From Front Line to Front Office

I was originally going to write my long success story, but instead I’ll keep this brief and point out some key things that I believe aspiring monkeys should know. I am in no ways an expert on breaking in, but believe I can at least provide a bit of direction. Quick background: Marine Corps background, Non-Target Accounting major, official bad ass.

Deadlines: For something so basic, this nearly destroyed my chances at investment banking. After an absurd amount of networking, I almost missed the deadlines with a few bulge bracket and middle market investment banks. However, I was fortunate enough to secure a premier middle market investment bank due to one more opening. My point is to know when certain deadlines are due for resumes drops, interviews, etc. you can find them on some bank’s website or around here.

Networking: This has been touched on 1,000 times and I still don’t believe that it is enough. I was fortunate enough to have a large network of military veterans in investment banking. Networking can trump anything, low GPA, non-target school, rape charges, or anything else I can think of. If done properly, networking can be very effective. Look up how-to's here or on Mergers and Inquisitions about how to cold call, cold email, and ask to meet up for a drink or lunch. Create a spreadsheet on excel and write down names, banks, contact info, dates you talked, and notes about each individual. This is definitely a numbers game, so reach out to as many people as you can.

Skills: If/Once you’re fortunate enough to get an interview; you have to know your shit. The technical guides from WSO, BIWS, and Vault guides are great for this purpose. When it comes to hearing what interviews are about, I strongly suggest reading Marcellus_Halberstrom’s UG Recruiting Part I, II, and III. Know why you want investment banking, S&T, research, or whatever it is. Also, know why you want to do it at the specific bank. Once I had a convincing story, I was getting much more interest from interviewers.

Attitude: I’m probably the last person on earth that would believe in karma, but having a good outlook and being a great person can go a long way. I was at a Veterans On Wall Street affair and after the entire event of no luck I decided to leave. While leaving I held the door open for a woman who just happened to be a fuckin’ BAUS at her investment bank. She got me in touch with people and later got me an interview at her bank...just for holding a door open. My point is be a good person with a great outlook and maybe people will want to surround themselves around you.

Work hard: Nothing comes easy. I reached out to easily 35+ people and I’m on the lower end of some other candidates. This is a pure numbers game. If you try hard enough, you’ll eventually get in. Do not accept defeat and you’ll go far in life.

I know everything here has been discussed over and over, but they work and they helped me. Network, familiarize yourself with the technical skills / knowledge, have a great attitude, and work hard. If you’re a veteran I’ll be more than happy to field any questions you have, but keep in mind I’m still a newb in this game. If you're not a veteran, quit being a pussy.

Good luck to all of you.

TL;DR – Network.

 

Congrats pal, you earned it.

Disagree on the rape charges thing, Febreeze is still unemployed.

Under my tutelage, you will grow from boys to men. From men into gladiators. And from gladiators into SWANSONS.
 
M Friedman:
Congrats,

Are you still enlisted? If so how did you get around your once a month training and/or future deployments in the interview?

I've been out for about a year and a half. I doubt that I'll get recalled and it never came up in the interviews.

I think that we are all clinging to a great many piano tops...
 
JamesHetfield:
Semper Fi and thank you for serving.

Congratulations. Did you enlist after graduating? Why did you not go the officer route? What was your MOS? Will you be an analyst?

Appreciate the support. I enlisted immediately after high school. I was in the Delayed Entry Program for a bit until a spot opened up for bootcamp. I didn't go the officer route, because after 9/11 I was trying to get in as quick as possible. I went into the infantry as 03 option (03XX), but after school of infantry went to be a 0331 (Machine Gunner). I'll be a Summer Analyst intern.

I think that we are all clinging to a great many piano tops...
 

If this is tl;dr for you, let me paint a picture of ekim for you.

"damn that girl's skirt is shorter than.."

"huh? what?"

"... Oh wouldn't you like to know...."

I don't accept sacrifices and I don't make them. ... If ever the pleasure of one has to be bought by the pain of the other, there better be no trade at all. A trade by which one gains and the other loses is a fraud.
 

rah brother. i was an assaultman 0351 with 1 5.. back on civi side and currently a junior at a non target. doing exactly what you're doing to try and land myself an interview. best of luck with all your future endeavors..

"death is nothing, but to live defeated is to die everyday" ~Napolean Bonaparte
 

I didn't realize Marines knew how to use computers.

Edit: I was obviously joking. You people need to chill the fuck out.

If I had asked people what they wanted, they would have said faster horses - Henry Ford
 

Congrats man, and good luck!

however:

ekimlacks:
If you're not a veteran, quit being a pussy.
???

I'm not a veteran so I'll forward the words of the Marines I know personally: "You're a Marine, dammit, you know better than that."

Get busy living
 
UFOinsider:
Congrats man, and good luck!

however:

ekimlacks:
If you're not a veteran, quit being a pussy.
???

I'm not a veteran so I'll forward the words of the Marines I know personally: "You're a Marine, dammit, you know better than that."

Only joking. I could care less if someone serves or not.

I think that we are all clinging to a great many piano tops...
 
Best Response

That is awesome man, great to hear that you pulled down an offer. The buck don't stop though, as I'm sure you know, keep up the networking! And, more importantly, thanks for you service man. We all appreciate it (well, all of us Americans at least haha).

ekimlacks:
Attitude: I’m probably the last person on earth that would believe in karma, but having a good outlook and being a great person can go a long way.

Actually karma is pretty logical: -If you wake up and you're pissed off, but make yourself be happy, the world just got 1/7,000,000,000th happier. Everyone does it, everyone's happier. -If you treat the people that are always around you well, they're going to treat you well. -If you treat random people well, usually they will respond in kind. There are exceptions, but those exceptions aren't worth your time. -And obviously the opposite true, go around acting like a douchebag and people will treat you like one. You fuck someone over in your office, people will know and be defensive around you, and at some point someone is going to make a preemptive strike against you and uberassfuck your career.

Sorry, got sidetracked, glad to hear the good news ekim!

"You stop being an asshole when it sucks to be you." -IlliniProgrammer "Your grammar made me wish I'd been aborted." -happypantsmcgee
 

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