The failure thread

Monkeys,

For those of us who have no offers yet this OCR cycle, let's share our stories and try to comfort each other. Hopefully, we can learn some things and keep pushing for our goals.

My story: Over the past few weeks, have had first round OCR ibd interviews with GS, Miller Buckfire, Jefferies, Deutsche (got finals here), Nomura, and M&T. I know my technicals cold, am an athlete, have been told that I am very personable, and have networked my ass off ( weekend trips, utilizing all family/friend connections, multiple bankers emailing HR on my behalf, etc.) I'm really starting to get down about the process and am feeling very discouraged. I thought my networking would make up for my low GPA (3.2), but apparently it did not. I want this so bad tho...

Any more stories of persistence just not paying off when you thought it would?

 

Hang in there, man. Be happy with Deutsche Bank and plan to nail the interviews - read up on the groups/bank culture/deals/etc...Try to network with people there and get as much insight into the process as you can - get your name out there.

Have a buddy who's still going through the process now at a target with a 3.5+ and a top-tier BB asset management internship name on his resume (think GS/MS/JPM). He had interviews internally for IBD at NY and a regional office, and then interviews with top MMs and literally ALL of the other bulges (BAML/CS/Citi). Has yet to lock up an offer. Sometimes it's just luck of the draw.

Best of luck!

 
Best Response
advantageplayer:
got finals for db, then didn't get the offer. Thanks for the advice, good to hear of people struggling out there.

As long as you're being honest w/ yourself about where you are (solid technicals, normal sounding, etc.), the best advice I think I can give is to continue 'playing hands' until you get a good set of 'cards'. I don't believe in luck, but I understand that there are always factors that will be out of your control at play during recruiting. Unfortunately, for the most part everyone looks good at the top so I don't think your rejections are a reflection upon you. It is pointless to start to worry about things you can't control (i.e. competition, stats., 'would-coulda-shoulda' situations). Keep your head up and stay in the game, it only takes one interview / offer and you never know when it's coming. The worst thing you can do is start to get down upon yourself and get in a negative headspace, you have enough going on w/ recruiting and don't need to add any stress.

Edit: To get to your question, I am a textbook case of someone basically checking every box along the way minus being at a target. I maintained a high GPA, networked hard, had relevant internships and some good ECs. I made it to a few Superdays and more than my fair share of 1st and 2nd round interviews (was recruiting during last yr for FT positions [Fall 2011]). I didn't get a single FT offer. Of the things that I learned and will carry with me for the rest of my life (not the typical make sacrifices, work hard B/S, but real talk ahha):

  1. No matter what I do/accomplish, the world does not owe me anything. -This was a really hard lesson for me to learn as up until IBD recruiting I had never really 'failed' at anything. If there was something I wanted to do I typically just put in 100% effort and it usually just worked out. Despite everything you may do, it might not work out and it won't be fair, shit just happens.

  2. Be patient. -Another lesson I learned that is really a continuation of Lesson 1; in the past once I put my effort in I used to expect an immediate output or time relative result. You need to have the foresight and maturity to keep your goal in mind, and be patient enough to work towards it over the long run if things blow up on you in the short term. I made some good choices and I'm going to be well positioned for IBD recruiting for this fall '13, definitely not the timeline I saw for myself during UG.

  3. Life doesn't end if you don't get a FT IBD offer. -Don't get me wrong, I would trade in my current job/lifestyle right now if it meant I could go to work in IBD, but that's not realistic for me right now at least. As much as I chafe at my current situation, I'm OKAY - life has gone on for me and you'll be okay working a 'gig that you don't absolutely love or isn't the sexiest

'Before you enter... be willing to pay the price'
 
BepBep12][quote=advantageplayer:
got finals for db, then didn't get the offer. Thanks for the advice, good to hear of people struggling out there.

