Internship advice for a non-target school student
I am a junior mathematics major with minors in computer science and finance. I do NOT go to a target school, but I aspire to go to a top business school. In order to do that, I feel that I should get a job as some sort of analyst. But for now, I am applying to a lot of different banks and firms for summer internships in IB, S&T, and quantitative research. My gpa is 3.8~, have strong extra-curriculars, and a very high aptitude for math. After doing hours and hours of research, I feel that I have little to no chance of getting hired as an intern to any of the major banks and firms due to my school. My math professors are grooming me to go into academia (math research last summer, taking graduate level pure math courses as reader classes, etc.) and I only recently realized that academia/pure math is not for me. I want to work on Wall St., so what positions would you guys recommend I look into for a summer internship? Will provide more details if asked.
NETWORK!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
how obscure is your non-target?
Just start applying via BB/MM websites for Summer Analyst positions.
As for whether you choose IB/ST/Quant .. just try to make a educated guess on what you really want to do. Worst case scenario, you'll find out whether you like/hate it and you'll still have a good internship.
Also contact alumni who work in finance.
Summer Analyst Internship from a Non-Target (Originally Posted: 07/11/2014)
I am wanting to land a summer analyst internship for summer of 2015. I come from a non-target. I am an accounting major with a minor in econ. I am just wondering if you have any specific advice on the best ways to market yourself and make yourself stick out coming from a non-target school.
Network, talk to people, make good impressions, and then follow up just before recruiting hits.
networking is your best friend. there are a bunch of threads about good networking tips and advice
Network, Network, Network
Non-target SA recruiting logistics (Originally Posted: 08/28/2015)
Closed, thanks for the help.
This one thing called Networking...
I know you're joking, but the "whole life on the line" comment isn't a great mentality to have about anything
Bump
Logistically that's about right. But do not forget to work very hard on preparing for these interviews (both technical and fit).
Between step 1 and step 2 you should have NETWORKING.
I was in the same exact position as you this past fall. Seriously just go find someone's alumni database and start shooting out e-mails. Try and go to information events at nearby schools if possible.
S&T internships for the non target (Originally Posted: 01/09/2011)
I am in need for some banks or prop firms that would be less selective/more open to non targets for S&T SA spots, any help is appreciated.
Apply to everything and network hard. Don't sell yourself short or worry about whether you can get in because of where you went to school. That kind of attitude won't take you as far as busting your ass and networking to get to where you want. Apply to all the BBs, all the MMs, and boutiques that you can and try to prep for interviews and you will be fine.
sales trades,non target, what if (Originally Posted: 01/08/2015)
How does one get into sales and trades from something like baruch? How does even one network or get the internships necessary? Also for internships, how do you get internships if you come from something baruch while freshmen and sophmore? This is all hypothetical and is not me. I am just asking
best of luck dude.
Summer Analyst recruiting for nontargets (Originally Posted: 08/17/2007)
When does the summer analyst recruiting period start? Should I send my cover letter and resume to recruiters and banks in the fall? When should I start working my way in through contacts?
mid dec. to mid jan's the ideal time
Yea.. would like to know more about this as well.
Do you apply direct through the standard application? or Do you email them to HR stating your ideal time you wanna intern?
do both
The 2015 Summer Analyst cycle has started. My application was due Sunday August 24th at 11:59:59pm.
I would try to reach out to a recruiter on linkedIN and see what they say
Finding an Internship from a Non-Target (Originally Posted: 10/25/2015)
Hey guys, I'm a freshman at a non-target university and I know that I want to break into Investment Banking and hope to get a head start by getting an internship this summer. I was hoping some of you could give me advice on where to start my search. I am relatively sure I can intern at a PWM firm in my city, but it is very small-scale and I would like to find something bigger. All suggestions are appreciated.
Thanks
You should be able to search for your local BAML, Morgan Stanley, UBS, etc. branch. If contact information is listed, reach out & express interest in some manner. Have prepared cover letter & resume before you reach out.
Where are you located? I could give you some pointers if you were in Florida.
Non-Target SA (Originally Posted: 01/27/2009)
I go to a non-target and am having a hard time finding banks that are looking for summer analysts other than the BB and MM banks. I was wondering if anyone had a list of banks that would offer a summer analyst program.
