I did pretty well too. I nailed all the tech questions and felt like I really got along with the 10 + people I met. Do you guys have any suggestions as to any other fields I may need to look into? Fields that maybe a little easier to break into?
My networking is starting to dry up, but at the end of the day I just need to keep going.
When I feel like giving up, I
When I feel like giving up, I stop feeling like that and be awesome instead.
True story.
I was going to preface that with something insightful, but it has all been said.
Time is the most important commodity. Use it wisely.
- Bulls make money. Bears make money. Pigs get slaughtered.
- The harder you work, the luckier you become.
- I believe in the "Golden Rule": the man with the gold rules.
BankerC159 One thing that I
BankerC159
One thing that I think helped me a lot throughout my search was I put less and less importance on each interview. At the beginning of my search I would get really excited and do all the things they tell you to do: read the guides, look at the website, etc. etc. I think placing the extra emphasis on it didn't allow me to really come through as myself in the interview and ultimately led me to getting rejected an awful lot after the phone interview/2nd round interview. I noticed when I loosened up and let my personality come through I was able to get a lot more final round interviews and I finally got an offer after searching for the better part of 2 years. Believe me I know it sucks. Feel free to PM me if you want to discuss further.
"Do not let your fire go out,
"Do not let your fire go out, spark by irreplacable spark. In the hopeless swamps of the not quite, the not yet, and the not at all, do not let the hero in your soul perish and leave only frustration for the life you deserved, but never have been able to reach. The world you desire can be won, it exists, it is real, it is possible, it is yours."
Hang in there bro, you'll get there.
People like Coldplay and voted for the Nazis, you can't trust people Jeremy
some of the best senior
some of the best senior bankers I know couldnt make the street before they eventually got in
keep your head up and keep going
its a marathon not a race
MP80 wrote: BankerC159 One
BankerC159
One thing that I think helped me a lot throughout my search was I put less and less importance on each interview. At the beginning of my search I would get really excited and do all the things they tell you to do: read the guides, look at the website, etc. etc. I think placing the extra emphasis on it didn't allow me to really come through as myself in the interview and ultimately led me to getting rejected an awful lot after the phone interview/2nd round interview. I noticed when I loosened up and let my personality come through I was able to get a lot more final round interviews and I finally got an offer after searching for the better part of 2 years. Believe me I know it sucks. Feel free to PM me if you want to discuss further.
Thanks guys for all the helpful insight and support. I feel like this almost describes me to a tee. I prepare quite a bit for these interviews and I seem to get overly anxious, almost living and dying by every interview. I think my mentality is that these interviews are hard to come by (especially in this job market and my background) and really beat myself up after missing out on a golden opportunity.
I think my job search strategy is going to have to change and try to find positions that have transferable skills that I can take into B School.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HuoVM9nm42E
skip to 9:20
Ske7ch wrote: When I feel
See my WSO Blog
There are 4 of big 4. If you
metalmoses wrote: some of the
DontMakeMeShortYou wrote: Ayn
People like Coldplay and voted for the Nazis, you can't trust people Jeremy
When to give up? NEVER! Dude,
don't sweat it, sometimes the
Yeah just building on what I
I was in the same position as
You might not like your
Oui!oui!oui! Money Gives Power, Power Buys Positions
Never give up. Just take
For my aspiring Entrepreneurial Nomads, check out my blog.
Never give up, never
I'm in a similar situation
Jorgé wrote: "Do not let your
Jorgé wrote: "Do not let your
For my aspiring Entrepreneurial Nomads, check out my blog.
econ wrote: That's an Ayn
Work hard, play hard.
IlliniProgrammer wrote: econ
For my aspiring Entrepreneurial Nomads, check out my blog.
I'm in a very similar
Financial Modeling Training
Guide to Finance Interviews
econ wrote: Jorgé wrote: "Do
Jorgé wrote: "Do not let your
Gambler Daily
well while it is nice and
Well, if you want to do IBD,
Work hard, play hard.
I almost feel like giving up
runthetown wrote: I almost
Work hard, play hard.
IlliniProgrammer wrote: Well,
For my aspiring Entrepreneurial Nomads, check out my blog.
econ wrote: How doable is it
Work hard, play hard.
Thanks guys for all your
Congratulations!
Jimmy V would be proud!
Mezz wrote: You should never
I graduated in 08 and worked
Financial Modeling Training
Guide to Finance Interviews
GoodBread wrote: I graduated
For my aspiring Entrepreneurial Nomads, check out my blog.
econ wrote: GoodBread
Never, ever give up. MSc
My long-term goal isn't IB,
Financial Modeling Training
Guide to Finance Interviews