As long as you're being honest w/ yourself about where you are (solid technicals, normal sounding, etc.), the best advice I think I can give is to continue 'playing hands' until you get a good set of 'cards'. I don't believe in luck, but I understand that there are always factors that will be out of your control at play during recruiting. Unfortunately, for the most part everyone looks good at the top so I don't think your rejections are a reflection upon you. It is pointless to start to worry about things you can't control (i.e. competition, stats., 'would-coulda-shoulda' situations). Keep your head up and stay in the game, it only takes one interview / offer and you never know when it's coming. The worst thing you can do is start to get down upon yourself and get in a negative headspace, you have enough going on w/ recruiting and don't need to add any stress.

Edit: To get to your question, I am a textbook case of someone basically checking every box along the way minus being at a target. I maintained a high GPA, networked hard, had relevant internships and some good ECs. I made it to a few Superdays and more than my fair share of 1st and 2nd round interviews (was recruiting during last yr for FT positions [Fall 2011]). I didn't get a single FT offer. Of the things that I learned and will carry with me for the rest of my life (not the typical make sacrifices, work hard B/S, but real talk ahha):

  1. No matter what I do/accomplish, the world does not owe me anything. -This was a really hard lesson for me to learn as up until IBD recruiting I had never really 'failed' at anything. If there was something I wanted to do I typically just put in 100% effort and it usually just worked out. Despite everything you may do, it might not work out and it won't be fair, shit just happens.

  2. Be patient. -Another lesson I learned that is really a continuation of Lesson 1; in the past once I put my effort in I used to expect an immediate output or time relative result. You need to have the foresight and maturity to keep your goal in mind, and be patient enough to work towards it over the long run if things blow up on you in the short term. I made some good choices and I'm going to be well positioned for IBD recruiting for this fall '13, definitely not the timeline I saw for myself during UG.

  3. Life doesn't end if you don't get a FT IBD offer. -Don't get me wrong, I would trade in my current job/lifestyle right now if it meant I could go to work in IBD, but that's not realistic for me right now at least. As much as I chafe at my current situation, I'm OKAY - life has gone on for me and you'll be okay working a 'gig that you don't absolutely love or isn't the sexiest

 
BepBep12][quote=advantageplayer:
got finals for db, then didn't get the offer. Thanks for the advice, good to hear of people struggling out there.
  1. Be patient. -Another lesson I learned that is really a continuation of Lesson 1; in the past once I put my effort in I used to expect an immediate output or time relative result. You need to have the foresight and maturity to keep your goal in mind, and be patient enough to work towards it over the long run if things blow up on you in the short term. I made some good choices and I'm going to be well positioned for IBD recruiting for this fall '13, definitely not the timeline I saw for myself during UG.

  2. Life doesn't end if you don't get a FT IBD offer. -Don't get me wrong, I would trade in my current job/lifestyle right now if it meant I could go to work in IBD, but that's not realistic for me right now at least. As much as I chafe at my current situation, I'm OKAY - life has gone on for me and you'll be okay working a 'gig that you don't absolutely love or isn't the sexiest AM job but got a financial consultant gig. Are you still elegible for fall 2013 if you already graduated and are working?

 

Keep your head up man, it's a jungle out there. Keep working your contacts and scouring your school's OCR website, as off-cycle opportunities will pop up randomly. If nothing works out for IBD, keep a look out for jobs with a related skill set that could eventually lead to IBD through networking or an MBA. Recruiting is an arduous process, but it's only the very beginning of your career, whatever that may end up being.

 

You're far from a failure. A large component of success in just about any competitive endeavour is attributed to variance. Forget about OCR, that ship has sailed. Expose yourself to randomness and use it to your advantage- hit up as many small boutiques and MM as you can, cut losses quickly, reach out to more firms and stick with the ones that are willing to give you a shot.

 

Don't give up and don't be discouraged. Recruiting is an extremely random process.

One story that I have: Over the past year, I networked with almost every single alumni from my school at a specific BB that I was targeting. Based off of the great conversations that I had with these alums, I was convinced that I'd waltz through their interview process and receive an offer from this specific BB. However, when interview time came around, not only did I not receive an offer, but I wasn't even extended an invitation to interview while a few of my much less qualified peers were (one of the people who received an interview invite worked for me over the past summer, had a lower GPA, and was honestly kind of weird and boorish). To say that it was a significant blow to my morale is a complete understatement. And to make matters worse, I had instances similar to this happen with more than a handful of firms, with each time hitting me even harder than the previous times.