Go to the vault guide's list of top 50 investment banks. Apply to each and every single one of them. Deadlines have passed for quite a few I think.
and contact them from there
but i will doubt that ur going to have much luck since there isn't that much work going around right now. people are more worried about the next 3-4 months (next round of layoffs) and not so much about the summer yet.The world has changed. And we must change with it.
You have NO chance.
i got to a non target and had a SA job at a BB and a full time offer to go back, contact alumni
Networking is king in this environment. Target or Non-Target doesn't matter.
What are my chances of having an IB Internship at a BB next summer being that I come from a Non Target? (Originally Posted: 07/18/2012)
Hello Everybody,
I am a rising sophomore at a non target school majoring in Finance with a 3.9 GPA in NYC. I was able to secure a analyst intern position at a boutique firm this summer and I got a 1:1 interview at another boutique in the sales and trading division for the Fall semester as a part time. My main goal is to get an analyst intern position the summer of 2013 at a bulge bracket firm and in the long run, graduate with a full time offer at one of these firms. The partners I work with are very well connected and they said they could hook me up with interviews at such bulge brackets for next summer. My questions is how would they help me land an interview? Would having a S&T internship along with an IB Summer Analyst position on my resume look good by the time I am a sophomore or would S&T be irrelevant? Am I on a good track to my future goals of being an Analyst at a bulge bracket post graduation? Any feedback would be greatly appreciated!
you will get interviews, don't worry.
When does non-target SA recruiting begin? (Originally Posted: 01/16/2012)
With recruiting season happening as early as December and as late as March. Could someone in the industry shed some light as to when the non-target candidates get a call?
Added * And does it differ for regional offices? Boston, LA, Chicago, etc.
Different for every bank. Some do it before target recruiting, some at the same time, some after.
Thanks, I guess they want to keep us all guessing..
interested in knowing
I know UBS already did it, I think CS did as well as someone posted on here that they had already had a superday for noncore. GS does it at the same time as other recruiting (Jan/Feb). BAML does Jan/Feb for non-core as well. MS I think does it slightly later than core recruiting.
BAML non-core is over.
^that is wrong, i have my first round this week. I received an application from the recruiter that said employee referral candidate so idk if that eliminates my non-core status
IB SA Deadlines for Non-Targets? (Originally Posted: 12/16/2011)
I am a non-target junior trying to apply for SA 2012 positions. Does anyone know the deadline for the major BB MM and elite boutiques? I know of some, like CS's deadline is Jan 3rd, JPMC is Jan 15, Lazard is Jan 16, and etc...
But a lot of the websites don't actually have deadlines listed (or I cannot find them?)
Does anyone know when the deadlines actually are?
I got to a super non-target. I have already applied to most places because one or two (cannot remember which ones) had started really early. Most sent me automated e-mails back saying they start in January. The only one who I have heard back from is Baird, who gave me an interview for Monday.
If you started applying in early January, you should meet most deadlines.
do you know specific deadlines of specific banks by any chance?
bump. . .
Yeah, its about time to apply. If I were you I would spend the next week (before new year's eve) doing it + letting you contacts know that you've done this
in this context the term "deadlines" applies mainly to OCR resume drops at targets. if youre at a nontarget, you should be applying online now. side note - hopefully youre not relying on companies' online submission systems, as HR rarely looks at that. focus on networking with people on the inside.
Non target here with some hands on experience trying to find an internship (Originally Posted: 01/17/2014)
Hi guys so basically i am probably in the worst position to find an internship but its worth trying. A little low down on my current position. Like I said I am in a non target school in western new york, I am in an international student british/nigerian (we are not all nigerian princes that are trying to get 500 million dollars but need 1 million dollars lol), I am a computer engineering major, my GPA is 3.3 ish. The good part. I have beenradingoptions, spreads and currencies for about 4 years and I have a profitable track record in the last two years consistently.I created my strategy in mql and java and its fairly profitable for me. There is only so much you can do as a day trader/student with monthly pocket money as capital. I know how to write code(duh) and I am constantly learning how to learn programming languages for finance. Learning finance basics would be quite easy as I have begun to read a couple books. I am really not stoked on doing IB, I just want to trade thats all i really want to do. I ll take a prop firm or whatever just somewhere to work. I have tried sending my resume out to about 30 companies. Tons of no's and maybe 2 interviews with crappy companies still waiting on some to reply. I just need help presenting myself better. Most firms state clearly that they only want top school which sucks. I just feel bad because I had a high SAT and i could have gone to practically any University I wanted. I hope I can get some help on what to do and where to look as I am getting frustrated and thinking i should stop trying. Thank you.