If I've learned one thing throughout this entire investment banking recruiting process, it's that recruiting is a numbers game. There are always going to be a few lucky individuals that (whether deservedly or not) seemingly clean house and receive offers from every single firm that they interview with. However, for the rest of us, what I think it comes down to is working hard, staying hungry and tenacious, and keeping an upbeat attitude. The way I always looked at it was, even if I didn't break into investment banking through this year's recruiting cycle, I would still be walking away with a wealth of skills that I wouldn't have developed if I hadn't set on this difficult path: networking, interpersonal, technical, attention to detail, perseverance and tenacity... the list goes on and on.

Good luck with recruiting! The last thing that you should do is give up. It's a tough process, but I'm convinced that if you're able to stay hungry and stay positive, that something will eventually come your way. I remember reading, right when I joined WSO, someone else posting (paraphrasing it): If you knew that you would land an internship once you put in 1000 hours of work, would you do those hours of work? That struck me hard because I feel like the uncertainty is what really eats at you - not the amount of work that you're putting in. But I believe that if you go into recruiting with the attitude that if you put in the work, that that work will yield fruit, you will eventually be victorious in your endeavors.

 
A Fellow Linguist:
Don't give up and don't be discouraged. Recruiting is an extremely random process.

One story that I have: Over the past year, I networked with almost every single alumni from my school at a specific BB that I was targeting. Based off of the great conversations that I had with these alums, I was convinced that I'd waltz through their interview process and receive an offer from this specific BB. However, when interview time came around, not only did I not receive an offer, but I wasn't even extended an invitation to interview while a few of my much less qualified peers were (one of the people who received an interview invite worked for me over the past summer, had a lower GPA, and was honestly kind of weird and boorish). To say that it was a significant blow to my morale is a complete understatement. And to make matters worse, I had instances similar to this happen with more than a handful of firms, with each time hitting me even harder than the previous times.

Sounds like you probably come off as a weirdo especially since this happened multiple times. In your case, I'd probably stop networking.

 
jjbeeda:
A Fellow Linguist:
Don't give up and don't be discouraged. Recruiting is an extremely random process.

One story that I have: Over the past year, I networked with almost every single alumni from my school at a specific BB that I was targeting. Based off of the great conversations that I had with these alums, I was convinced that I'd waltz through their interview process and receive an offer from this specific BB. However, when interview time came around, not only did I not receive an offer, but I wasn't even extended an invitation to interview while a few of my much less qualified peers were (one of the people who received an interview invite worked for me over the past summer, had a lower GPA, and was honestly kind of weird and boorish). To say that it was a significant blow to my morale is a complete understatement. And to make matters worse, I had instances similar to this happen with more than a handful of firms, with each time hitting me even harder than the previous times.

Sounds like you probably come off as a weirdo especially since this happened multiple times. In your case, I'd probably stop networking.

I think this can be gleaned based on writing style alone.
 

Keep your head up, that's all you can do. As others have said, recruiting is a grind. It will kick you in the balls and just when you think things can't get worse, it will kick you again. But when you continue to put in the work and continue to push, something will work out. All those stumbles and ball-kicks will make getting that offer so much sweeter.

 

the process is more random than you think. stay in there, sometimes you just need a bit of luck. knew a person, good GPA, decent internships but super awkward personality got into one of the firms you mentioned. definitely no one see this guy got a job, but he did.

 

At a target, very high GPA, IBD experience x2 (no-name firms but solid experience), solid leadership positions, founded stuff, captain of a sports team, work part time for a really interesting place while studying where I have been able to use my IBD knowledge - 1 first round BB IBD interview (got to 2nd round) and 0 interviews elsewhere (including other industries). I know my technicals inside out, prepared as muchbas i could, networked and was told I would be fine, and this is my 3rd year applying in a row. I'm on my 91st CV draft (no joke).

Doing $hit all for the summer. So don't even get me started on recruiting ;)

OP - don't take this the wrong way. But I got the same comments about being personable blah blah but recruiters/people in IBD know what they are doing. To be able to get first rounds and for you not to get through to any of them maybe means you are not a fit for that division. This doesn't mean you didn't prepare well or are a crap candidate. But it may be worth seeing if there is something else you would fit better. This is what I'm doing and so far I think it's working. This whole 'luck' thing is BS IMO. We are students - what do we know about recruiting? For the record its not your GPA - you got the interview. Unless you screwed up the justification of why you have a low GPA AND what you are doing about it, it's really not that.

To all monkeys - remove your previous internship experience and education as everyone apying probably has similar stuff. What else are you bringing to the table? This is what ALL firms are looking for. This is what I failed to see before. This is what you need to keep thinking. It's not about what job you will be good at anymore. It's the job you will be great at and completely kill. :) People think reading BIWS or WSO guides is enough. Is it? If I threw you into Goldman Sachs tomorrow would you hit the ground running? If yes - please PM me - need some help with something. Lol

Also I'm not a believer in 'keep applying'. I've tried that strategy and it doesn't work. Step back. THINK what went wrong. Do something differently. Doing the same thing over and over wont work. Please don't read this as give up on IBD. But please don't make the mistake I made of doing the same thing over and over thinking that something will change. It won't and it doesn't. This is nieve thinking.

Peace.

 
Charles-perry:
At a target, very high GPA, IBD experience x2 (no-name firms but solid experience), solid leadership positions, founded stuff, captain of a sports team, work part time for a really interesting place while studying where I have been able to use my IBD knowledge - 1 first round BB IBD interview (got to 2nd round) and 0 interviews elsewhere (including other industries). I know my technicals inside out, prepared as muchbas i could, networked and was told I would be fine, and this is my 3rd year applying in a row. I'm on my 91st CV draft (no joke).

Doing $hit all for the summer. So don't even get me started on recruiting ;)

Don't mean to be offensive, but there's almost no way you're not lying. If you truly go to a target and have prior IBD experience/leadership positions/high GPAs, you would be getting a large majority of first rounds. I go to a target as well and I've seen kids with only 2 of those 3, sometimes even 1 of those 3, get first rounds. The kids who have checked all the boxes (3.8+, random boutique sophomore, leadership on campus) pretty much got every first round. That's not to say you'll get offers or even superdays, that's where the "fit" part comes in. There are plenty of kids who had all the boxes checked but got 1 or 0 second rounds/superdays due to just being completely awkward/socially unaware, but even they got plenty of first rounds.

 

Theres no reason for me to lie. This is why when I tell people my story they don't believe me/think I'm lying/tell me 'things will work out'. I'm still struggling to land interviews for internships at 'brand name places'. (Note that I'm in the UK not the USA so things may work differently in the US).

 
Charles-perry:

OP - don't take this the wrong way. But I got the same comments about being personable blah blah but recruiters/people in IBD know what they are doing. To be able to get first rounds and for you not to get through to any of them maybe means you are not a fit for that division. This doesn't mean you didn't prepare well or are a crap candidate. But it may be worth seeing if there is something else you would fit better. This is what I'm doing and so far I think it's working. This whole 'luck' thing is BS IMO. We are students - what do we know about recruiting? For the record its not your GPA - you got the interview. Unless you screwed up the justification of why you have a low GPA AND what you are doing about it, it's really not that.

Peace.

See, this is exactly it. After so many times of being consecutively knocked down, you start to question yourself: Is this really for me? Maybe I don't fit in, and nobody is telling me? Is there something "off" about me? These questions force you to stop and reevaluate. On the flip side, giving up on IBD in particular if you have been set on it for so long and have prepped/network for years is very difficult. NOBODY wants to think that they've spent the past 2 years of their life preparing for something that's not going to happen.

Haters gonna hate
 

Busted my ass to get the grades, busted my ass networking, and then busted my ass self-training. Shaping up to get exactly 0 offers.

"They are all former investment bankers that were laid off in the economic collapse that Nancy Pelosi caused. They have no marketable skills, but by God they work hard."
 

Hang in there man. I went through the same thing after graduation last May. Networked, solid resume blah blah and nothing came out in the end. The worst part of it all is that all the kids in the group I hang out with went on to their fancy IBD jobs while nothign came to me. So I took a month off to travel, came back fresh and found a CF gig past August and has been here since. Still busting balls to find that job I am after and man I gotta tell you, it is much better to look for a job when you HAVE a job.