Check out my latest post on advice for international students
Applying to banks for SA from a non-target? (Originally Posted: 11/08/2007)
When is the best time to apply if you're from a non-target? Is now too early? Do the middle market I-Banks generally accept applications and interview before the bulge brackets?
Any assistance would be appreciated.
Coming from a non-target I would avoid online applications. Cold call people if need be, but make a contact at the bank to forward your resume to HR. Banks get thousands of online apps and your chances are slim without some support from bankers or going through your school's career center hiring process.
do banks like the BBs still require you to formally apply online, even if you get your resume passsed through like an MD?
Thanks for the comments.
I've actually made a few contacts in some places and keep close with alumni who are working in finance. I definitely plan to have these individuals pass my resume along.
Unfortunately my networking is limited, as most of the graduates from my school don't make it to the street (maybe one every year and usually not to a top tier like GS, MS, etc.). Additionally, most finance and economics graduates work outside of NYC or in portfolio management.
My internship from this past summer, working in back-office of a major BB went very well though (a lot of front-office interaction), so I was hoping to use that as some sort of leverage. Do you recommend attaching a copy of my end-of-summer evaluation?
Can't hurt to attache the end of summer eval if it's that good. Waltersobcheck - yes, almost every BB still requires you to apply online through their system even if you apply through an MD or through school career services. Make sure you don't miss those deadlines - usually near Jan 15 or so.
okay, so would it better to talk to the alumni first, get my resume passed, and then begin applying online, assuming I still have a decent shot once my resume has been put in the right hands?
Yeah - with the hope that by that point you're applying online only as a formality and you've already secured an interview.
Internship Questions from a Non Target (Originally Posted: 02/22/2010)
So I've been reading this site a couple times a week for the past couple months while searching for summer internships. I go to USC (South Carolina) and I'm a double major in Econ and Finance with a 3.91 GPA as well as an officer for my Fraternity. And I'm having an absolute horrendous time finding an internship. I've started networking and all that jazz even had a couple informal lunches with some guys at MS Smith Barney.
My question is simple, do I stand a chance at getting a job somewhere in New York this late? Or even in Charlotte or some other smaller hub? I have an offer to work unpaid here in SC at a tiny local investment firm. I'm looking to be an analyst eventually and hopefully break into IB at some point (knock on wood) and since I know breaking into IB directly from a non target is virtually impossible I figured I'd have to start elsewhere.
Any help would be greatly appreciated.
.
I just realized I forgot to mention that I'm a Junior and have no relevant work experience. The reason I did not go to a bigger school (got into Emory and a couple others, no ivy league though) was money simple enough.
Would working at a small firm for pay be a lot worse on the resume than working for a large firm (local branch) unpaid?
I have yet to see any large firms offering unpaid internships in IBD...
However, your resume does not show whether you got paid or not. Just go to the firm where you will get the most experience, unless you need the paycheck.
Good point. Getting an IBD internship isnt exactly my first priority as I know its a long shot. Almost all internships in town are small local named places that are unpaid.
What town is this you are referring to? (If you dont mind me asking)
See first post. USC so Columbia South Carolina (Not exactly a hub for any sort of business eh lol)
Does applyig on company websites for SA from a non target actually work? (Originally Posted: 01/23/2015)
Soph at a non target getting ready for SA recruiting next year. I feel like just going to every banks website and applying for SA won't really get me anywhere. My school has minimal alumni in front office roles, lots of ops people though, so networking can be a little difficult. What's the best way to get firm's to consider my resume, I really believe I have the resume and skills to have a good shot if I get an interview, I just don't know how to get interviews. I'm looking to break into anything from IB to ER at BB's to top boutiques.
Yes. Got multiple interviews without any connections from inside the bank just by applying online at a number of places, including Goldman.
Are you in the US?
Op, general consensus is no, doesn't really work in the US. In the UK, Australia etc, doing it this way is standard pracoce
So how would I go about getting firms to look at my resume? Let's say I have some informational interviews maybe get a connection or two at a few banks I doubt that can really end up in me getting an offer.
You have some informational interviews, you ask if they can put you in contact with the person in charge of SA recruiting. You get a first round phone interview and then invited to the superday where you get an offer.
That is how you network. If your resume is not up to par to begin with then step 1 should be focused on getting someone to believe in you and really push you forward. You won't get to the later steps without the push. But once you get that first round interview its all on you.
Yes- I'm at a non-target in the US and got interviews with several BBs without networking.
I'm in Canada, and doing so got me interviews (including one at one of the "larger" banks).
Good luck!
SA recruiting non-target (Originally Posted: 01/21/2013)
I am from a non-target in the SEC and have been applying to the typical big firms, middle market, and boutique firms in NYC, Chicago and southeast firms as well. I have been networking for the past couple of weeks and have recently sent in all the online applications (black hole). I have been following the NYC SA thread and am quite confused about the whole process. Are most first round interviews over? I have not heard back but from a few smaller firms, few rejections and a few phone interviews, but the majority I have heard nothing. The NYC thread says many 1st rounds are "out", or superdays are coming up. If my application is in and the status is under review, where do I stand? Sorry I am new to all this. Any help is appreciated.
How much have you networked with the firms you applied to? If you're just submitting applications to banks like Goldman, JPM, MS, Citi, etc online, without anyone looking out for your resume, and you're from a non target then you basically have almost no chance at any of those banks. With regards to first rounds, yes most first rounds are over/ have been scheduled already.
For non-targets it does depend though. Some schools follow a different system and will be grouped into different interview schedules/superdays.
Really just depends on the bank. If you have any contacts at firms, I would shoot them a quick message to see if they can find out anything for you.
I'm at a nontarget and some of the BBs are just starting first round interviews for SA next week. The application deadlines for some firms such as Blackrock, MS, and JPM are approaching, based on my school's career service center.
I have spoken with, on a mostly informational basis, MD's, VP's, associates, and analysts at many of the firms like MS,JPM, Citi etc., as well as many at smaller firms like Lazard,PWP etc., I am working on a way now to ask them to look out for my application/ land at least an interview. I had all applications done by 1/17 and just wanted to make sure I was not to late? Any advice is welcome. I am totally on my own with this, and have been busting my ass with all of it and really want to at least get a chance to interview with some places
.
Not sure if you'll hear back at this point tbh
Job/Intern perspective for Non Target State Schools? (Originally Posted: 07/28/2011)
What is the likelihood of a non-targeted undergraduate student break into finance? I recently graduated from California State University East Bay with a BA, Finance major (GPA 3.1)and currently a Level II CFA candidate. I haven't had too much direct finance related intern experience but I have been actively involved in some of my school investment clubs. What are some things I could do to increase my chances besides having a well written resume? thanx
CFA will help. You need to add in some finance experience to demonstrate your passion. Try to leverage your investment club experience as a start. I have an interview with an undergrad who broke in with CFA Level I and an investment track that might help you out:
http://www.lifeonthebuyside.com/buy-side-equity-analyst/
It will be tough to say the least. You have a pretty weak GPA, which will be an obstacle for getting past the initial stages of screening. Once you figure out what you want to do (which you haven't said anything about), you will have to network your ass off or think about grad school at some point down the road.
thanks guys. A quick question will having financial modeling knowledge or capability help (somewhat of an intermediate level) and how should I incorporate that in the resume?
You definitely need some internship experience to bolster your low GPA. I also have a low GPA but got some great work experience and am now interviewing for some pretty good positions (already turned down one offer that wasn't really right). Probably nothing most people on this website would take that seriously but they are positions that match my interests very well and that offer good prospects for the future.
If it makes you feel better everyone told me my GPA was too low to have much of a chance of success in finance. Don't listen to them because it won't help you at all. Own your GPA and whatever the reasons were for it, and then get over it. Just because someone got good grades in college (which is so arbitrary in many ways) doesn't mean they will do well at their job or vice versa. I know people who did great in college and are now struggling and I know people who did poorly in college but thrived in the workplace. Just set the goals you want to and go after them unapologetically. Apply to internships until someone takes you. Learn technical skills like how to use excel, etc. Do a fall internship when there is less competition from summer people. Keep aiming incrementally higher.
You're likely going to have to start in another role, perhaps BO, and then work your way forward from there. Hiring really is a shitshow though, so get out there and meet people because you'd be surprised at the work experience of some people in FO. Why did you wait until after you graduate to start looking for real experience?
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