So my advice to you is. Keep your heads up. Find a related job that helps pay the bills, keep you occupied and keep on fighting for the IBD job you are after. At the end of the day, you already walked away with many skills (like one of the posters said above) you would never had the chance to learn hadn't you choose this industry. Keep on going and I hope to hear your success story one day in the near future!

Array
 

At least you got interviews. Save your contacts and continue to network. Never know when a position might open up or how helpful contacts might be in the future. I'm a non-target with hardly any alumni on wall street. I had to apply through online apps and haven't even heard back from most banks. I doubt they even looked at my app. Your situation could be worse.

 

Going through the buyside process as a BB IBD analyst right now - not only can I relate to this thread in the present, but also brings back memories of trying to break into banking. Went to a non-target with a pedestrian GPA and did everything I could from networking to self-prep to land an IBD gig out of school. 2 months before graduation, I accepted a non-banking offer but kept pushing for an IBD offer even after I graduated. Took a lot of hustle, especially as an experiences hire without direct banking experience but ultimately was able to break through a few months later largely due to one thing - persistance. Disagree with all the posts that say luck has nothing to do with it. Luck is definitely an element of it (got my first rd through a resume drop without any contacts at firm) but you can influence your 'luck' by the power of numbers which is a bulk of the process as some of you have already mentioned.

Just gotta realize that when it comes down to it, you can be the sharpest job candidate and the best fit but if the guy on the other side of the table doesn't like you because you wore the wrong tie, that's all it takes to ding - doesn't mean a damn thing about whether or not you are cut out for IBD or if you need to reconsider your career prospects. The only thing in you power is how hard you prep and how much you push after getting told no about 1000 times to the point you almost don't care anymore. It's tough not to stress about the unkown - been there in times past and there again but you just gotta do what you can and have the self confidence to keep putting yourself out there.

Stay up monkeys, best of luck to all.

 

Hey man,

I didn't make it either. None of the bulge brackets took me farther than first round, and elite boutiques took me to second round at max, not a single superday, even though I know I aced some interviews.

I have a high gpa, semi-target, with one caveat: no previous financial work experience, engineering major. have a student fund for modeling experience but that's about it. I went from 20 opportunities to 0 now.

so yup man, in there with you, or rather worse. I am having trouble finding even unpaid internships who now won't take me because they don't believe I will work unpaid (i live far away from banking centers) They'd rather take locals. Trying local places in my state...most don't want extra head count though, just a nuisance for them, if they are not looking to grow.

going back for an msf, gives me next summer again to try for a better SA. trying to see what I did wrong, lost.

 

I go to one of HYP and believe me, recruiting is tough even from a target school with a strong gpa and experience.

The simple reality is that there are only so many spots, and many many candidates. Never stop thinking about what SETS YOU APART.

This website makes it seem like you check a bunch of fucking checkboxes: decent gpa, schoolname, "networking" , resume, "technicals" , "behaviorals" , "finance clubs" etc etc... , compile the "stats" just like college confidential and hopefully increase your probability of getting in.

Let me just say, fuck that shit. It's necessary but NOT sufficient. Find yourself, find the quality that sets you apart, and sell the shit out of that.

 
cauchymonkey:
I go to one of HYP and believe me, recruiting is tough even from a target school with a strong gpa and experience.

The simple reality is that there are only so many spots, and many many candidates. Never stop thinking about what SETS YOU APART.

This website makes it seem like you check a bunch of fucking checkboxes: decent gpa, schoolname, "networking" , resume, "technicals" , "behaviorals" , "finance clubs" etc etc... , compile the "stats" just like college confidential and hopefully increase your probability of getting in.

Let me just say, fuck that shit. It's necessary but NOT sufficient. Find yourself, find the quality that sets you apart, and sell the shit out of that.

This is really true. Coming from the other side, it's pretty tough picking for one spot from 60 resumes that all went to target schools, high GPAs, etc etc etc. Sometimes its just a formatting error on a resume, sometimes the MD is a dick and "doesn't like" a kid who all the analysts liked, so he gets dinged. There is a ton of luck involved in the entire process...don't feel like your life is over. I worked at a crappy MM for a year and then a CF gig for a year and a half before I weaseled my way into an IBD role.

 

Yeah tell me about it. I'm a recent grad december 2012 ... but I guess I shouldn't be complaining. There are people here who have the internship experiences and related work experience I was unable to acquire for 2 or 3 years at a time and still can't manage to catch something.

Good thread though. Some people have some really good advice.

 
huanleshalemei:
Time to say hello to GS chairman again?

Already utilized him. I fostered a relationship with him over a 6 month period, and he got me a first round. Just got a call yesterday that GS "wouldn't be moving forward with my file at this point".

Haters gonna hate
 

You remind me of myself last year when i went through SA recruitment. you have more going for you in terms of being a better candidate with the athlete part then i did, but i was able to get a good FT offer at a top MM.

the trick for me was realizing if i cant get a reputable name for summer on my resume, then at the least i need to get IB related work, even if at a no-name boutique. dsnt matter if unpaid, at this point you care about doing as much modeling/valuation/pitch book making etc. that FT analysts do but over the summer. then meanwhile network you're ass off with the same ppl, update them of your situation and stay in contact for FT. you might not/prob not get a top tier BB or elite boutique, but at my semi-target low tier BBs- ex: BAML, Citi, Wells, lots of MMs- ex Piper, HLHZ, Jefferies, Imperial Capital etc and some boutiques- ex- Savvian, Lazard, Sagent all came on campus (so yes you will have opportunities for FT recruitment!) and thanks to my relevant work experience/unhealthy level of networking lol, i was able to get almost all the interviews and a very good offer.

keep at it, you'll get there!!!!!! look at my old post to see my story and PM if you need. keep on trucking.

I don't throw darts at a board. I bet on sure things. Read Sun-tzu, The Art of War. Every battle is won before it is ever fought- GG
 

What really gets me is that while there are so many people who do everything right, bust their ass to break in, and deserve to get an offer but dont...there are others who don't deserve it at all who do. I'm at a target and know somebody who has zero interest in finance, knows nothing about the industry (to the extent of him/her not knowing what the S&P500 is), knows nothing about banking (had never heard of a DCF before his/her first round interview), who breezed through the process at a top firm, despite missing all technical questions, after meeting a guy high up in the organization through a school club and basically being good at BS-ing.

 
Extelleron:
What really gets me is that while there are so many people who do everything right, bust their ass to break in, and deserve to get an offer but dont...there are others who don't deserve it at all who do. I'm at a target and know somebody who has zero interest in finance, knows nothing about the industry (to the extent of him/her not knowing what the S&P500 is), knows nothing about banking (had never heard of a DCF before his/her first round interview), who breezed through the process at a top firm, despite missing all technical questions, after meeting a guy high up in the organization through a school club and basically being good at BS-ing.

That does suck, but someone like tht kid will probably get weeded out by not getting a FT offer or burning out during his SA role. Those types of hires from what i've been told also stand out like a sore thumb when put into the mix with other bankers and are either shit on/leave the firm/are fired. he wont last long dw lol

I don't throw darts at a board. I bet on sure things. Read Sun-tzu, The Art of War. Every battle is won before it is ever fought- GG
 

Basically have to pull out all the stop now. 3.2 is too low. are you directly addressing this in your interviews? I had a great interview with a kid until at the very end i asked him what his gpa was. going to a HYP school but having a terrible gpa is not gonna help even if you had connections that got the interview for you in the first place.

 
Bernankey:
Basically have to pull out all the stop now. 3.2 is too low. are you directly addressing this in your interviews? I had a great interview with a kid until at the very end i asked him what his gpa was. going to a HYP school but having a terrible gpa is not gonna help even if you had connections that got the interview for you in the first place.

Can someone please set the record straight? Some are saying that GPA doesn't matter once you get the interview, and this guy is saying that it does matter even when you get the interview. I have my GPA on my resume, so they already know this when they are selecting resumes.

Haters gonna hate
 
advantageplayer:
Bernankey:
Basically have to pull out all the stop now. 3.2 is too low. are you directly addressing this in your interviews? I had a great interview with a kid until at the very end i asked him what his gpa was. going to a HYP school but having a terrible gpa is not gonna help even if you had connections that got the interview for you in the first place.

Can someone please set the record straight? Some are saying that GPA doesn't matter once you get the interview, and this guy is saying that it does matter even when you get the interview. I have my GPA on my resume, so they already know this when they are selecting resumes.

it really depends. sometimes they bring you in to address why you had a bad GPA - obviously GPA matters there. Sometimes the just need to narrow candidates and they do it by GPA regardless if it's a good idea or not.

 

My school only has 3 main banks for OCR recruiting. I networked my ass off and got interviews at 2 of them and finals at one. Unfortunately, no offer. I wish I went somewhere where more banks recruit at my school - my interview skills definitely improved with each interview - but now I am looking for boutiques and stuff. Maybe consulting too.

It's a tough situation. But at my school, a lot of my friends weren't even granted interviews. One thing I've noticed though is that the athletes and frat members have easily been able to get interviews. That's an untapped network there, just saying.

 

if you end up getting nothing, take some summer classes, boost that GPA, enjoy life, go downtown to the clubs and bars every weekend. Go on Thursdays too. Be a player, let us old folk live vicariously through you. Trust me you guys are way ahead. I didn't even know about IB until after I graduated. Didn't have the right skill-set so I ended up in HFT.

 

Recruiting is an inherently ego bruising process; you need to get past your failures, don't let them dominate your mindset. Look at the positive, it's an absolutely miserable job market right now, especially so in banking, yet you've already made it past where 99% (probably more) of where the average finance undergrad makes it in their job search. So much of breaking into this industry is persistence, keep at it and eventually someone WILL give you a chance. It may not be on the timeframe you imagined but that's life, shit never works out the way you planned.

Keep your heads up guys.

 

It sucks a lot. Especially when I have a friend getting a position at a BB after not knowing what a derivative or the Eurocrisis was (it was for tech SA, but still). I literally almost murdered someone when he told me that.

 

I was feeling this same way. Finding the right finance job was on my mind 24/7...I was pretty stressing

BUT I got the offer I have been waiting for yesterday. Iv been on cloud 9 for about 48 hours. One thing to think about...it happens really fast. keep your hopes up

 
StocksandBlondes:
I was feeling this same way. Finding the right finance job was on my mind 24/7...I was pretty stressing

BUT I got the offer I have been waiting for yesterday. Iv been on cloud 9 for about 48 hours. One thing to think about...it happens really fast. keep your hopes up

what happens fast?

Haters gonna hate
 

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Career Advancement Opportunities

March 2024 Investment Banking

  • Jefferies & Company 02 99.4%
  • Goldman Sachs 19 98.8%
  • Harris Williams & Co. (++) 98.3%
  • Lazard Freres 02 97.7%
  • JPMorgan Chase 03 97.1%

Overall Employee Satisfaction

March 2024 Investment Banking

  • Harris Williams & Co. 18 99.4%
  • JPMorgan Chase 10 98.8%
  • Lazard Freres 05 98.3%
  • Morgan Stanley 07 97.7%
  • William Blair 03 97.1%

Professional Growth Opportunities

March 2024 Investment Banking

  • Lazard Freres 01 99.4%
  • Jefferies & Company 02 98.8%
  • Goldman Sachs 17 98.3%
  • Moelis & Company 07 97.7%
  • JPMorgan Chase 05 97.1%

Total Avg Compensation

March 2024 Investment Banking

  • Director/MD (5) $648
  • Vice President (19) $385
  • Associates (86) $261
  • 3rd+ Year Analyst (13) $181
  • Intern/Summer Associate (33) $170
  • 2nd Year Analyst (66) $168
  • 1st Year Analyst (202) $159
  • Intern/Summer Analyst (144) $101
notes
16 IB Interviews Notes

“... there’s no excuse to not take advantage of the resources out there available to you. Best value for your $ are the...”

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From 10 rejections to 1 dream investment banking internship

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